This book provides an innovative and comprehensive overview of the relationship between lung and exercise, both in healthy, active subjects and in subjects with chronic respiratory diseases. It investigates in detail the central role of the lungs during exercise and illustrates the impact of respiratory impairment due to both acute and chronic lung diseases on performance. Further, the book presents the latest evidence-based findings, which confirm that exercise is an effective and safe form of prevention and rehabilitation in respiratory diseases.

The first section describes the changes in the respiratory system during exercise and the contribution of respiration to exercise, while readers will learn how to perform a respiratory assessment in the second section. The third section addresses a broad range of chronic respiratory diseases and the (in)ability of those affected to play sports and perform exercise, thus providing a basis for individual assessments. The last two sections focus on respiratory training, rehabilitation and the relationship between respiration and the environment, e.g. in high-altitude and underwater sports.

The book will appeal to a wide readership, including pulmonologists, sport medicine physicians, physiotherapists and trainers, as well as instructors and students in exercise science.

Annalisa Cogo is a pulmonologist and Professor of Exercise Science at the University of Ferrara, Italy. She has been the Director of the University's Centre for Exercise and Sport Science and has been in charge of the Exercise School. She is now in charge of the Postgraduate School of Sport and Exercise Medicine. She is also responsible for an exercise training program for patients suffering from chronic respiratory disease, in particular COPD and asthma patients. Her research focuses on the adaptation of the respiratory system to exercise, both at sea level and at high altitude, and on exercise training for respiratory patients. She has published numerous scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals, a book on Mountain Medicine and a book on Respiratory Function Tests.

Matteo Bonini is board certified in Sports Medicine and holds a PhD in 'Allergy and Respiratory Diseases.' At present he is a Senior Research Fellow at the Imperial College London, where he is also involved in academic teaching activities. He trained at prominent international institutions and has a clinical background in respiratory diseases, allergy and sports medicine. As principal investigator, unit head and researcher in several national and international funded projects he gained research experience in observational studies, clinical trials, systematic reviews and meta-analysis. He is a member of the Editorial Board and reviewer for several scientific journals, and the author of more than 60 publications. He has been an invited speaker at and/or chairman of over 100 scientific conferences and is actively involved in scientific societies in the area of respiratory diseases, allergy and sports medicine.

Paolo Onorati was trained as a clinical and research physician at the 'Sapienza' University of Rome. Actually is a pulmonologist and internist at Alghero Hospital, Italy. His main research fields are exercise physiology and exercise tolerance in chronic cardio-respiratory diseases, in particular in COPD using cardiopulmonary exercise testing in laboratory and field settings. He has authored scientific papers in peer-reviewed journals and book chapters on physical exercise intolerance in patients with respiratory diseases and for the ERS Handbook of Respiratory Medicine. He participated in the ERS Task Force for the publication of an official statement on the use of exercise testing in the evaluation of interventional efficacy and has been an invited speaker at and/or chairman of several national and international scientific congresses. He is involved in academic teaching activities and an active participant in scientific societies in the area of respiratory diseases and sports medicine.