Can you damage or hurt your lungs from over exercising?

Question

My roommate just sharpened up his skates and to play some hockey for the first time in many years. He went to the park just to skate around but there were already people there and asked him to play a game with them. He did and had fun but said he was extremely tired afterward and said he felt like he could barely drive and and almost had to throw up. All of that soon went away and the next day he went back and had the ice to himself. he said he did some sprints and felt fine but just winding like he just got done running. He said he felt that way all day. The next day he woke up and said it felt like someone kicked him in the chest and that feeling lasted all day. He seems normal and still went to work at an office but just has chest pain. He says he is going to go to a doctor if it's not better tomorrow but knowing him I doubt he will unless he can't breath. He is 23 and in pretty good shape I would say. He used to bike 25-40 miles every other day in the summer.

I am just wondering if it's possible for something to be wrong with his lungs. I've never heard of anyone having problems like this. Thanks

Answer 1

over exertion cannot harm the lungs, however, there is a syndrome described in the textbooks about being careful exercising in dry, freezing air... normally , the air we breath is humidified, if its alittle dry, then the air passages in our nose helps in humidying it, when we exercise in dry, freezing air, the air passages may not be able to compensate for the increase in respiration therefore dry, freezing air reaches the lung causing damage to the alveoli,... this is what may have happened to your friend...

Answer 2

He could very well have a lung infection, bronchitis or Pneumonia. Hard to tell until the doc gets a listen with the stethascope. as to the cold? Could have an effect if the exercise takes place at ten below. See a doctor though.

Answer 3

When you do a workout in cold weather you are going to stress your lungs because of the air temperature. Normally cold air is warmed up by going through the nasal passages first, but a hard workout requires mouth breathing. It is also not uncommon for people who exercise hard in cold weather to develop asthma. He sounds young and fit so I doubt he's done any lasting harm but tell him to be careful about cold weather exercising in the future. I know all about this as I grew up in Canada.

Answer 4

I wish I could say for sure. It would be best if he got checked out- any type of chest pain should always be investigated, regardless of health or age. It could be an infection, muscle strain, or something more serious. Ask your friend to please get checked out- and hopefully, he can get back to having fun at the rink soon. Good luck.

Answer 5

no. I don think he has any problem in his lungs. sudden movements in his body, will lead to pains. Its obvious,. Nothin more to worry i think, i too faced the same when i started to exercise. when u do some physical strains all of a sudden, its normal to get all these.....his muscles might have got tightened and so he could have got pains. nothin more

Answer 6

I really doubt its a problem with the lungs themselves. It's probably that he's out of shape and his muscles are sore.

Answer 7

Chest pain can't be ignored, he must see a doctor immediately.

Answer 8

dude i had a friend who had the same problem a year ago and he died a week later...you should go see a doctor immediatly.

Answer 9

if you breath hard a lot, i would think they would get worn out.

Answer 10

its because its cold, thats what did him in.