Effectiveness of nordic walking in patients with asthma: A study protocol of a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Patients with asthma often consider their symptomatology a barrier to exercise, leading to a reduced physical activity level. This study aims to determine whether the effect of a Nordic walking (NW) training program plus education and usual care is superior to educational and usual care only, in terms of exercise tolerance and other health-related outcomes in patients with asthma. The second aim is to explore the patients' experience with the NW program.