Experts have looked into fans’ concerns over the health of Strictly Come Dancing professional Aljaz Skorjanec, after the 34-year-old appeared extremely out of breath following his performance.
The Love Island star’s dance partner Tasha Ghouri, 26, was breathing heavily after her performance on Saturday night’s show, which was captured on her microphone for fans to hear.
Strictly viewers watching at home were alarmed, urging Skorjanec to “get checked out” and expressing concern that he might “be about to collapse from a coronary attack.”
Speaking to MailOnline, a leading GP dr Hannah Patel has given her medical verdict on whether fans are right to worry about the dancer’s health and what the problem could be.
First, some heavy breathing after exercise is normal, although it is seen more often in people who are not particularly active or fit, he said.
“Occasional shortness of breath is to be expected during strenuous exercise, especially if the body is taxed beyond its usual limits.”
However, he said, if “persistent or excessive shortness of breath” continues more than 10 minutes after exercise, it likely indicates an underlying problem that “requires attention.”
Over the weekend, former Love Island star Tasha Ghouri, 26, and her partner Aljaz Skorjanec, 34, danced to What About Us? during the program’s first Icons Week
It was no wonder Aljaz was left breathless after the energetic routine in which he and Tasha earned 39 points from the judges, putting them at the top of the leaderboard.
A possible and common cause of shortness of breath is asthma, a lung condition that causes occasional breathing difficulties, chest tightness, and cough.
It is a common condition affecting 5.4 million Britons, around eight in every 100 people.
Dr. Patel explains that asthma can make you feel breathless during and after exercise because it is difficult to get air in and out of your lungs,’ explains Dr. Patel.
Although it usually starts in childhood, it can affect people of all ages and can first develop in adults and can be treated with an inhaler, the NHS says.
However, breathing difficulties can also be a symptom of serious lung infections, such as pneumonia (inflammation of the lungs usually caused by bacteria) which can cause difficulty breathing.
In most cases, patients are given antibiotics to treat pneumonia.
Some fans also urged Skorjanec, who returned to this series after a two-year absence, to get tested for Covid.
It caused alarm among some Strictly viewers watching at home, who took to X to ask the dancer to “get a check-up”.
Difficulty breathing is a symptom of Covid, but it can also be a sign of the common cold, thanks to a stuffy nose.
Although anxiety causes mental symptoms, such as feeling nervous, it can also cause physical effects, including faster breathing.
Shortness of breath can also appear suddenly during a panic attack along with a racing heart, feeling dizzy and shaking legs, explains mental health charity Mind.
Dr. Patel emphasizes that those who feel like they can’t breathe should seek immediate medical attention.