Working Out While Sick
Regular exercise is a good way to keep your health. As a matter of fact, exercise can reduce the risk of serious diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, keep your weight balanced, and reinforce your immune system. Although it is taken for granted that exercise is very important to maintain a healthy body, many people do not know whether exercise will help or inhibit their recovery while they are sick.
Is it a good idea to exercise when you are sick?
A quick recovery is an ultimate goal that all patients follow, but it is difficult to determine when it’s OK to resume your daily exercise and when you should avoid exercise. Exercise is a good issue, and it’s natural to decide to pursue it, even when you’re feeling slightly ill. This can be completely good under some circumstances but it can be also harmful if you have some specific symptoms. Most medical practitioners put emphasis on the “above the neck” rule when guiding people on whether to follow exercise while sick.
Based on this rule, if symptoms that you are experiencing are limited to just above your neck, like a stuffy nose, sneezing, or an earache, you are probably allowed to exercise at mild severity for a brief period. But if you have symptoms that are below your neck, like nausea, body pains, fever, diarrhea, a productive cough, or chest congestion, it is recommendable to avoid exercise until you get better.
When is it OK to exercise when you are sick?
If you have the following symptoms, you can probably exercise but it is always better to consult with your doctor.
1.Mild cold
A mild cold refers to a viral infection that affects the nose and throat. Although different people may experience different symptoms, but the common symptoms are usually sneezing, a stuffy nose, a headache, and a mild cough. If you have the symptoms of a mild cold and the energy to exercise, it is better to take a short walk outside or inside instead of doing heavy exercise. If you do not have enough energy to do your daily activities, you can decrease the severity of your exercise or make its duration shorter. Although you can do exercise with a mild cold, remember that you might transmit germs and diseases to others.
2.Earache
Most earaches can be very annoying and create feelings such as fullness or pressure in the head. Although it is ok to exercise when you are suffering from earache, it is advisable to refrain from exercises that impose pressure on the sinus part. Focus on light walking. Something as slight as bending over can be very annoying with a sinus infection.
3.Nasal congestion
As a matter of fact, doing some exercise may help you get rid of nasal congestion, and cause better breathing. Finally, it is recommendable to assess your body to know whether you feel well enough to exercise with nasal congestion. Changing your exercise to keep your energy level is another choice. Going for energetic and quick walks or bike rides are wonderful option to remain active even when you are not feeling well enough. Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, you should keep your social distancing and not go to a gym if you’re sick. If you are suffering from nasal congestion, it is recommendable to stick to light exercise or walking. You should also be careful about your breathing.
4.Mild sore throat
A sore throat can be one of the symptoms of the common cold or flu. In specific situations, for example, when your sore throat is connected with a fever, productive cough, or dysphagia, you should stop exercising until a doctor informs you it’s OK to restart your exercise. Still, if you’re feeling a mild sore throat which is the symptom of something such as a common cold or allergies, exercise is likely ok. If you’re feeling other signs that are usually connected with a common cold, like tiredness and congestion, it is advisable to decrease the severity of your normal workout. Decreasing the time of your exercise is another method to adjust activity when you feel well enough to exercise but don’t have your typical strength. Maintaining enough levels of water in your boy with cool water is an amazing way to alleviate a sore throat during a workout.
When it is not OK to exercise when you are sick?
1.fever
Fever can usually have common symptoms such as fatigue, dehydration, muscle pains, and a lack of appetite. Exercising while you are experiencing fever can raise the risk of dehydration and can worsen fever. Furthermore, having a fever reduces muscle power and stamina and damages exactness and coordination, raising the risk of harm.
2.Wet cough
A frequent cough does not allow you to easily take a deep breath, especially when your heart rate increases during workout. This may result in shortness of breath and tiredness. You must not go to the gym when you are experiencing a cough, since you may transmit the germs to your fellow gym-goers. Also, if your cough is happening during workouts, it may be because of asthma. It is better to see a doctor if this happens constantly.
3.Gastroenteritis
Diseases that influence the digestive system, like the stomach bug, can result in severe symptoms that make exercising difficult. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, stomach discomfort, and loss of appetite are all usual symptoms connected with stomach flu. Diarrhea and vomiting may cause dehydration; which physical activity exacerbates.
4.Flu symptoms
Although it is a contentious topic, some researchers claim that intense workouts such as running or a spin class repress the body’s immune response for a short period of time. Additionally, the flu is a very communicable virus that transmits mainly via small droplets that people with the flu spread into the air. If you’re suffering from the flu, it’s better to take rest and refrain from a workout.
