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A study published by the American College of Sports Medicine reports that moderate exercise may help you get over an upper respiratory infection faster.
One good way to know whether exercise will help with your colds and flu symptoms or harm you is the "neck rule." If your symptoms are primarily above the neck, that is, if you are mostly sneezing and perhaps have a little bit of a runny nose, then moderate exercise is highly likely to help you feel better. If your symptoms are primarily below the neck, if you are mostly coughing, then it may be a good idea to skip your workout.
Even when your symptoms are mostly nasal, it's not a good idea to put out a "110 per cent effort" at the gym or on the playing field. Start your workout by doing very light exercise, maybe 50 per cent of the effort you ordinarily give your exercise routine. Then step up the pace over the next 5 to 10 minutes to see how you feel. If exercise makes you feel better, then work out at your normal pace. If exercise makes you feel worse, then do only a light workout. Even Olympic medalists need an occasional day or week off.
It is also important to stay hydrated. Antihistamines, cough syrups, and nose sprays "dry you out." Losing even more fluid through sweating while you exercise can leave you dehydrated. You always need water after your workout to help your muscles absorb the replacement amino acids and sugars they need to bulk out. You need even more water when you have a cold or you are getting over the flu, or your muscles won't benefit, so remember to keep drinking water.
Is is ever a good idea to exercise when you have a full-blown case of the flu? While you have swollen glands, body aches, and fever, get bed rest. And don't do a hard workout for at least two to four weeks after you recover.
And when you do exercise, be sure not to share your germs. It's especially important to wash your hands before you use a treadmill, gym mat, or barbells to avoid giving your infection to others, and to wash your hands after you use a treadmill, gym mat, or barbells, to avoid catching a new infection from someone else. Even better, stay away from the gym and take a walk outside, do a little aerobics routine at home, or run on your home treadmill.
Even when your symptoms are mostly nasal, it's not a good idea to put out a "110 per cent effort" at the gym or on the playing field. Start your workout by doing very light exercise, maybe 50 per cent of the effort you ordinarily give your exercise routine. Then step up the pace over the next 5 to 10 minutes to see how you feel. If exercise makes you feel better, then work out at your normal pace. If exercise makes you feel worse, then do only a light workout. Even Olympic medalists need an occasional day or week off.
Is is ever a good idea to exercise when you have a full-blown case of the flu? While you have swollen glands, body aches, and fever, get bed rest. And don't do a hard workout for at least two to four weeks after you recover.
And when you do exercise, be sure not to share your germs. It's especially important to wash your hands before you use a treadmill, gym mat, or barbells to avoid giving your infection to others, and to wash your hands after you use a treadmill, gym mat, or barbells, to avoid catching a new infection from someone else. Even better, stay away from the gym and take a walk outside, do a little aerobics routine at home, or run on your home treadmill.
- Chubak J, McTiernan A, Sorensen B, Wener MH, Yasui Y, Velasquez M, Wood B, Rajan KB, Wetmore CM, Potter JD, Ulrich CM. Moderate-intensity exercise reduces the incidence of colds among postmenopausal women. Am J Med. 2006 Nov, 119(11):937-42.
- Photo courtesy of Rob Sinclair by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/rob-sinclair/6052209663/