Tips on exercising, or not, when you are sick

November 8, 2012 in Health

Stuffy noses, hacking coughs and aches all over—cold and flu season has arrived. Though your body may be aching and your nose running like a faucet, it can be difficult to decide if you should continue your exercise routine or take a temporary break.

"We all know that exercise is key to good health, but there are times that your body may need a break," said Keith Veselik, MD, director of primary care at Loyola University Health System. "Having to slow down when you're sick is Mother Nature's way of saying, 'Don't push it,' and it's reasonable to pay attention to that."

Whether a person should exercise or not can be disease-specific, according to Veselik. When sick our bodies already are battling against an illness and that takes energy. For instance, adding the extra stress of exercising while sick can be dangerous for a person with a heart condition. A person with diabetes may need to monitor more often, especially if one is not eating and drinking normally. Being ill may raise glucose levels and exercise may lower them. If you do have a medical condition and are not sure whether you should exercise while sick, Veselik suggested you call your doctor.

Still, Veselik said a general rule is that it's OK to exercise if your symptoms are above the neck, such as a sore throat or .

"If you aren't feeling well but still want to exercise, lower your expectations about what you can do. You don't necessarily need to be in bed all day, but you can't expect to have the same level of energy as you would if you weren't sick," Veselik said.

But, it could be dangerous to exercise if you have the following symptoms:

  • Fever
  • or chest congestion
  • Body aches
  • Diarrhea or vomiting
  • If you feel dizzy or lightheaded when you stand up
When making the decision, he also suggested thinking about where you will be exercising and who will be exposed to your illness.

"Though sharing is usually a good thing, that's not the case when it comes to germs. If you are coughing and sneezing, just skip the Zumba class or basketball game and go for a walk or run by yourself instead," Veselik said. "Also, always wipe down machines at the gym. You never know who was using it before you."

He also warned to not get your expectations too high when returning to a normal .

"People need to pace themselves when getting back into their routine. You won't be able to do as much right away and that's OK. Initially, it should be 50 percent effort and 50 percent duration. Listen to your body and increase according to what it tells you," Veselik said.

Provided by Loyola University Health System search and more info website

5 /5 (1 vote)  

Rank 5 /5 (1 vote)
Related Stories
Relevant PhysicsForums posts

More news stories

Driving and hands-free talking lead to spike in errors, study shows

Talking on a hands-free device while behind the wheel can lead to a sharp increase in errors that could imperil other drivers on the road, according to new research from the University of Alberta.

Health created 16 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

About one in four uninsured could be excluded from ACA

(HealthDay)—More than one in four of those eligible for new premium assistance tax credits under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) do not have a checking account and will not be able to receive premiums from ...

Health created 18 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Audiologists recommend smart phone apps to monitor noise levels

After studying noise in one French Quarter neighborhood of New Orleans to determine whether or not noise levels exceeded municipal ordinances, Annette Hurley, PhD, Assistant Professor of Audiology at LSU Health Sciences Center ...

Health created 19 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Young children who miss well-child visits are more likely to be hospitalized

Young children who missed more than half of recommended well-child visits had up to twice the risk of hospitalization compared to children who attended most of their visits, according to a study published today in the American Jo ...

Health created 20 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Do doctors understand the individualisation of treatments?

The individualisation of drug treatments to support patients to self-manage their conditions is a concept that sits at the heart of policy, but a recent study in BMJ Open shows that there is no concrete defini ...

Health created 22 hours ago | popularity 3 / 5 (1) | comments 0


Heart failure accelerates male 'menopause'

Heart failure accelerates the aging process and brings on early andropausal syndrome (AS), according to research presented today at the Heart Failure Congress 2013. AS, also referred to as male 'menopause', was four times ...

First drug to improve heart failure mortality in over a decade

Coenzyme Q10 decreases all cause mortality by half, according to the results of a multicentre randomised double blind trial presented today at Heart Failure 2013 congress. It is the first drug to improve heart failure mortality ...

Feds fight morning-after pill age ruling in NY

(AP)—Department of Justice lawyers have again asked a federal appeals court in New York to delay lifting age restrictions and prescription requirements on an emergency contraceptive popularly known as the morning-after ...

Death highest in heart failure patients admitted in January, on Friday, and overnight

Mortality and length of stay are highest in heart failure patients admitted in January, on Friday, and overnight, according to research presented today at the Heart Failure Congress 2013. The analysis of nearly 1 million ...

Engineered cytomegalovirus protects monkeys from HIV equivalent

(Medical Xpress)—A new study by researchers in the US has shown that an ancient virus can be modified to help in the fight against the simian immunodeficiency virus SIV, which is the equivalent in monkeys ...

Researchers identify first drug targets in childhood genetic tumor disorder

Two mutations central to the development of infantile myofibromatosis (IM)—a disorder characterized by multiple tumors involving the skin, bone, and soft tissue—may provide new therapeutic targets, according to researchers ...