Whether you are a die-hard
exercise devotee or
just beginning to get into a workout groove, you may worry that coming down
with a cold could derail your training routine. Does your runny nose mean you
need to skip your exercise session, or could a workout actually do you some
good?
اضافة اعلان
Researchers have
looked into this very question and have concluded that a mild cold does not
always have to sideline you. But there are several key caveats to keep in mind.
We talked to the experts behind the research to highlight what you need to
know.
Do the ‘neck check’ Before you don your workout gear, assess your symptoms carefully.
“The most
popular advice is to do what’s referred to as the neck check, where if symptoms
are above the neck, exercise is probably safe,” said Thomas Weidner, a
professor of athletic training and chair emeritus of the school of kinesiology
at
Ball State University in Indiana.
If your only
symptoms are nasal congestion and a low-grade headache, for example, a light workout
should not make your cold worse.
In fact, a
landmark study that demonstrated this was led by Weidner in the 1990s. In it,
50 young adults were infected with the common cold virus and randomly split
into two groups: one that did 40 minutes of moderate exercise every other day
for 10 days, and one that did not exercise at all.
The researchers
found that there was no difference in illness length or severity between the
two groups — meaning that working out moderately did not prolong or exacerbate
their colds. Other research done by Weidner has led to similar findings.
If you do have
symptoms below the neck, such as a hacking cough, chest discomfort, nausea,
diarrhea, or bodywide symptoms like fever, muscle aches, or fatigue, “then it’s
not a good idea to exercise”, Jeffrey Woods, a professor of kinesiology at the
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, said via email.
Monitor your
symptoms
Also keep in mind that symptoms can evolve, and what might begin as a
runny nose could later become something more serious, like bronchitis or the
flu. Proceed with caution, keep tabs on how you are feeling and skip the
workout if you start to feel worse.
“There’s this
myth that you can sweat out a virus, but that is a terrible thing to do,” said
David Nieman, a professor of biology at Appalachian State University and
director of the Human Performance Laboratory at the North Carolina Research
Campus.
If you are not
feeling good, heavy exercise can exacerbate your symptoms and increase your
risk for complications, he said.
“It has the
potential to really bring you down,” he said.
If your
condition does deteriorate, it is best to rest until the symptoms go away,
Nieman said. “Then, gradually get back into the routine,” he added. “Relapse
can be common if you get back too quickly and push hard.”
In rare cases,
exercising intensely while you are sick, or even shortly after you have
recovered, could lead to new or lingering symptoms like exhaustion or
unexplained pain.
Researchers
believe this phenomenon is similar to how some people develop long COVID-19 or
chronic fatigue syndrome (also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis, or ME/CFS),
which are illnesses that can develop after an acute infection.
“It can be
serious for a small percentage of people if they push exercise too hard during
the illness or soon thereafter,” Nieman said. “You may enter into this
unexplained syndrome, and it’s not worth the risk.”
Another unlikely
but possible consequence of working out heavily while battling an upper
respiratory infection is myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart muscle,
which can cause symptoms such as a rapid or abnormal heartbeat, chest pain, or
shortness of breath.
Researchers are
not sure how common it is to develop these more serious conditions during or
after a viral infection, or why the body reacts in this way. But there is
speculation, Nieman said, that the immune system goes into “a strange level” of
overdrive that ramps up inflammation.
Stick to moderate
workouts
If you are confident that your cold symptoms are manageable and you
still feel up for exercising, Woods recommended “moderate intensity
cardiovascular exercise for 30 to 45 minutes a session”.
A brisk
30-minute walk outside or a low-impact workout on an elliptical machine or
stationary bike would be a good option, Nieman said.
Woods also noted
that lifting light weights is fine.
But avoid going
to a gym, he said, so you do not spread your germs to others. He also
emphasized that this is not the time to strain yourself or go for a personal
best.
If at any point
you feel lightheaded, tightness in your chest, or any pain while exercising,
consider that your cue to call it quits. If all goes smoothly, however, you
might feel a “psychological boost” after exercising, Weidner said, “and that’s
a plus, given the symptoms that might drag a person down”.
Once you are
fully recovered from your cold, slowly ease back into your exercise routine,
gradually increasing the length and intensity of your workout. Research shows
that when you are healthy, regular moderate exercise may actually decrease
inflammation, improve your immune response, and lower your risk of getting
upper respiratory infections in the first place.
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