Can doing physical activity with a cold make me sicker?

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Is it safe to exercise when you have a cold? If so, what are the best exercises?

If you’re a die-hard exercise devotee or just starting to get into a training groove, you might worry that catching a cold could disrupt your workout routine. Does a runny nose mean you need to skip your exercise session, or could a workout actually do you good?

Researchers have investigated this and concluded that a mild cold doesn’t always have to be put away. But there are several important caveats to remember. We spoke to the experts who did the research to highlight what you need to know.

Do the ‘neck check’

Before putting on your workout clothes, evaluate your symptoms carefully.

“The most popular advice is to do what’s known as a ‘neck check’: if symptoms are above the neck, exercise is probably safe,” said Thomas Weidner, professor of athletic training and chairman emeritus of the University’s school of kinesiology. Indiana State Ball. If your only symptoms are a stuffy nose and a mild headache, for example, a gentle workout won’t 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 divided into two groups: one that did 40 minutes of moderate exercise every other day for ten days and another who did not exercise.

The researchers found that there was no difference in the duration or severity of the illness between the two groups — meaning that moderate exercise did not prolong or worsen symptoms. Another survey by Weidner produced similar results.

However, if you have symptoms below the neck like a dry cough, chest discomfort, nausea, diarrhea or body-wide symptoms like fever, muscle aches or fatigue, “then it’s not a good idea to exercise,” explained by e -mail Jeffrey Woods, professor of kinesiology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

monitor your symptoms

Also remember that symptoms can evolve, and what sometimes starts out as a runny nose can develop into something more serious, such as bronchitis or the flu. Proceed with caution, keep an eye on how you’re feeling, and skip the workout if you start to feel worse.

“There’s a myth that you can sweat out a virus, but that’s a really bad thing to do,” said David Nieman, a professor of biology at Appalachian State University and director of the human performance laboratory at the Carolina Research Campus. From north. If you’re not feeling well, heavy exercise can intensify your symptoms and increase your risk of complications, he said. “It has the potential to really bring him down.”

If your condition gets worse, it’s best to rest until your symptoms go away, Nieman said. “Then gradually get back to routine,” he added. “Relapse can be common if you come back too quickly and push yourself too hard.”

In rare cases, exercising intensely while you are sick or even shortly after recovery can produce new or persistent symptoms, such as exhaustion or unexplained pain. Researchers believe this phenomenon is similar to how some people develop long-term Covid or chronic fatigue syndrome (also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis or CFS/EnM), which are illnesses that can develop after an acute infection.

“It can be serious for a small percentage of people if they exercise too hard during or shortly after illness,” Nieman said. “You can get this unexplained syndrome, and it’s not worth the risk.”

Another unlikely but possible consequence of working out hard while fighting an upper respiratory infection is myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart muscle, which can cause symptoms such as a fast or abnormal heartbeat, chest pain, or shortness of breath.

Researchers aren’t entirely sure how common it is to develop these more serious conditions during or after a viral infection or why the body reacts this way. But there is speculation, Nieman said, that the immune system goes into “a strange level” of overactivity that intensifies inflammation.

Do only moderate exercise

If you’re confident your cold symptoms are manageable and still feel like exercising, Woods recommended “moderate-intensity cardiovascular exercise for 30 to 45 minutes per 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, Nieman said, so you don’t spread your germs to other people. He also emphasized that this is not the time to push yourself too hard or aim for a personal best.

If at any time you feel dizziness, chest tightness or any pain during the exercise, consider it to be the signal to stop. If all goes well, however, you may experience a “psychological boost” after the exercise, Weidner said, “and that’s an advantage, given that symptoms can drag a person down.”

Once you have fully recovered from your cold, slowly return to your exercise routine, gradually increasing the duration and intensity of your workout. Research shows that when you’re healthy, regular moderate exercise can actually lower inflammation, improve your immune response, and most importantly, reduce your risk of getting upper respiratory infections.

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