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Trending News:What To Wear When Traveling During WinterThe Stress Of Traveling During HolidaysLast Minute Christmas ShoppingEthnic Christmas FoodsWinter Fashion 2024Blake Lively Launched Shampoo & ConditionerNut FactsHair Maintenance AdviceChristmas CoctailsWrinkles Around The MouthBest Healthy Christmas GiftsHoliday Movies 🍿Costco Vanilla Ice Cream Vs Trader Joes Vs Whole FoodsClean Your Dishwasher Filter For Good HygieneHealthy Breakfast Recipes 2024Mocha Mousse Is 2025 Color Of The YearDecember Holidays 2024The Tie Is Making A Revival49ers Win On Sunday Vs BearsNational Pastry Day 2024Tips To Staying Healthy For The HolidaysHow To Control College Application StressThe Benefits Of Wearing Insoles In ShoesLoungewear For Winter 2024Dry Eyes 👀Review Of Thanksgiving 2024Christmas Dinner IdeasCyber Monday Deals 2024Sip, Return & Repeat: Purple Reusable CupHappy Thanksgiving !This Rich Color For Winter 2024Keeping From Getting Sick This ThanksgivingWhat Is A Hat-Trick?Foods You Should And Shouldn’t Eat During ThanksgivingHistory Of Black FridaySpicy Turkey RecipeWatery EyesWinter Fashion For Men 2024/ 2025Thanksgiving Classic MoviesThanksgiving Apparel 2024testThanksgiving Pie FavoritesNovember is Homeless MonthNovember Is Hunger And Homeless MonthWorld Diabetes DayBlack Friday Sales 2024What Is High Blood PressureRecovering From InjuryPlaces To Go To Get Tennis Lessons In Walnut Creek, CaThe History Of Veterans DayThank You For Your ServiceNative American Heritage MonthWhat’s Most Popular Pizza ?Best Pizza Place In USAWinter Coat Trends 2024-2025Why Do You Need To Get Your Pet Licensed?Avoiding Stress On Election DayNational Pizza Month 2024What To Wear To A Basbetball GameCan You Mix Laundry Detergent With Bleach ?Methi Restaurant In Walnut CreekLA Dodgers WinHalloween Safety Tips 2024Happy Diwali 2024Halloween Movies 2024The History Of HalloweenHalloween RecipesPopular Costumes For Halloween 2024What’s The Best Value For Wine?Eating Fruit For BreakfastFirm Vs Soft MattressWhy Do Dog’s VomitTaking A Gap Year After CollegeIs It Good To Start Christmas Shopping Early?Mild Arthritis PainFall Color Trends 2024/ 2025How To Grow Your Hair FasterArthritisVictoria Secret Fashion Show 2024The Fodmap DietBasics Of Learning To Play TennisMen’s Peacoats For Winter 2024Popularity Of New Harry Potter Game 2024Women’s Comfort PajamasShould You Get Home Solar Panels?Foods to Eat In OctoberIndigenous Peoples Day 2024National Handbag Day 2024Keema RecipeReview Of Cheesecake FactoryIs Great Clips A Great Value?What Is Healthier Krispy Kreme Or Dunkin Donuts?Tacos RecipeTrader Joe’s vs. Whole Foods vs. SafewayTouchdown in London: How the NFL is Growing its Global FanbaseA Good Source Of ProbioticsSpicy Vodka Penne PastaInternational Stores Are PopularBelt Bags Are In TrendReview Of Pizza My Heart
You have been so great about your new exercise routine, rarely missing a day since you started up again. Then all of a sudden you are waylaid by a cold or flu.What should you do? Should you skip the treadmill or forsake that Pilates class for a late afternoon nap? Will it be hard to get started again if you skip a day or two?
Exercising When Sick: Should You or Shouldn’t You?
The answer depends on what ails you, experts tell WebMD. For example, exercising with a cold may be OK, but if you’ve got a fever, hitting the gym is a definite no-no.
Fever is the limiting factor, says Lewis G. Maharam, MD, a New York City-based sports medicine expert. “The danger is exercising and raising your body temperature internally if you already have a fever, because that can make you even sicker,” he tells WebMD. If you have a fever greater than 101 degrees Fahrenheit, sit this one out.
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Maharam’s rule of thumb for exercising when sick? “Do what you can do, and if you can’t do it, then don’t,” he says. “Most people who are fit tend to feel worse if they stop their exercise, but if you have got a bad case of the flu and can’t lift your head off the pillow, then chances are you won’t want to go run around the block.”
Personal trainer and exercise physiotherapist Geralyn Coopersmith, senior manager of the Equinox Fitness Training Institute in New York, has this to add: “The general rule is that if it is just a little sniffle and you take some medications and don’t feel so sick, it’s OK to work out. But if you have any bronchial tightness, it’s not advisable to be working out.”
You really need to know your limits, she says. “If you are feeling kind of bad, you may want to consider a walk instead of a run. Take the intensity down or do a regenerative activity like yoga or Pilates because if you don’t feel great, it may not be the best day to do your sprints,” says Coopersmith, the author of Fit and Female: The Perfect Fitness and Nutrition Game Plan for Your Unique Body Type.
“A neck check is a way to determine your level of activity during a respiratory illness,” adds Neil Schachter, MD, medical director of respiratory care at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York. “If your symptoms are above the neck, including a sore throat, nasal congestion, sneezing, and tearing eyes, then it’s OK to exercise,” he says. “If your symptoms are below the neck, such as coughing, body aches, fever, and fatigue, then it’s time to hang up the running shoes until these symptoms subside.”
An uncomplicated cold in an adult should be totally gone in about seven days, says Schachter, the author of The Good Doctor’s Guide to Colds and Flu.A flu that develops complications such as bronchitis or sinusitis can last two weeks, he says. “The symptoms of cough and congestion can linger for weeks if not treated.” In general, the flu, even if uncomplicated, can make you feel pretty rotten for 10 days to two weeks.
Prevention Prescription
The best way to avoid the problem is not to get sick in the first place.
Exercise in general can help boost your body’s natural defenses against illness and infection, Schachter says. “Thirty minutes of regular exercise three to four times a week has been shown to raise immunity by raising levels of T cells, which are one of the body’s first defenses against infection. However, intense 90-minute training sessions like those done by elite athletes can actually lower immunity.”
Gym Etiquette When Exercising With a Cold
It’s one thing if you decide to exercise when sick, but how do you keep from spreading it to others in the gym? And what about you if they are the ones exercising with a cold?
“Be careful that you are not blowing your nose constantly. And you should be using a towel and putting it down on every surface you touch and wiping it off when you are done,” says Equinox’s Coopersmith.
“The value of hand washing cannot be overstated,” Schachter says. “I recommend washing hands before and after using the restroom, before meals, after using public transportation, and after returning home from school or work.”
Also carry alcohol-based hand sanitizer gel in your gym bag to use when you realize that you have come into contact with someone who is sneezing or coughing.