If you have recently recovered from COVID-19 – or if you have long-term effects due to infection – you are probably looking forward to returning to normal life (or how normal it can be during a pandemic). Part of your pre-coronavirus routine may include exercise.
Obviously, there are huge benefits to the mental and physical health of body movement and it is important to adopt a fitness routine that works for you. But it is also crucial to be smart when it comes to training after COVID-19, because doing too much too fast could turn you even further.
Below, experts share how to resume exercise after a COVID-19 diagnosis, plus signs that you may not be ready yet.
When you start training again it depends on your symptoms
COVID-19 affects everyone differently. There are general guidelines for when it is safe to start sweating, but it all depends a lot on what symptoms have been present.
“If someone is suffering from COVID symptoms, they should wait until these symptoms have resolved before starting mild to moderate exercise,” he said. Keri denay, medical director at Briarwood Family and Sports Medicine in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and a colleague at the American College of Sports Medicine. “This is usually between 10 and 14 days.” Exercise before this can worsen or prolong the symptoms.
If you are asymptomatic but have tested positive for coronavirus, it may be itchy to move faster. After all, exercise can help your immune system when it comes to respiratory infections such as COVID-19, according to research published in the International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Medicine.
The immune and inflammatory response to COVID is lower in asymptomatic people compared to those with symptoms, Denay said. However, it is best to err on the side of caution and take it lightly until you fully recover or if you have a delayed reaction to the virus and show symptoms later than usual.
“All athletes and people who engage in exercises that are positive for COVID-19, regardless of symptoms, should rest for at least 10 days,” he said. Brian Grawe, board-certified orthopedic surgeon and assistant professor of orthopedics and sports medicine at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. “If a person tests positive but shows no symptoms, [rest period] starts on the date of the positive test. ”
How to start exercising safely after a mild or moderate coronavirus infection
“Start down and go slow,” Denay said.
The best things to do are low-impact: think about walking, yoga, light cycling or swimming. If you prefer strength training, use only your body weight or the lightest weight possible and accumulate from there. Do not lift where you have gained weight before you become ill.
Keep in mind that you should start with the lowest number of repetitions, avoiding any AMRAP training (as many rounds as possible) or HIIT (high intensity interval training) if you have launched as many repetitions as you can. in a set the amount of time.
As a rule, it is useful to follow an amendment rule 30/30/20/10 over four weeks, as recommended by this study published in the HSS Journal. This means that the level of training should be reduced by at least 50% of normal exercise capacity in the first week, followed by 30%, 20% and 10% in the next three weeks. But again, it’s important to pace yourself. You may need to adjust to the severity of the infection, and you may need “a gradual return to activity that takes place over several months, rather than weeks,” the researchers behind the study said.
Both Denay and Grawe said it’s essential to constantly monitor how you feel while resuming high-intensity activities, whether it’s your workouts or any organized sport. If you have any of the following, stop exercising and consult a healthcare provider before starting again.
- Chest pain or heart palpitations
- High heart rate is not proportional to the level of exertion or prolonged recovery of heart rate
- Shortness of breath, difficulty breathing or abnormal, rapid breathing
- Excessive level of fatigue
- Swelling of the extremities or muscle aches
- Passing out
- Tunnel vision or vision loss
- Fever
Ignoring these symptoms and performing high-intensity workouts anyway can lead to arrhythmia for those with myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle that in some cases it may be caused by COVID-19 (and may not even be diagnosed or remain unknown).
“As you start exercising again, keep in mind that this is not the time to eat through discomfort, especially if it comes in the form of chest pain, heart palpitations, or extreme breathing difficulties,” Grawe said. “Listen to your body and remember that it will take a solid week or two to regain your fitness and get back on track. Slow increase in physical activity and return to normal routine will be the safest. ”
While this can be frustrating, use this time to focus on things that can help you increase your performance and endurance, which are not related to sweating, such as proper hydration, stress reduction, and nutrition. Remember that rest can also be productive in the long run.
How much carriers should cope with exercise
There is no cookie-cutter approach for anyone when it comes to training after COVID-19, but this is especially true for those with long-distance symptoms, Grawe said.
“Those who have been infected should pay special attention to their body and take into account the symptoms just like someone who has fully recovered from the virus,” Denay said. “It will take some time to resume previous levels of activity, and although the brain may be ready, the body may not be.”
Alternatively, Grawe said those who feel physically prepared may not have recovered mentally after being diagnosed with COVID-19, so it is important to recognize where you are and keep your health care provider involved. if you have any questions or concerns.
As mentioned above, starting with low-impact work is smart – especially if you have persistent symptoms such as coughing or difficulty breathing. Any high-intensity work could aggravate this. Talk to your doctor or physiotherapist about their advice for your specific case.
Above all, patience is the first thing you will need to start exercising safely again. This includes resisting the urge to compare yourself with others who may have been ill and who have now returned to their usual workouts, as COVID-19 affects each patient differently.
“Remember that one person’s pity is another person’s marathon,” Grawe said.