RadioBDC Logo
Recovery | Frank Turner Listen Live
 
 
< Back to front page Text size – +

Can you exercise when sick?

Posted by Elizabeth Comeau  January 30, 2013 07:00 AM
  • E-mail

    • E-mail this article

    Invalid E-mail address
    Invalid E-mail address

    Sending your article

    Your article has been sent.

E-mail this article

Invalid email address
Invalid email address

Sending your article

Your article has been sent.

By Ryan Healy

RyanHealy100.jpgRyan Healy is a personal trainer for the Lynch/van Otterloo (LVO) YMCA in Marblehead. She is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the NSCA, and earned her BS in Exercise Sports Science from Elon University. Find more posts by her in conjunction with the LVO YMCA at yhealthandwellness.wordpress.com. She can be reached at healyr@northshoreymca.org.

Remember; please consult your doctor before starting any exercise program.

Should you workout when you’re sick? That’s a tough question many people ask, especially this time of year. The answer is, like many things in life, it depends. It’s best to check with your doctor first, however, it’s generally OK to go by the “neck rule”.
If your symptoms are below the neck, including a persistent cough, chest congestion, muscle aches, chills, stomach distress, or a fever; skip your workout and allow your body the rest it needs to fight off the illness. Attempting exercise could prolong your sickness and make you feel even worse.

If your symptoms are from the neck and above, such as; runny nose, watery eyes, scratchy throat, or a headache, it’s OK to exercise. A moderate or low intensity is best during these situations, so try to refrain from taxing workouts that leave you exhausted. Research from Appalachian State University even shows that moderate exercise during a bout with the cold can help boost your immune system and cut the number of days you’re sick by 25-50%. It can also help you maintain a regular exercise routine, as opposed to skipping workouts altogether, then finding it difficult to begin again once feeling better.

For those that want to be proactive; regular physical activity, healthy foods, stress relief, and plenty of rest will help you fight off illness this winter!

  • E-mail

    • E-mail this article

    Invalid E-mail address
    Invalid E-mail address

    Sending your article

    Your article has been sent.

Staying fit is an important part of staying healthy. This blog will offer exercise tips from experts as well as share the personal journeys of Globe staff members committed to fitness. No matter your age or energy level, we invite you to join in and share your own story. How do you find time to work out? What are your daily challenges? Let us know and read along -- and together, we can all get moving.

CONTRIBUTORS
Elizabeth Comeau is the senior health & wellness producer at Boston.com. She will be blogging about her personal fitness journey and using a device called a FitBit to track her weekly goals and progress (see below). Follow her journey and share your own. Read more about Elizabeth and this blog.

Share your story

Send us a question, share your personal fitness struggles and successes, or simply suggest something you would like to see us cover. Please be aware that anything you submit here may be published in the blog.
Required
Required

Follow Me on Pinterest

Health search

Find news and information on:
Search our entire health encyclopedia
How well someone will recover from stroke?
The first factor that influences a person’s recovery from a stroke is the nature of the stroke itself: how much damage occurred in the brain and where.
Submit a question
archives