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Should I Exercise when I’m Sick with a cold or the flu?

Deciding whether or not to do workout if you don’t feel well can be a difficult decision. You want to stay in shape, but you don’t want to make yourself more sick either. Here are a few guidelines from the Aerobic and Fitness Association of America to help you make the decision of whether or not to work out.

First, check with your physician to see if it is safe for you to exercise while you are sick.

Consider others: if you are contagious, you should probably skip going to the gym where you could contaminate other people.

Consider the risks of exercising while you are sick. One major risk of exercising while you are sick is heatstroke and heat exhaustion. When you are sick or feverish, the body doesn’t deal with overheating as well as usual and therefore you run an increased risk of heatstroke, which can be fatal.

Another major risk factor of exercising when sick is the potential of developing a viral infection. According to David Schechter, M.D, sports medicine specialist, viral infections can lead to heart failure and even death. Although, this condition is rare, it is best to avoid overexerting yourself.

Exercising when you are sick may make your condition worse. If you have bronchitis, for example, according to Dr. Schechter, the stress of exercise, and the temporary dip in the immune system that has been documented to occur with strenuous exercise, could lead to a worsening of the bronchitis or the development of pneumonia (a serious lung infection).

Use common sense when you are sick and are considering working out. Avoid exercise when you have a fever, muscles aches, shakes, chills or vomiting. These symptoms are often present with a viral or bacterial infection is at its peak.

Although a quick workout while you are sick may be a temporary “pick me up”, avoiding exercising while you are sick may be your best bet to a speedy recovery.

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