After managing to make it through the flu season relatively unscathed, I seem to be fighting a cold of some sort.
It started with a sore throat, and after a few days, an intermittent, yet hacking cough has joined the party.
I have been working hard to get back to my normal level of fitness after a long gym hiatus due to an injury. The thought of being sidelined again so soon, is daunting. If I can make it to work, run the household errands, and get dinner on the table, surely I can make it to the gym, right?
It seems counter-intuitive to even ask the question, “When are you too sick to workout?” If you’re sick, you’re sick. But the reality is, a little exercise can boost your immune system to help you recover more quickly.
The rule of thumb seems to be that if the ailment resides above the neck, then it’s ok to do a light workout, if you feel up to it. Sore throat, and sniffles, even a little mild coughing is ok. Chest congestion, fever and stomach ailments are all big resounding “NO’s!”
It is recommended to workout at a reduced intensity to avoid exhaustion; run at a slower pace, eliminate high intensity intervals, and avoid going breathless.
Be cognizant of your fellow gym goers. If you are sneezing and dripping all over the place, perhaps it’s better to keep those germs to yourself. Be sure to wipe down equipment after use, as an extra precaution, and toss those nasty tissues into the trashcan.
(*after coughing through the entire night, I threw in the towel and skipped the morning workout. )
Photo: Glasshouse Images
Tags: cold, cough, fever, flu, health, reduced intensity, sick, sneezing, when are you too sick to workout, workout
Indigo jones 
April 19, 2013 at 8:36 am |
OMG Shari….”be cognizant of your fellow gym goers”. Last week I was in a Bikram class and there was a guy next to me who, once having blown through (ahem) an entire box of tissues started to tuck into his towel. Disgusting is an understatement. Please do a post on overall gym etiquette……:)
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