Getting back on the move after recovering from COVID-19 isn’t easy for some people, and experts warn that pushing yourself too hard, too soon, can be detrimental to your recovery.
Even those with peak fitness levels who experience only mild symptoms of COVID-19 can overcome exhaustion and difficulty moving after infection.
For Sydney-based personal trainer Matt Hunt, returning to the gym after days of COVID-19 fevers, aches, headaches and night sweats was more exhausting than he imagined.
“It’s just the energy levels that really hit you…it takes a while to come back and there’s no easy fix,” he said.
“I’ve never laid on the couch for five days straight, so that was news to me.”
Hunt, who owns the Un1t gym in Sydney’s Alexandria, felt well enough to resume exercise about five days after his symptoms began, but was only able to do a few light exercises like stretching and yoga.
“I certainly wouldn’t recommend a one-rep max deadlift.”
Unless you have severe COVID-19, or are experiencing some chest pain while positive, experts say it’s appropriate to cautiously return to exercise.
This is what they advise:
When can I start exercising again?
The general consensus among exercise physicians is to wait for least seven days after experiencing the first symptoms to resume any form of exercise.
But don’t ever jump around like you’re qualifying for the Olympics. Instead, start with low or light intensity activities.
“This could be things like everyday activities – for example, housework, light yard work or easy walks – for the first few weeks,” says Selina Parry, senior lecturer in the department of physiotherapy at the University of Melbourne.
You should be able to perform tasks like these while having a full conversation.
From there, gradually increase the time you spend on these tasks, perhaps 10 to 15 minutes a day, until you get to the point where you can complete a 30-minute walk at a light intensity, suggests Dr. Parry, specializing in critical care patient recovery.
Hunt said her first step on the road to recovery was simple yoga.
“It just activated muscles that I hadn’t used for three or four days because I’d been lying down.
“I wasn’t doing anything huge…I was just doing really functional movements, focusing on the hips, shoulders, and lower back to get the body back in flow.”
David Salman, who has specialized in intensive care medicine in the UK, research carried out who found that two weeks of minimal effort was the best way to restart his exercise routine.
What if I am completely asymptomatic?
There is no evidence to say definitively that you should or should not exercise before day seven of your infection if you are experienced No symptom
But, says Dr. Parry, even if you feel perfectly fine after testing positive, monitor how you feel very closely if you exercise.
“Be alert for any signs of intolerance.”
How do I progress?
The most important thing to remember is to implement a gradual strategy, slow return to physical activity.
After a week or more of gentle movement, you can progress to moderate exercise, such as brisk walking or swimming, for a week.
“You may be breathing a little harder than normal, but you shouldn’t be out of breath and you should be able to carry on a conversation,” says Dr. Parry.
After this, Dr. Salman advises leveling up to some more complex moves that use coordination, force Y Balance, such as running with changes of direction or circuits of bodyweight exercises.
“Again, without feeling hard,” says Dr. Salman.
When you are able to complete these activities, you should be ready to return to your pre-COVID level of activity or higher.
Mr. Hunt recommends doing some group exercise classes so you can be around other people and tell a trainer or instructor that you just recovered from COVID-19.
“Having an honest conversation about how you feel and what you went through after Omicron will be the best… the coaches will give you the right direction.”
Mr. Hunt says that some of his clients have struggled a lot with fatigue levels post-COVID, but he says that some light strength training can go a long way in the early recovery phase.
“Nothing heavy, obviously, just something to get the muscle fibers moving again,” says Hunt.
“Work on your breathing and open your rib cage again.”
when to stop
You will likely have more shortness of breath than usual when you restart your regimen, but be alert for the return or development of COVID-19 symptoms.
“Things I’d be looking for: abnormal levels of fatigue or exhaustion, difficulty breathing, Accelerated heart, dizziness, cough … any increase in signs of symptoms or new symptoms,” says Dr. Parry.
Chest pain you should also sound the alarm bells and at least one visit to a doctor because some people with COVID-19 may develop myocarditis (inflammation of the heart); however, this is thought to be rare in those with mild to moderate COVID-19.
Track how you feel one hour after exercise and the next day.
“It’s just about making sure your symptoms aren’t getting worse,” advises Dr. Parry.
“You should be able to feel recovered an hour later and the next day you shouldn’t be like, ‘Oh my God, I can’t even think about doing what I did yesterday.'”
Research is still evolving, but, says Dr. Parry, it’s critical to minimize something called “post-exertional symptom exacerbation,” which could cause prolonged symptoms, commonly referred to as “long covid“.
And, if you’re having difficulty returning to physical activity due to weeks of fatigue, seek individualized support from a GP, physical therapist or exercise physiologist.
what to expect
Dr. Parry says that for some people, it will take weeks to get back to their pre-COVID fitness level, but others will bounce back much faster.
“If you have a longer time where you’re not active, you’re going to lose some of your fitness. acknowledge what you’ve been through.”
Mr. Hunt says not to be hard on yourself and compete with your pre-COVID self.
“Relax and notice how hard you’re working and how long it takes for your heart rate to come back down,” he says.
“Yes feel like you’re in labor, take it back 10 or 20 percent until the next day or next week or next month.
And, of course, be realistic with your goals.
“If you’ve been training five days a week, just try to do it twice a week for a while and remember, some people may not get back into their normal routine… we’re all different,” says Mr. Hunt.
Will exercise help me?
As long as you build your routine slowly and gently, yes.
The physical and health benefits of being physically active significantly outweigh the risks of not exercising, post-COVID, for many people.
However, if you don’t feel motivated, smaller steps can help.
“If you’re lying down and you feel like you don’t have any energy, if you just get up and move around a little… bend over and touch your toes, or any kind of mobility movement, even just five minutes of a yoga flow, I feel much better,” says Mr. Hunt.
“If you’re moving your body and breathing, then blood flow and oxygen are running throughout your body, which makes you feel so much better, so your endorphins are flying.”
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