Dusting off the runners and throwing on some athletic gear can be a daunting task when recovering from COVID-19.
Perhaps the Commonwealth Games or the rapidly approaching warmer weather has inspired him.
Here’s what you need to know when you return to the sport, whether you’re a simple park or 80 minutes of soccer.
When can I start exercising again?
Well, it’s not black and white.
Initially, the Australasian College of Exercise Sports Physicians suggested seven to 10 days off when you first contract the virus and then wait for symptoms to improve before restarting very light exercise.
But since then, after following the illness and recovery of Olympic athletes from Tokyo, it has been established that strict or relative rest for too long could result in loss of fitness and training, says sports general practitioner Tracy Shang.
Dr. Shang said that it was a fine line.
“In other words, [you could experience] loss of muscle mass and it may take longer to recover,” he said.
While COVID affected athletes in the same way as the general population, the fitter you were before infection and the sooner you gradually returned to light activity, the more likely you were to recover, Dr. Shang said.
But you can’t jump to extremes, and it’s hard for someone to make that decision on their own.
We are not all Olympic athletes.
The suggestion is to return to exercising at a light capacity when your symptoms are mostly resolved, but most importantly, listen to your body.
What exercise can I do?
If you have breathing problems, you certainly can’t do high-level aerobic training, so don’t head into a casual marathon, says high-performance strength and conditioning coach Steve Nance.
He said you have to think about working below your anaerobic threshold for much of the time during a workout, so you don’t stress your body too much.
If the infection has created heart problems, especially high blood pressure, be careful about resistance training, such as heavy lifting, as it can cause your blood pressure to rise.
Nance suggests taking a common sense approach.
“You can’t just go back to doing what you were doing before.
“You have to be very, very careful about trying to set your goals too high early on because you’re probably still a little sick.”
A simple walk, short bike ride, or swim would be a great place to start.
What happens if I push too hard?
The reality is that if you push yourself too hard with your training early on, it can take longer for COVID-19 symptoms to resolve, says Dr. Shang.
Research from the University of Oxford, which studied 270,000 people recovering from COVID-19, suggests that 10-20% of people still had at least one of the nine symptoms. three months after infection.
“It’s not so much that it causes prolonged COVID, but its symptoms can still be a problem,” Dr. Shang said.
So, take it easy.
What signs should I watch for?
Some of the symptoms What people struggle with after infection are breathing problems, heart rhythm irregularities, tiredness, mental confusion, muscle aches, pains, and fatigue.
The other thing with COVID is that it is an inflammatory condition that can affect multiple organs.
Some serious red flags for doctors to watch out for are lung and heart complications, which can occur in some people who have had COVID-19.
“You may have muscle inflammation in your heart, which can lead to chest pain that only occurs when you exercise,” Dr. Shang said.
“This is something that would need to be monitored more carefully.”
If you have chest pain, or if you are an athlete having trouble breathing, seek medical advice and guidance.
But if you don’t have those symptoms, just listen to your body and take the time to slowly build your stamina back, Dr. Shang said.
Is it more difficult to play sports again if I have been infected twice?
Unfortunately, some people are still in the process of recovery when reinfect.
It has not been shown that re-infection is always milder, but vaccination and higher baseline fitness seem to reduce the risk of severe disease.
However, that was not the case for Toowoomba athlete Mia Bowen Osmond.
After his second infection he was unable to play sports again for three weeks.
“The first time it was fine… but the second time, I just didn’t get any better for about three weeks, couldn’t train or anything.
“I still don’t have my lung capacity.”
Is there anything I can take to help?
For symptomatic relief with initial COVID-19 illness, short-term use of acetaminophen is recommended.
Athletes or anyone experiencing common post-COVID symptoms should speak with their GP or sports doctor to help guide and monitor a safe return to sport.
Recommendations are to optimize supports for mental health, sleep and good nutrition, combined with “pacing” and not overdoing it, Dr. Shang said.
If you feel like you have symptoms weeks after infection, you can talk to your GP about attending a prolonged COVID clinic, which has been set up in many state hospitals.
I am nervous!
The uncertainty about how your body will react to physical activity after COVID infection is stressful, especially if you were in a good level of fitness before you got sick.
It can also be disappointing when you don’t feel bad, but your stamina isn’t what it used to be.
“That can be quite a frustrating process and can lead to low mood or decreased confidence,” Dr. Shang said.
But we all know that post-exercise endorphins pay off.
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