Safely Returning to Exercise After Recovering from COVID-19
Exercise and physical activity are important for maintaining good health. However, recovering from COVID-19 can make restarting your normal fitness routine challenging. Those recovering from even mild coronavirus infections often deal with lingering symptoms like fatigue, shortness of breath and muscle aches that may hamper exercise capacity.
Its crucial to ease back into working out gently and progressively after having COVID-19. Pushing yourself too intensely too soon could lead to post-viral complications. Consulting with your doctor and adopting an appropriate step-wise approach to increasing exercise will help ensure you return safely.
How Long to Wait Before Resuming Exercise
Current guidelines recommend waiting at least 7-14 days after recovery before restarting exercise. This pause allows your body adequate time to rest and recuperate after illness before adding physical stress back in. The exact duration you should wait depends on several factors:
- Severity of COVID-19 symptoms
- Presence of lingering symptoms like fatigue or shortness of breath
- If symptoms like fever are still present
- Level of fitness prior to illness
- Type of exercise or physical activity
Those with more severe COVID-19 cases likely need a longer exercise-free period of 2-3 weeks minimum. Lingering symptoms also signal the need for extra recovery time. Your doctor can help guide the exercise restart timing for your unique situation.
Starting Back Slowly and Gradually
The key is to ease back into physical activity gradually. Pushing too hard too fast can tax your body before its ready and delay your return to full fitness. Start with gentle short sessions of low-intensity exercise.
For example, take a brief 15-minute walk around your neighborhood. Focus on breathing comfortably the entire time without getting winded or exhausted. Give yourself a full day of rest afterwards before trying again. Build up duration and intensity incrementally from there.
Pay close attention to your bodys signals as you increase your exercise levels. Watch for excessive fatigue, muscle soreness, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, lightheadedness or other concerning symptoms. Scale back if any symptoms worsen or linger after workouts.
Low-Impact Cardio and Light Strength Training
Prioritize low-impact cardio exercise as you rebuild your fitness foundation. Excellent options include:
- Walking
- Stationary bike
- Elliptical machine
- Swimming
- Yoga
- Pilates
Avoid high-intensity cardio like running right away which could stress the heart and lungs. Light muscle-strengthening is fine but dont lift at full capacity too soon.
Listen to your bodys signals about what feels good and what causes pain, fatigue or shortness of breath. Adjust activities accordingly. Water exercise like swimming allows for gentle full-body conditioning while supporting joints.
How Long Does Post-COVID Exercise Recovery Take?
The timeline varies substantially based on COVID-19 severity, your general health status, fitness level and age. Recent studies have looked at exercise recovery timeframes:
- Mild cases: May take 2 to 3 weeks to return to normal exercise routine
- Moderate cases: May take 4 weeks to 2 months to fully recover exercise capacity
- Severe cases: Can take 6 months or longer to rebuild fitness after hospitalization
High level athletes could be unable to return to sports for 1-2 months after mild to moderate illness. Dont compare yourself to pre-COVID fitness benchmarks initially. Have patience regaining conditioning without overdoing it.
Using an Oximeter to Guide Exercise Intensity
A pulse oximeter is a small fingertip device that measures your oxygen saturation levels (SpO2) and heart rate. Tracking those metrics can help guide safe exercise progression after COVID-19. Stop exercise immediately if:
- SpO2 drops below 92 percent
- Heart rate spikes rapidly or irregularly
- Dizziness, chest pain or shortness of breath occur
Keep oximeter readings within a healthy range by decreasing exercise intensity and taking ample rest breaks. Your doctor can provide parameter guidelines tailored to your situation.
The Importance of Rest Days
Completely resting at least 1 full day between exercise sessions is crucial as you rebuild conditioning. Pushing exercise every single day often backfires, causing fatigue and immune system strain. Light walking on rest days is fine.
High intensity interval training and heavy strength training should be avoided until normal exercise capacity returns. Your risk of post-viral complications like myocarditis or long COVID may increase with excessive exercise initially.
Listen to your body closely for signals to rest more. Exhaustion, elevated heart rate, muscle weakness and decreased performance indicate a need for extra recovery time between workouts.
Higher Risk Individuals Need Added Caution
People with certain medical conditions need to take extra care when returning to exercise after COVID-19. These higher risk categories include:
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Asthma or COPD
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- History of myocarditis
Talk to your doctor about individualized exercise guidance. You may need cardiac testing like an EKG, bloodwork, blood pressure monitoring or medical supervision during workouts initially. Build up very gradually and avoid high intensity activities until cleared.
Incorporate Recovery Techniques
Support your exercise recovery by incorporating restorative activities and therapies:
- Massage
- Myofascial release
- Yoga
- Stretching
- Ice or heat therapy for sore muscles
- Epsom salt baths
- Compression garments
- Electrolyte replenishment
- Sleep of 7-9 hours nightly
Proper hydration and nutrition aids recovery too. Listen to your body and allow ample rest between exercise sessions. Recovery is just as important as training for fitness gains.
The Takeaway
Returning to exercise requires patience and care after recovering from COVID-19. Start extremely gradually with low-intensity, low-impact activities. Increase duration and intensity slowly as your body allows. Allow at least 1-2 weeks before restarting exercise, longer if you had more severe illness.
Monitor your symptoms and vital signs like SpO2 closely. Have a plan in place for medical support if needed. Avoid fitness comparisons and expectations initially. Give your body ample time to fully recuperate before resuming normal training levels.
With a prudent, gradual return to exercise, you can rebuild your fitness safely after COVID-19. Communicate regularly with your healthcare provider to tailor the post-COVID exercise progression to your specific needs.
FAQs
Can exercise help with "long COVID" symptoms?
Gentle, low-intensity exercise may help improve some lingering "long COVID" symptoms like fatigue, brain fog and muscle weakness. However, patients with long COVID should consult their doctor before starting exercise programs and closely monitor their body's response.
What type of exercise is best after having COVID-19?
Low-impact cardio like walking, cycling, swimming and elliptical training are best when restarting exercise after COVID-19. Light yoga and Pilates can help rebuild strength and flexibility. Avoid intensive HIIT workouts initially.
Can I exercise with a cough or chest congestion after COVID?
You should avoid exercise if you still have respiratory symptoms like coughing or chest congestion after COVID-19. Allow your lungs and respiratory system ample time to fully recover before adding physical exertion back in.
How can I prevent COVID-19 complications when returning to the gym?
Wear a mask, maintain physical distancing, use your own equipment when possible, avoid crowded times, and clean equipment thoroughly before and after use to help prevent COVID-19 spread or complications when returning to the gym.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.
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