If you were an avid exerciser before having COVID-19, you might be eager to get back to your workouts straight away. But before you jump back into the burpees with a vengeance, it’s crucial to ensure you’re ready and that you do things correctly.
“This virus is so utterly unpredictable,” says Cedric X. Bryant, Ph.D., president and chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise. Elite-level athletes have been sidelined after COVID-19 and we simply don’t know why some people suffer long-term while others escape unscathed. Experts learn new things every day and you don’t want to do anything that may jeopardise your health down the line, he adds.
So how can you ensure you stay safe while still reaping the benefits of exercise? Here are five things you need to know.
Check in with your doctor before you check in at the gym. If you had any sort of chest pain, shortness of breath, palpitations or dizziness while you were sick, see a doctor before you get back to training, suggests Orangetheory Fitness Medical Advisory Board member David Perloff, MD, president of the Florida chapter of the American College of Cardiology. Even after the mildest cases of COVID-19, heart, lung and vascular damage can occur — and yes, in young people, he adds. While most athletes will be able to return to exercise after symptoms cease for at least 7 days, some may have to wait a bit longer. Those who had cardiac or heart-related symptoms may need to wait a few weeks, and those who had cardiac complications may have to wait as long as three to six months before resuming activity.
Start back in stages. Begin with light-intensity activities (think gentle walking, yoga, light strength training, etc.) every other day, for no more than 30 minutes at a time. Keep a journal to record how you feel before, during and after activity, noting anything that seems unusual for you. “Always err on the side of caution and be ultra-conservative until you know how your body responds,” Bryant says.
If you feel good after two weeks of this light activity, increase the duration of what you’re doing. In other words, progress from 30 minutes, to 40 minutes, then to 45 minutes at the same light intensity. If you still feel good, add a day or two of activity during the week. When you’re sure you’re okay with that, challenge yourself a little more. Spend at least 7 days at each phase before moving to the next one. Within each phase, you should not feel like the exercise is difficult, either during or afterwards. “You should be able to carry on a comfortable conversation,” says Bryant.
You can return to OTF fairly quickly, as long as you take it easy. “The beauty of OTF is that everyone goes at their own pace,” says Perloff. Do ensure to get specific instructions from your doctor, and if you feel comfortable telling your coach you had COVID-19, share what your doctor has recommended so the coach can support you, suggests Perloff.
Backing off is not backing down. If at any time you feel strained, drop down a stage until you feel comfortable and confident. While you may be accustomed to a “no pain, no gain” mentality, that simply doesn’t apply when it comes to exercise post-COVID-19. If at any point you feel chest pain or palpitations, nausea, lightheadedness or shortness of breath, or if you get a headache, stop exercising and see your doctor. “These are red flags that need to be evaluated,” says Perloff.
Don’t sweat about your Splat Points. Take it even slower than you think is necessary and never push yourself further than your body’s comfort level, says Bryant.
“People have to realise, when we take a normal break from exercise our performance capabilities decrease. However, when you take time off due to an illness like COVID-19, you’re going to have an even more dramatic reduction in your fitness performance capabilities,” he says.
Perloff speaks from experience. “I had profound fatigue with COVID-19,” he says. “Before I was unwell, I’d regularly run at a speed between 6 and 8 miles per hour on the treadmill, but when I returned to Orangetheory, I could tell I wasn’t physiologically as fit, so I started back as a power walker,” he says. “What I didn’t want to do was get my heart rate up too high and hurt myself,” he stresses.
Give your body what it needs. Make sure you stay well hydrated before, during and after any activity. Drink plenty of water, particularly if you experienced any gastrointestinal symptoms while you were unwell. Get at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. And most importantly, listen to your body. “If it’s telling you that you’re just not there yet, it’s okay. Give yourself a break and see a doctor,” says Perloff.
Finally, Perloff adds, while it’s human nature to want to push yourself, you have to realise that you’re different after having been infected with this virus. “Do it smart and do it slowly.”
