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Should you run when you’re sick?

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If you’re not feeling well, should you continue to train or exercise? Many new runners face this dilemma, so we got answers from a Mediclinic GP.

“It’s difficult to give a hard and fast rule,” says Dr David Walsh, a general practitioner at Mediclinic Bloemfontein. “But I tell my patients to beware of sore muscles, and body aches and pains – especially if combined with a fever. As a rule of thumb, if you have a virus and your doctor has put you on antibiotics, it’s best that you don’t train.”

Technically, there’s nothing stopping you from training, Dr Walsh explains. “After all, there are pro cyclists who complete the Tour de France on antibiotics. But, in principle, if you have symptoms of viremia – that’s the presence of viruses in your blood – you could run the risk of damaging your heart muscle.”

Test yourself

One easy self-test is what some doctors call the neck test: if your symptoms are above the neck, such as a runny nose, dry cough, tearing eyes or sneezing, you’re good to train; if they are below the neck, for example fever, chest congestion, muscle aches, tummy bug and so on, it’s best to give it a rest.

These are only general rules, though. As Dr Walsh emphasises, if you’re not sure whether you’re well enough to train, rather speak to your doctor before you hit the road.

And when you do, listen to your body. Colds usually last for about a week to 10 days, but it could take as long as three weeks or a month to recover from the flu. When you get back into training, ease yourself into it and don’t go all-out right away.

The post Should you run when you’re sick? appeared first on Mediclinic.


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