Should I avoid exercise while I have the flu?

Flu symptoms are more severe than colds. Therefore, to know whether you should continue exercising or take a break, you need to distinguish whether you have a cold or flu, according to the health website Healthline (USA).

If you only have a common cold, you can still exercise, but you should avoid high-intensity exercise.

Colds usually have symptoms such as runny nose, cough and sore throat but no fever. If you have a cold, you can exercise but you should not exercise at a high intensity. Instead, exercise at a moderate level that your body can still feel comfortable. This way of exercising is not only harmless but also helps you feel more comfortable.

Meanwhile, the symptoms of flu are more severe than cold, such as flu will cause fever, cough, runny nose, headache, vomiting, body aches and diarrhea. Experts recommend that it is best for people with the flu to stop exercising. Because with flu symptoms, exercise can make the body weaker. If you exercise in the gym, you can also infect others.

Furthermore, even if symptoms are mild, overtraining can temporarily compromise the immune system, making it harder for the body to fight off infection. This means recovery will be slower.

A simple tip to help people determine whether or not to exercise while sick is to identify where the symptoms are occurring on the body. If the symptoms are concentrated above the neck, such as a runny nose, nasal congestion, or sore throat, then it is okay to exercise. If the symptoms are below the neck, such as muscle pain, then rest and stop exercising.

Not only that, but exercising while sick can also pose some risks. Experts warn that people with flu or pneumonia can get worse if they continue to exercise while sick.

For people with the flu, exercising can increase the risk of myocarditis. Symptoms of myocarditis include chest pain, an abnormally fast heartbeat, and difficulty breathing whether exercising or resting. The body will feel tired, and the feet and ankles will swell due to fluid retention. When seeing these symptoms, the patient needs to go to the hospital immediately because in severe cases, it can lead to cardiac arrest, according to Healthline .

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/co-nen-tranh-tap-the-duc-khi-dang-bi-cam-cum-185240614125741418.htm