Buzz
Typically, returning to exercise after an illness is straightforward: listen to your body, take it easy, and don’t overcomplicate it. However, following a COVID-19 infection, additional care and attention are necessary.
Both athletes and casual exercisers have experienced lasting complications, such as blood clots in the arteries and heart inflammation. Additionally, some individuals report ongoing fatigue and breathing issues even after their COVID-19 recovery.
A group of physicians from the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York have released a set of recommendations for resuming exercise. (One of the contributors, Jordan Metzl, also explores the reasoning behind these recommendations in the New York Times.)
Here are some key recommendations:
If you think you may have just had a cold or the flu, it’s still recommended to get tested for COVID-19, if possible.
If you have a history of heart or lung conditions, it’s important to consult a doctor before resuming exercise.
If you were healthy before and had a mild case of the virus, you may consider resuming exercise once you’ve been symptom-free for at least seven days.
Expect that it may take about a month before you can fully return to your regular workout schedule.
Stop exercising and consult a doctor if your symptoms come back, especially chest pain, fever, palpitations, or difficulty breathing.
The primary concerns when resuming exercise focus on cardiovascular and conditioning activities. The guideline suggests starting at half your usual conditioning volume (for instance, if you’re a runner, this would mean running half your typical distance). The guidelines don’t delve into weightlifting specifics, but the authors reference non-COVID-related exercise guidelines that advise starting slowly when returning to weight training and gradually increasing intensity over time.
