Sport during a cold

If you are in the best of health, sport in any form is healthy and also strengthens the body’s own defense system. But even with a banal cold or a slight cold this principle no longer applies! The body’s own defense system has to work at full speed during a cold in order to fight the pathogens.

Sport is an additional stress factor for the body in this phase and can even have fatal consequences. For example, during febrile infections, especially during sporting activities, the pathogens can be carried over into the bloodstream, resulting in a potentially life-threatening inflammation of the heart muscle. However, moderate exercise can also be helpful in alleviating symptoms.

For example, if you suffer from headaches, it may be advisable to take light exercise in the fresh air to refresh the brain with oxygen. Even if you have a mild cold that is not accompanied by symptoms such as fever, cough or general fatigue, there is usually nothing to be said against gentle endurance training. However, you should always listen to your body and not overexert yourself or cool down.

However, if you moderate the exertion, you can even help to activate your own self-healing powers. Exercise during sports improves blood circulation throughout the body, which also benefits the nasal mucous membranes. Exercise in the fresh air is generally recommended even in the cold winter (if you are healthy and fit), as long as you dress warmly enough, the body’s own defences are improved.

Basically, it is not recommended to do sports if the symptoms go beyond a slight cold and cough. In these cases the immune system can be additionally weakened by sports. Symptoms such as fever or swollen lymph nodes are contraindications to exercise.

A break from sport is also indicated while taking antibiotics. It does not matter whether the medication is taken for respiratory or other diseases. The danger of early physical exercise is always that the disease will take a longer or more dangerous course. So if you do not feel fit, you should also listen to your body and allow it to take a break from sports.