Sports for myocarditis | Heart muscle inflammation

Sports for myocarditis

During a heart muscle inflammation strict bed rest is required! Sports and other physical activities are absolutely taboo during this time. Even if patients do not have any complaints (asymptomatic), they must avoid sports at all costs.

This is because the weakened heart muscle is no longer fully functional due to the acute inflammation and reaches its limit much earlier. Doctors usually recommend a break from sports for about three months after the heart muscle inflammation has been overcome. In connection with heart muscle inflammation and sports, “sudden cardiac death” is often mentioned.

Especially young, sporty people are affected! But why is this so? With viral or bacterial infections, e.g. flu or gastrointestinal infections, there is often the possibility that the inflammation will spread to the heart muscle.

In many cases this happens unnoticed and heals without any problems. However, if affected persons ignore the warning signs of their body and engage in sports despite feeling very ill, life-threatening cardiac dysrhythmia can occur. In the worst case, the patients die.

Young athletes in particular overestimate their ability to cope with stress in the event of illness. Of course, strict bed rest does not apply to every cold. However, if you are unsure whether sport is allowed again after the flu has passed, ask your doctor for advice!

Forms and causes of heart muscle inflammation

A distinction is made between infectious heart muscle inflammation and non-infectious heart muscle inflammation. The infectious form can be caused by viruses (in 50% of cases), as well as bacteria, fungi, protozoa and parasites. The most common bacterial pathogens are: The most common viral pathogens are: The non-infectious course of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) can be caused by rheumatoid arthritis, collagenosis (inflammation of the collagen tissue) or vasculitis (inflammation of the vessels).

In rare cases, it can also be triggered after tissue irradiation, e.g. as part of chemotherapy. Incompatibility reactions caused by drugs (e.g. clozapine) can also lead to inflammation of the heart muscle.

  • Enterococci
  • Staphylococci
  • Group A beta-hemolytic streptococci.
  • Coxsackie Virus B1-B5 and A
  • Parvovirus B 19
  • Human Herpes Virus 6 (HHV 6)
  • Epstein Barr Virus (EBV: glandular fever causing virus)