Definition
A sore throat is unpleasant and can be the first sign of a cold or viral infection. In sore throat, the throat area is inflamed and a dry, rough feeling develops in the throat. The sore throat is accompanied by a weakening of the immune system and the body is busy defending itself against the infection. Athletes who ignore these symptoms put their health at great risk, as sore throats should not be underestimated when doing sports. How long sore throats can sometimes last, you learned in our article Duration of sore throats – what is normal?
Sports for sore throat and rhinitis
Sports for sore throat without fever
Diseases associated with fever should in any form lead to a break from sports. The body temperature is elevated and would rise even further as a result of sport. In the case of illnesses without fever, however, this does not automatically mean that the sport can simply be continued.
Colds, coughs and sniffles, no matter how severe they are, are a weakening of the body’s immune system and should therefore be treated first before any sporting activity is applied to the body again. A rule of thumb on the subject of getting back into sports is that sport should only be resumed once the symptoms of the cold/cough/cold have subsided. This pause should also be given to the body’s immune system so that the disease does not spread. Short walks with warm clothes are always recommended, and the body gets a little exercise in the fresh air.
Sport during a cold with sore throat
Everyone has had a cold and a runny nose at least once in their life, and coughs and colds were commonplace. When a cold comes, the upper respiratory tract is attacked by viruses. The body reacts with a focus of inflammation to fight the viruses.
The fight against the viruses costs the body a lot of energy and therefore you usually feel very tired and flat when you have a cold. Sport increases the blood circulation, the body temperature (due to the muscle work) and therefore also the circulation and pulse. This puts an additional strain on the circulation of our organism, in addition to the cold.
This can lead to a worsening of the illness. Therefore, all recommendations are always based on an appropriate break. If you still want to do sports, you should definitely reduce the intensity and extent so that the strain on the body is not too great.
It can also be decisive whether it is a mild or severe cold, whether it is accompanied by fever or not. Sport is definitely not recommended for a severe and/or feverish cold. Competitive athletes who are in the training phase should seek the advice of their doctor and not set their workload on their own.