What are the risks if I do sports despite having a cold?
- The cold can be carried over
- The course of the disease can become significantly worse, with more severe symptoms
- The performance level drops sharply instead of improving
- Loss of drive and listlessness in everyday life are on the rise
- It can come to a heart muscle inflammation, which can end in the worst process fatally
- Persistent heart weakness can occur in the course of myocarditis
- Cardiac arrhythmias can occur
How long should the sports break be?
Professional and recreational athletes often fear that they will have to take a long training break if they are weakened by a cold and their painstakingly trained condition deteriorates as a result. However, one should be aware that an early resumption of athletic training can be a great strain on the weakened body and that the health condition will suffer rather than being improved by athletic activity. Taking a break from sports is recommended by many experts for every cold, flu and any other type of viral disease to prevent serious consequences.
In any case, one should start training again slowly after the sports break and give the body time to get back to its old form. A flu or cold should not be underestimated; one should be careful in any case and take the disease seriously. If you want to be on the safe side, you should pause training whenever you have a cold.
A sports break of two to three weeks is usually sufficient to avoid serious consequences such as heart muscle inflammation. You should definitely listen to your body and never overdo it by starting training too early. If you do not feel fit enough to go to work or to go about your daily routine, then you should not do any sports. It makes sense to wait a few days longer with sports after the cold has subsided in order to spare your physical strength sufficiently.One should be fever-free for at least two to three days without taking any medication before starting to exercise again. This does not mean that any kind of exercise is forbidden, because a walk in the fresh air can do you good, relieve symptoms and speed up the healing process.
