Some of us (yes, me included) are so obsessed with staying fit and getting our 150 minutes of moderate exercise in a week, that it’s just downright inconvenient when we get a cold. But will we make it worse by exercising?
Now the bottom line is how sick you are and whether the symptoms are below the neck as well as in the head. And your GP is the best person to advise. Here though, is the evidence.
First, it depends on what you’re sick with. Cancer outcomes are better if you exercise and your treatment team can advise what you should do. Exercise is now considered part of evidence-based cancer therapy – without the side effects!
With viral infections, especially those in the nose and throat, exercise has had a bad name, probably unfairly. That’s because researchers have found that athletes taking part in team or group events have a higher incidence of viral infections after the event, and they claim to have found poorer immune cell function and numbers. What actually seems to be happening is that athletes are being exposed to many other athletes at a time when everyone is breathing heavily. So, viruses are more likely to spread during the event and appear soon afterwards.
Gentle to moderate exercise appears to improve immune function so is unlikely to do you any harm if you’ve a mild viral upper respiratory infection. If you’ve a high fever and don’t know why, or having trouble breathing, then you need to see your GP because exercise will be the last thing you need, or in fact, probably want. What you do need is an accurate diagnosis and prompt treatment.
