It is the time of year when people sniff and sniff en masse. Then the question arises whether it is a good idea to exercise when you have a cold or not.
Personal trainer Anoek de Voogd from Uithoorn points to the so-called neck check. If you have complaints above the neck, such as a cold, headache or sore throat, you can exercise if you feel like it. De Voogd: “But the disclaimer these days is of course: if you have corona, you stay home anyway.”
When people come to her sniffling, she does adjust the intensity of their training. “At such a time, it is not a good idea to take the next step in the build-up, or to push people to the limit. But training with a lower intensity is fine at such a moment.”
It is very different when you also have complaints under the neck, such as fever, unexplained muscle pain or a strong cough. With these complaints it is unwise to start exercising. De Voogd: “Your body then needs all its energy for recovery. In exceptional cases, exercising with a fever can itself lead to inflammation of the heart muscle.”
It is therefore a myth that you could sweat out the fever by exercising, says De Voogd. “And even after the fever has subsided, it is wise to rest for a few days before carefully picking up the training sessions again. Don’t start where you ended before you got sick, but take a few steps back and build it back up.”