Flu and physical activity
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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When you are sick with the flu, you have at least two inconveniences. First, your immune system is very weak, and all its forces are directed at fighting the flu. And secondly, you are too weak to engage in intensive physical exercises. So, the flu and physical exertion - what level of load will be useful?
Read also: Physical activity during colds
[Physical activity and prevention of influenza
If you are not already sick with the flu, the physical exertion for prevention will be an excellent opportunity to boost immunity and strengthen the nervous system. And to people with strong nerves and good resistance to diseases, viruses rarely cling. The very possibility of getting sick with the flu decreases.
As soon as a person starts to play sports, the number of cells of the immune system that are resistant to diseases increases 2-3 times. Even innocent, it would seem, walks for half an hour every day reduce the risk of the incidence of influenza several times. But, if you are already ill with the flu, the situation with physical stress changes radically.
What is the danger of physical exertion for influenza and heart disease?
People with chronic diseases, especially cardiovascular diseases, need to beware of increased physical exertion with influenza. The heart and blood vessels in the flu already carry an increased load, and if they work even during physical exercises, the main apparatus of your body can not stand it.
In addition, a combination of funds from the flu and drugs for better heart function can further burden the body, so the increased workload in the form of exercise will be disastrous for him.
Before doing the flu exercises, be sure to check with your doctor.
Physical activity in asthma and influenza
If a person with asthma can hardly breathe, plus he takes anti-asthmatic and anti-influenza drugs, then an increased workload in the form of physical exercises can negatively affect the body. Breathing with flu is already difficult, and during exercise it is more difficult, so physical exertion should be treated with caution and must consult a doctor about what they should be.
With severe flu, exercise should be avoided altogether. It is necessary to survive at least a few days after recovery, before again starting the exercises. Optimum - a week.
Physical activity in case of influenza: benefit or harm?
The level of energy of a person with human influenza can significantly drop. Therefore, regardless of whether you suffer from any chronic illnesses in addition to the flu or were absolutely healthy before the virus is infected, the doctor should evaluate the severity of your condition and answer the question whether you need physical exercises. And if so, which ones. The forms of influenza are so severe that they affect the work of many internal organs. And in this situation, exercises can only do much harm.
If you carry the flu is not very hard, light exercise can help you to get better quickly. But you do not need to exhaust yourself - it can do more harm than good.
Will physical activity increase the immunity to influenza?
Many people believe that exercise increases the power of their immune system and helps them recover faster during illnesses. But most doctors do not agree with this. If you feel tired, fever, fever. Sore and aching all over the body, it is likely that exercises, even the simplest ones, will make you feel even worse.
How do you know if you need physical activity with the flu?
According to some doctors, there is a fairly simple way to decide whether you should exercise. This rule of symptoms "from the neck or to the neck."
If your symptoms go from the neck upwards, that is, you have a runny nose, a headache and perhaps a very slight cough, chances are you can perform basic exercises. All the salt is to make sure that you do not have difficulty breathing during or after your workout. Physicians agree that doing exercises at a level of one-third of the usual pace can be the best way to act. But if in a few hours you feel worse - give yourself a few days of respite.
If your symptoms go from the neck down, meaning you have a deep cough in your chest or a fever, you should avoid any physical exertion until you feel much better. Pain in the chest means that you are most likely to have pneumonia and exercise will greatly aggravate this process. Then the best choice for you is enough sleep and rest.
Short-term effect of physical activity in case of influenza
Fitness experts note that many people think that they feel better after training, but here it's all about developing endorphins - happiness hormones that very quickly evaporate. And the flu symptoms remain, and they only worsen with time. Most likely, these same people will feel worse just a few hours later.
The body knows what is best for you - only you need to listen to it very carefully. Professional athletes know that skipping a workout for the time needed to recover from a disease does not have a bad effect and that the body will be updated quickly once a person returns to their loads. And, finally, healthy people in the gym will be very grateful if you stay away from them until you get well.
Flu and exercise - things are not very compatible. Endure only a week, and you can start your training with new strength and inspiration.