Should You Work Out if You Have a Cold or the Flu - Article Health

To avoid getting a cold or the flu, you take every precaution: You got a flu shot, you spritz hand sanitizer everywhere, and you keep your distance from coworkers with cold or flu symptoms. You even committed to the gym harder than Harry and Meghan Markle have committed to each other after learning that regular moderate exercise strengthens the immune system, one study review suggests.

But then, ugh, your get sick anyway. You're not totally incapacitated, and you hate the idea of undoing your fitness progress. So you wonder: Should you take rest days until you're symptom-free, or is it okay to hammer through your workout even though your nose is dripping and your body aches? The answer comes down to what your symptoms are—and how bad you actually feel.

If you have a cold
If your symptoms are those typical of the common cold—a runny nose, sore throat, watery eyes, or the sniffles—and you don’t have a fever, it’s safe for you to proceed, Brian Babka, MD, sports medicine specialist and team doctor for Northern Illinois University athletics, tells Health. Basically, you want to follow what's called the neck rule: If all of your symptoms occur at or above your neck (with the exception of a fever), it's fine to sweat.

If you have the flu
Back to the neck rule again: If you’re experiencing below-the-neck symptoms like chills, chest congestion, and body aches, or you have a fever, make it a rest day...or a rest week, actually. A fever, chills, and body aches are characteristic of the flu. Exercising with the flu can actually be dangerous because it can lead to dehydration and prolong your misery.

Swapping your sneakers for slippers may be a tough call for gym lovers, but Dr. Babka says it won't mess up your training. “A couple days off aren’t enough to de-condition your body," he asserts. "In all honesty, you could go up to two weeks before you start losing your engine or muscle mass.”

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