Is it ok to work out when sick?

dangie2002

I have a question. I've always heard its ok to work out if you have a cold. But what about other illnesses? Unknown viral illnesses, or if you wake up hurting all over and its sick pain, not overtraining or work out aches?

Hornsby

Just my opinion, but if you are sick, you should rest and let your body recover. It is already using energy to try and cure an illness, so adding more stress to the body by exercising doesn't seem optimum.

That being said, I'm a big pansy when I get sick so maybe I am just looking for an excuse to take a day off? lol.

JenAndSome

I think it depends on what kind of sick and what kind of exercise. If you are vomiting etc, just rest. If you have chest congestion from your cold you probably shouldn't be doing much cardio. Really if you are sick you should probably just rest in my opinion.

jacksonpt

A little common sense can go a long way here. Any time you're sick, getting sufficient rest becomes that much more important. If you're able to work out safely (i.e. no concerns about light headedness, weakness, etc) AND you're able to give your body the rest it needs to fight the illness, then in most cases you're probably fine.

It's kinda like when you were a kid and your parents told you that if you were too sick to go to school, then you're too sick to do whatever fun thing you wanted to do. If you can go to work, do dishes, vacuum, etc, then you're probably OK to work out. If you're sick in bed, I would probably stay in bed.

On a side note... if you work out in a public gym, be considerate of others. Just because you can doesn't mean you should.

ew_david

I was sick last week. I couldn't even formulate a complete thought much less work out because of how much pain I was in. Also, no one at the gym wants your cooties.

Rest.

KylaDenay

I think that when you are sick that rest is best. You always hear when you are sick people saying "get lots of rest!" This is very true. Listen to your body (I'm sure it tells you to lay down and take a break). A little r and r will never hurt.

Now if you just have a headache or a minor stomach ache, then I say workout if you can manage it.

davert123

If I am ill above my neck then I would work out and play it by ear as jack says. If I am ill in my chest then I wouldn't intentionally have a go unless it is very light. If you go to hard you will weaken your immune system for several hours after your session and whatever you have can take hold more so if you have a chest infection then exercising isn't a good idea.

dangie2002

Ok, well thank you everyone for the input. I woke up hurting all over, no fever or anything and I told myself "no excuses" but I'm thinking next time, I should probably listen to my body because I'm feeling worse now and Ibuprofen isn't helping. Not sure what's going on yet, but I'm sure time will tell. I just know its not my norm.

dangie2002

BFDeal wrote: »

Sure, just make sure to cough or sneeze on everything you touch so everyone else at the gym can share your misery!

Dude, I clean everything before and after touching. I'm not coughing or sneezing. I promise.

Lizzy622

I find if it is a cold and I don't have a fever a light walk(2.5-3.0 mph) outside actually makes me feel better. I would stay out of the gym so I don't "share" my germs. With a fever, rest and recovery are first priority.

Snow3y

It's @#$ing selfish to others who are most likely going to catch your sickness. Rather stay at home for your health, and others'

michellesz

If you felt you had a general cold I would say go ahead & workout & see how you feel working out. As stated that you are 'hurting all over', your body is trying to fight something despite the fact that you don't have a fever. Best remedy is to take time off & rest & stay hydrated. If you're not feeling well in a day or so, see your doctor.

ahamm002

It's considered perfectly fine, and even helpful, to work out when you have anything above the chest (eg sore throat, common cold, etc.). Chest or below, you should rest.

I personally find that working out when I have a cold really clears up my sinuses and makes me feel much better. Studies have been performed and demonstrated that it doesn't delay resolution of the cold.

esjones12

I've read and seen many articles like this one, stating it depends on what kind of sick you are: http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/features/exercising-when-sick

It takes a lot to keep me from exercising. I've worked out through many colds. I don't push as hard, but I feel like it helps me feel better (opens things up). I just make sure I have tissues and a trashcan near by. A sinus infection sidelined me for a few days this past summer, but I felt really out of it so it was a no brainier not to exercise. In the end listen to your body, and if you think you are contagious stay home!

jezy_jass

It is said you can "sweat out a cold", but be careful on what you decide to do for you workout. I had a head/sinus cold the past weekend and felt well enough to workout by Tuesday. Went for a light run (usually do 4-6 miles), but by 3 miles I was breathing REALLY heavy and feeling light headed. Guess I wasn't as well as I felt. I say choose a light workout and see how it feels. If it goes well up it the next day until you get back to your normal workouts. It will work different for everyone but this was my experience. Good luck and hope you feel better.

RavenLibra

I worked out once when I was sick... some sort of cold bug... I hit the gym here at work... for a little 5x5... by the time I got in the elevator I was on the edge of fainting... got back to my office... and started slipping into that tunnel... I was going into shock... I was clammy, weak... thankfully my first aide training and experience pulled me back from the brink...

I will not make that mistake again...

ksolksol

I think you really need to listen to your body. I've seen the studies, and I know for some people a light workout can help, but for me, every time I've tried exercising with a cold, I get sicker, particularly if I do it during the first couple of achy days. You'll learn your own pattern over time. It may not alter the length of time I'm sick, but it definitely affects the severity.

It's not an "excuse" if your body needs the rest. It's a valid reason.

Kalikel

If you feel healthy and strong and feel like working out, yay that.

If you feel sick and tired and not up to it, don't.

If you're sick, do your workouts at home. It's not nice to risk other people's health and heaven knows you don't need new bugs getting into you when your body is already having to fight one set of them.

Mediocrates55

Different types of sick call for different things. A light cold or sniffles, probably ok. Vomiting, diarrhea, fever, things like that - probably not. I have Systemic Lupus and before switching around my lifestyle regularly felt like crap. Like every day felt as though I'd been hit by a bus. Working out along with the diet changes really helped me overcome my daily symptoms. It's important to know what is really going on with your body. Chronic illnesses can often be helped by pushing yourself just a little bit. And if I have a cold now, I'll go out for a light run and usually feel better when I get back. I do skip lifting on those days though. Seems to make my head hurt worse.