Keep Exercising if You Have a Cold
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Keep Exercising if You Have a Cold
It's that time of year - besides the holidays - the head cold season. A recent article in the New York Times discusses whether to exercise or not when you have a cold. It presents results of a study which showed that a head cold did not impair overall exercise performance. Nor did exercising when you have a cold affect symptoms and recovery time. Fortunately, I maybe only get one cold a year, and have always tried to keep exercising albeit at a moderate level. At least mentally I always felt better.
Below is the link to the NYT article:
https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/25/he...r=1&ref=health
Below is the link to the NYT article:
https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/25/he...r=1&ref=health
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I exercise during a cold and have done so since the mid seventies. It always seemed better to just keep going.
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#4
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If you exercise every day you probably won't even get many colds.
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#5
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Yep, there's nothing worse than feeling like poop for two weeks and simultaneously wimping out of your routine cause you rationalise that you are sick. If I don't do at least some exercise, I always feel worse - sort of like cabin fever on steriods. BLEAGHHHHH!
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I do, however, agree with Velodiva's' advice... it's just that I'm a wuss.
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I am not sure how much exercising I could do with a full blown cold. Slight congestion is one thing but when exercising causes coughing that almost makes one fall off the bike that is a cold. I guess we have to determine what some consider a cold. Mine is accompanied by a fever, red nose, watery eyes, a caugh that starts in deep in my lungs. I haven't had a bad cold in a year or so and maybe the riding I have been doing has kept me from catching one this year. I thought I was coming down with one the other day but it looks more like it was allergies and it passed.
However my doctor has never reccommended more exercise while I was recovering from a cold so this is something I might print out and ask about. He reccommends rest and liquids.
However my doctor has never reccommended more exercise while I was recovering from a cold so this is something I might print out and ask about. He reccommends rest and liquids.
#8
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From wikipedia:
"The first indication of a cold is often a sore or scratchy throat. Other common symptoms are runny nose, congestion, sneezing and cough. These are sometimes accompanied by muscle aches, fatigue, malaise, headache, weakness, or loss of appetite.[10] Colds rarely cause fever and usually do not lead to extreme exhaustion. (These symptoms are more usual in influenza, and can differentiate the two infections.) The symptoms of a cold usually resolve after about one week, but can last up to 14 days, with a cough lasting longer than other symptoms."
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Last edited by Roody; 12-28-08 at 01:48 AM.
#9
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I read that - good stuff. My rule - Go if its in the head, layoff if its in the chest.
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Whats a cold?
Honest- and I do not know the reason why. I have not had a cold that has been bad enough to keep me off the bike for many years. I get snuffly- and the chest may ache a bit but providing I do not have a headache- I can ride.
Can't say for those self inflicted heads that come after a good night out though.
Honest- and I do not know the reason why. I have not had a cold that has been bad enough to keep me off the bike for many years. I get snuffly- and the chest may ache a bit but providing I do not have a headache- I can ride.
Can't say for those self inflicted heads that come after a good night out though.
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It must be a California thing.
Here in Connecticut, I'm cold all over.......but I still exercise.
Here in Connecticut, I'm cold all over.......but I still exercise.
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I totally agree with V and H. By riding through the chilly temps in the winter my experience has been it has warded off most sinus and head stuff. However, if I ever do get a bpit of congestion, the cooler air seems to really open up the sinuses and I'm able to get rid of the issue by doing a good long ride......Riding is truly good medicine
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As long as I don't have a fever or body aches, I ride. But, I do think that bronchitis, like I have right now, affects my performance more than a head cold does. I try to ride a bit easier with any kind of cold, but that's sometimes easier said than done, like when I was riding against 40 mph winds Friday.
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You could be right. But after reading the what some think a cold is I went to web MD and discovered that what I mostly get I have always called a chest cold. Turns my colds often turn into Acute bronchitis. It seems that is more common for me. What I thoought was a cold is caused by a viral infection. "Acute bronchitis may also be called a chest cold." Or so says WEBMD.
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I haven't had a cold in 2+ years, since we started riding bikes again. Next time one hits me, I'll try riding and see how I feel.
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Something I read recently said to continue working out if it's from the neck up, but to rest if it's from the neck down. So keep going if it's a "head cold," and stop if it's a "chest cold."