Should you train when you’re sick?

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Do you know Winston Churchill’s favorite rhetoric to justify his longevity? : “No sport!” Yet, almost a century later, it is no longer necessary to prove that practicing sports, or at least regular physical activity, is rather beneficial… But what about when you are sick? Sport or no sport?

By Jean-François Tatard – Photos: Frédéric Poirier / Pxhere.com

The infectious and contagious disease characterized by fever and general weakness with symptoms similar to those of a cold or bronchitis is the sworn enemy of cyclists and triathletes, and not only them. This infection should not be taken lightly, especially not by athletes! 3bikes.fr went to seek advice from Doctor Aumont, the PSG doctor who has been following me for over 10 years.

Flu or flu-like illness?

Beware, there is the flu and there is a flu-like illness. In both cases, the symptoms are the same but their intensity varies. If you are tired, aching, feverish, and your respiratory tract is irritated, it means that the real flu or Covid has passed through. And in that case, you can forget about cycling, swimming, or running. Don’t even bother putting on your flip-flops. You won’t be able to go more than 10 meters! Stay in bed!

What sport during the flu or Covid?Bed: that’s the only sport allowed during the flu or Covid. And let’s be clear, because I see you coming, bed but alone. Firstly, because you risk contaminating your partner, and secondly, because the priority is for you to recover. During this period, the body engages in another sport, it produces toxic substances designed to destroy the aggressor. And the aggressor is the virus! Superficially, you will need at least three days minimum to fight against the aggressor. We even talk about more than 10 days for Covid. And in depth, even more.

In case of fever, the rule is simple: stay in bed!

No sport!

With Covid or the flu, or indeed with any infection that causes fever, chills, body aches, severe headaches, bronchial congestion, etc., there’s no question: Winston Churchill is right: “no sport!“. In any case, it is more than likely that you will have trouble getting out of bed. Covid, like the flu, even if you are a strong fellow and the probabilities of you getting through it are good, is something very, very serious, and when you catch them, your whole body mobilizes to heal. It is therefore essential to let it do its job and not add any extra work, at the risk of injuring yourself and making yourself even sicker, or even, in the most extreme cases, developing a heart infection or an embolism. And then, it’s no laughing matter at all…

When to get back on the road?

So, if you have flu symptoms or a fever, stay home, rest, and focus on good nutrition and sufficient hydration. Plus, you’ll avoid contaminating your friends. Your time will come later!

If you’ve taken a break for a simple cold, as soon as you feel better, you can get back on the road.

For the flu and any other serious viral or bacterial episode, you must first wait until you no longer have a fever, then allow a few days to regain strength, otherwise you risk being flat for the rest of the season. Countless cyclists have ruined an entire season because they did not respect this crucial step in the recovery process after their flu. “The key word is progressivity,” repeats Doctor Laurent Aumont, “to ensure a solid return. With another watchword, listen to your body.” You often feel completely drained after the flu, and you have to accept taking the time to get back to your level.

Doctor Aumont’s advice

“It is not advisable to resume physical activity with a feverish state, and even less to resume physical activity under anti-inflammatory drugs post-flu,” he specifies, “it is even the worst mistake because it masks the pain and biases the immune work, and on the other hand, it implies a risk of kidney damage if the hydration state is altered following such a pronounced fever.”

If you resume, after a minimum of five days of total rest, without any physical activity, start by doing a 50-minute test, spinning your legs at a leisurely pace. No faster.

“Consequently, this will also lead to uncompensated fluid loss. Moreover, some pathologies require more rest than others, and some medications are not very compatible with physical activity. And if you resume, after a minimum of five days of total rest, without any physical activity, start by doing a 50-minute test, spinning your legs at a leisurely pace. No faster. If the test is conclusive, add 15 more minutes two days later, to which you can add five accelerations of 15 or 20 seconds to check how your body responds. It is only after a week of very gradual resumption that you can consider resuming a plan, which should also be just as gradual. ”

Caution first

Young and healthy, illness can surprise you with its consequences, in addition to disrupting your training plan. Do not hesitate, however, to seek advice from your doctor or a sports doctor. Indeed, some pathologies require more rest than others, and some medications are not very compatible with physical activity. For example, antibiotics from the quinolone and fluoroquinolone families are sometimes responsible for tendinitis even after stopping treatment. Be careful! This would only delay your return further.