So if you think exercise might help, or if you can't bear to miss a workout, do a "neck check" of your symptoms. If your symptoms are located 'above the neck', a stuffy or runny nose, sneezing, or a sore throat, for example, then exercise is probably safe. But start at half speed. If you feel better after 10 minutes, you can increase your speed and finish the workout or game. If you feel miserable, though, stop.
On the other hand, your 'neck check' may reveal 'below-the neck' symptoms. Avoid intense physical activity if you have any of these symptoms: muscle aches, hacking cough, fever of 100癋 or higher, chills, diarrhea, or vomiting. Exercising when you have below-the-neck symptoms may mean, at best, that you'll feel weak and dehydrated. Worse, you may risk such dangerous conditions as heatstroke (dangerously high body temperature) and heart failure. |