You just got back into the swing of an exercise routine and bam … you catch a cold. You don’t want to lose your momentum so you ask yourself, “Will exercising make it worse or better?”
The best rule of thumb to follow is to ask yourself are the symptoms “Above the neck” or “Below the Neck.”
Above the Neck – Includes nasal congestion, runny nose and sneezing. For a cold without a fever, exercise may even help you feel better by opening up your nasal passages and relieving nasal congestion.
Below the Neck – Includes hacking cough, chest congestion, chills or upset stomach. Your best bet is to take it easy, get plenty of rest and drink lots of fluids. It’s possible that you could even worsen your condition or prolong its effects.
Remember, everyone is different. If you are unsure, stop in at any Emergency One location and we can have you in and out in no time, with the confidence to proceed with your exercise program or have you back to exercising in no time.