Should we exercise when we have a cold?

Should we workout if we have a cold or a cough…or should we lay low for a while? Well, that depends on what the ailment is.  If your symptoms are from the neck up, meaning you have sniffles, a runny nose, headache and perhaps a very mild cough, it’s probably OK to perform a mild workout. The key is to make sure you have no difficulty breathing during or after a workout. Experts agree that going at one third your normal pace might be the best way to proceed and if you feel worse a few hours later – a few days rest are in order.

Fever is the limiting factor, says Lewis G. Maharam, MD, a New York City-based sports medicine expert. “The danger is exercising and raising your body temperature internally if you already have a fever, because that can make you even sicker,”  he says in a WEBMd article. If you have a fever greater than 101 degrees Fahrenheit, sit the workout out, he says.  I don’t know about most people, but when I have a fever of 101…the last thing I want to do is exercise. [Read more…]