A significant proportion of people who contract COVID are left with ongoing symptoms, commonly referred to as “long covidThe nature of these symptoms and the duration of illness varies between people. While some people suffer for more than two years after their initial infection, others have recovered, or at least improved.
You may start to feel inspired to return as you recover from a prolonged COVID physical activity You enjoyed it once. While this may be possible at some stage, it is important that you take your time to recover, accept your limitations, and make a slow return to exercise.
So if you were previously an active person, for example, half ran marathon Or attended high-intensity interval training (HIIT) classes, don’t go straight back to these things. This may increase your symptoms and may come back in your recovery.
A good first step is to talk to your GP or health care professional to see what is available to help you as you recover. For example, they may guide you through community-supported programs such as exercise rehabilitation or . may be able to direct walk and talking group.
slow and steady
The UK’s National Institute for Health Research recommends a symptom-based approach to exercise while you recover. This is where you tailor your exercise plan based on the severity of your symptoms, rather than following a specific one. exercise Program that gradually increases intensity and volume over time.
It is important to recognize that your progress is not likely to improve steadily each week, and sometimes you may need to scale back the amount of exercise you are trying to accomplish.
The key is to pace yourself by optimizing the amount and intensity of exercise you do and prioritize comfort between sessions.
So if you were previously an active person, for example, ran a half marathon or attended high-intensity interval training (HIIT) classes, don’t go straight back to these things (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)
Make sure you only spend the amount of energy Thinking you have it in your tank and not powering through a grueling workout will be good for you afterward.
During and after exercise, pay attention to your symptoms, and especially the level of your fatigue or post-exercise malaise. Post-exercise malaise is when your chronic symptoms get worse after exertion (in this case, exercise).
This should be a sign to pull back on the amount or intensity of exercise you are doing. If your level of post-exercise malaise becomes moderate to severe and lasts about half of your exercise time, you should rest and talk to your doctor.
types of exercise
The exercise doesn’t need to be something very difficult. you can start with something simple chair based exercises, such as standing leg curls or overhead punches (using a chair for support or sitting). You can then move on to sitting-to-stand exercises or squats, and gradually build up to lighter walks and household tasks.
Once you move forward in your recovery, endurance and . try a combination of strength training, Strength training is useful because it prevents a large increase in breathing rate and improves muscle strength. We know that the latter may decline during the course of a COVID infection and recovery.
Although the evidence is still emerging, some studies have found that exercise may provide benefits. long covid patient, One study found that a six-week pulmonary rehabilitation program (education and exercise) improved respiratory and cardiovascular fitness, reduced shortness of breath, and increased quality of life.
This agrees with a similar, more recent study where taller COVID patients completed an eight-week program of three exercise sessions per week (including both strength and endurance training). They reported significant improvements in quality of life, fatigue, muscle strength and cardio fitness compared with a control group that did not participate in an exercise program.
Specifically, exercise sessions were monitored in this study and individualized to each patient. Qualified physicians made modifications throughout time to manage symptoms.
Exercise, combined with a healthy lifestyle, can boost immunity and therefore offer some protection against future COVID infections and other pathogens (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)
Where possible, it is a good idea to seek help from an appropriate rehabilitation service in your area who can assist with creating your exercise plan or monitoring your exercise sessions. If this is not possible, the World Health Organization provides useful information about how to safely return to exercise while you recover. symptoms of covid,
other benefits
Exercise, along with a healthy lifestyle, can boost immunity and therefore provide some protection against future COVID infections and other pathogens. In particular, physical activity and good nutrition provide our bodies with more anti-inflammatory proteins, which reduce storms of inflammation Which can result from a COVID infection and can make us very sick.
Meanwhile, a new study has found that regular physical activity is linked to COVID vaccines being more effective against serious illness.
It’s worth thinking about what sport you enjoy and trying to join a community of people, such as walking and talking groups. It has been shown to improve adherence to exercise.
Regardless of the exercise you choose, don’t overdo it or try to go back to what you could do before COVID.
Finally, it is important to recognize how unpredictable this situation is, and that prolonged COVID can manifest in many forms, ranging from mild to very severe. Exercise may not be suitable for people who have more severe symptoms. This is more appropriate, and may actually be beneficial for people with mild symptoms or those who are recovering.
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