Exercise after COVID, for amateur athletes?
July 15, 2024 10:33 AM Subscribe
I’ve read all the articles, medical advice, talked to my doctor and the advice (maybe slightly outdated now) is to wait at least 10 days to start exercising again and increase difficulty gradually. Thats what I’m planning to do. What was your experience of getting back to it?
Disclaimer: I know it varies for everyone and long COVID is real. I am *exclusively* interested in firsthand accounts from athletes or fairly serious amateur athletes— runners, gymrats, etc.
The first time I had COVID (2 years ago) I took several weeks off, then resumed training for a 10K race and ran the race, which was honestly not great for me— toughest race I’ve run, though my time wasn’t that bad. Probably overtaxed myself and took some time off afterward. I made a full recovery eventually.
I’m currently about 5 days in and experiencing the elevated heart rate, POTS-like symptoms, etc. Planning on waiting at least another week and ramping up slowly, but I’m curious how other athletes have handled it and how your experience went.
Disclaimer: I know it varies for everyone and long COVID is real. I am *exclusively* interested in firsthand accounts from athletes or fairly serious amateur athletes— runners, gymrats, etc.
The first time I had COVID (2 years ago) I took several weeks off, then resumed training for a 10K race and ran the race, which was honestly not great for me— toughest race I’ve run, though my time wasn’t that bad. Probably overtaxed myself and took some time off afterward. I made a full recovery eventually.
I’m currently about 5 days in and experiencing the elevated heart rate, POTS-like symptoms, etc. Planning on waiting at least another week and ramping up slowly, but I’m curious how other athletes have handled it and how your experience went.
Best answer: So, I was a pretty active runner until March 2020, when I got 'wild' Covid and ended up with three years of Long Covid.
The key thing to know about exercising with post-viral conditions is that often, the payback doesn't come until 2 or 3 days after the exercise. Look up post-exertional malaise (PEM) for more info. You can be out exercising, feeling great during, and on top of the world afterwards... then suddenly two days later - boom - you feel terrible, seem to be coming down with a cold/flu/other virus again. Exhaustion, foggy head, sneezing, sore throat, low mood, racing heart. The whole bit.
The way it played out for me, back when we didn't really know about Long Covid, was that I had (presumed) Covid. Then a couple of weeks later I thought I'd go for a bike ride to blow away the final cobwebs, same way I would do on recovery from a cold. Just did a gentle 4 miles at an extremely leisurely pace. Two or three days later, it seemed like I came down with the virus again, felt crappy for a couple of days. So I waited a couple more weeks, then went for another very slow ride, only 10 minutes this time. Two days later, same again - sick again for a couple more days. I waited another two weeks. Got on the indoor bike, rode for two minutes and then lay down on the bed to let my heart rate recover, repeated 3 times. Two days later, sick again. At that point I realised that exercise was just not possible for me.
I feel very lucky that a friend who's had ME/CFS for years told me about PEM around then, which stopped me trying to push on through it and make myself even sicker. But after that initial round of trying to exercise, I really couldn't do much more than a slow 10 minute walk each day for the first year.
So. Basically if you want to play it careful, you need to flip the old approach to exercise on its head. You don't go out and push as hard as you can manage - you go out and do a very minimal amount of exercise. Like, way, way, way less than you would normally do, probably such that you don't even really feel like you've exercised. Then wait two days. If you get no kick back, notch it up very slightly. Then wait. Ad infinitum. You're aiming to find a level where you definitely get no adverse symptoms, and then walk yourself very slowly up the stair of recovery from that, going only one step at a time, and at no point being tempted to just run as fast/far as you can just to see what happens.
All that said, I've had Covid twice in the past 18 months, having had some vaccines (but not more recent boosters, which were only available to older people where I live), and my recovery's been much more normal.
posted by penguin pie at 11:07 AM on July 15, 2024 [9 favorites]
The key thing to know about exercising with post-viral conditions is that often, the payback doesn't come until 2 or 3 days after the exercise. Look up post-exertional malaise (PEM) for more info. You can be out exercising, feeling great during, and on top of the world afterwards... then suddenly two days later - boom - you feel terrible, seem to be coming down with a cold/flu/other virus again. Exhaustion, foggy head, sneezing, sore throat, low mood, racing heart. The whole bit.
The way it played out for me, back when we didn't really know about Long Covid, was that I had (presumed) Covid. Then a couple of weeks later I thought I'd go for a bike ride to blow away the final cobwebs, same way I would do on recovery from a cold. Just did a gentle 4 miles at an extremely leisurely pace. Two or three days later, it seemed like I came down with the virus again, felt crappy for a couple of days. So I waited a couple more weeks, then went for another very slow ride, only 10 minutes this time. Two days later, same again - sick again for a couple more days. I waited another two weeks. Got on the indoor bike, rode for two minutes and then lay down on the bed to let my heart rate recover, repeated 3 times. Two days later, sick again. At that point I realised that exercise was just not possible for me.
I feel very lucky that a friend who's had ME/CFS for years told me about PEM around then, which stopped me trying to push on through it and make myself even sicker. But after that initial round of trying to exercise, I really couldn't do much more than a slow 10 minute walk each day for the first year.
So. Basically if you want to play it careful, you need to flip the old approach to exercise on its head. You don't go out and push as hard as you can manage - you go out and do a very minimal amount of exercise. Like, way, way, way less than you would normally do, probably such that you don't even really feel like you've exercised. Then wait two days. If you get no kick back, notch it up very slightly. Then wait. Ad infinitum. You're aiming to find a level where you definitely get no adverse symptoms, and then walk yourself very slowly up the stair of recovery from that, going only one step at a time, and at no point being tempted to just run as fast/far as you can just to see what happens.
All that said, I've had Covid twice in the past 18 months, having had some vaccines (but not more recent boosters, which were only available to older people where I live), and my recovery's been much more normal.
posted by penguin pie at 11:07 AM on July 15, 2024 [9 favorites]
Response by poster: Thanks, both! Sorry to hear about your struggles with Long COVID, that is always the fear. :(
Penguin pie, how did your more recent bouts go? Are you off exercising in general, or did you go back to it?
posted by stoneandstar at 11:14 AM on July 15, 2024
Penguin pie, how did your more recent bouts go? Are you off exercising in general, or did you go back to it?
posted by stoneandstar at 11:14 AM on July 15, 2024
Best answer: I work out six times a week: weights four days a week and running around 7-10 miles two days a week. The most recent time I had COVID I had pretty bad flu-like symptoms for about five days: elevated heart rate, fever, aches, terrible chest cough that meant I wasn't able to sleep because I was coughing every thirty seconds. Thankfully, I didn't have long COVID and other than the cough was mostly back to normal by day 7, so please note that my experience was more like someone who had the flu.
I was actually able to get back into weights fairly quickly (around day 10) and started lifting lighter dumbbells at home. By the time I tested negative a week later I was fine to do a shorter version of my normal weightlifting routine at the gym. I got tired more quickly and definitely felt more sore than I did pre-COVID for a couple more weeks, but after that I was able to go back to my old routine.
Running was a different story. I think I tried running again on day 14 (after first occurence of symptoms) and it was rough. At one point in my life I took three years off from running and did other, low impact cardio and the first post-COVID run felt a lot harder than that first run I did after a three-year pause. I definitely should've waited longer to run again, but I have a bad habit of telling my body it's not the boss of me when it very much is. So, wait longer than you might think is necessary and give yourself a lot of grace. Start with short walks and really focus on how you feel during and after them before you consider ramping up again.
Even without long COVID, it was at least three months before I didn't feel like I was fighting with my body for the entire run and it was, at least, a nice surprise to remember "Oh, right, I actually used to enjoy this."
posted by Babytown Frolics at 11:15 AM on July 15, 2024 [1 favorite]
I was actually able to get back into weights fairly quickly (around day 10) and started lifting lighter dumbbells at home. By the time I tested negative a week later I was fine to do a shorter version of my normal weightlifting routine at the gym. I got tired more quickly and definitely felt more sore than I did pre-COVID for a couple more weeks, but after that I was able to go back to my old routine.
Running was a different story. I think I tried running again on day 14 (after first occurence of symptoms) and it was rough. At one point in my life I took three years off from running and did other, low impact cardio and the first post-COVID run felt a lot harder than that first run I did after a three-year pause. I definitely should've waited longer to run again, but I have a bad habit of telling my body it's not the boss of me when it very much is. So, wait longer than you might think is necessary and give yourself a lot of grace. Start with short walks and really focus on how you feel during and after them before you consider ramping up again.
Even without long COVID, it was at least three months before I didn't feel like I was fighting with my body for the entire run and it was, at least, a nice surprise to remember "Oh, right, I actually used to enjoy this."
posted by Babytown Frolics at 11:15 AM on July 15, 2024 [1 favorite]
on preview, what penguin pie said.
I was a quasi-serious cyclist (50+ mile weekend road rides and routine 25-mile trail rides) and a fit 5K runner before getting the OG strain of COVID in March 2020 and have never gotten all the way back. Each time I start it goes well enough for a couple of weeks and then goes off the rails.
Most recently, in May I got back out and ran over a period of several weeks and felt good enough to YOLO it and really push myself and I got knocked on my butt and had to sit out for 3 weeks. You feel good right afterward and then a couple days later it comes and gets you.
posted by AgentRocket at 11:17 AM on July 15, 2024 [1 favorite]
I was a quasi-serious cyclist (50+ mile weekend road rides and routine 25-mile trail rides) and a fit 5K runner before getting the OG strain of COVID in March 2020 and have never gotten all the way back. Each time I start it goes well enough for a couple of weeks and then goes off the rails.
Most recently, in May I got back out and ran over a period of several weeks and felt good enough to YOLO it and really push myself and I got knocked on my butt and had to sit out for 3 weeks. You feel good right afterward and then a couple days later it comes and gets you.
posted by AgentRocket at 11:17 AM on July 15, 2024 [1 favorite]
Penguin pie, how did your more recent bouts go? Are you off exercising in general, or did you go back to it?
I'm sort of back to it but have struggled to maintain it, though I don't know how much of that is down to Long Covid. I certainly don't think of myself as having Long Covid any more - I no longer have to plan out everyday activities to eke out my energy, or make sure to have a rest day every weekend. But I had at some point accepted that I might never run again, and now even doing small amounts is pleasing, so I'm definitely not as I was before.
I got back and did Couch to 5K last year/early this year - it was a 10 week audio programme where you were supposed to repeat each week's session three times over the course of the week. I never knowingly stopped, but very much took it at my own pace, only running once or twice a week, repeating as I felt I needed. It took me about 6 months to complete it. I maxxed out at 30 minutes, which was less than 5K at the pace I was running (though I've never been a super-fast runner, I think my fastest half marathon was 10 minute mile pace and that was nearly 20 years ago).
I've now kind of back-slid - I've stopped measuring and go out for kind of combo walk/runs from time to time, and just exercise at a level that feels OK on the day, rather than having any goals whatsoever.
A lot of that is also life stuff - we've had a lot of complicated family stuff going on that's eaten up my mental energy. Possibly also perimenopause and general middle age. But it's hard to parse out all of those things from Long Covid itself and the effects of just having been so inactive for three years. I still like to think that at some point I'll be fit enough to go out into the hills again for long run/walks but I don't know if that's true or not.
I think the big change is that I am still somewhat afraid of the old "I'll just push as hard as I can to improve as much as I can," approach, which is a massive shift in how you relate to fitness, really. Though in fact perhaps not a bad one to move into as we age, tbh.
On the bright side, I appreciate even the slightest bit of exercise in a way I just wasn't capable of before. Especially when I look at the friend I ran an ultra with in 2017, who is now housebound from Long Covid, and count my blessings.
posted by penguin pie at 11:39 AM on July 15, 2024 [2 favorites]
I'm sort of back to it but have struggled to maintain it, though I don't know how much of that is down to Long Covid. I certainly don't think of myself as having Long Covid any more - I no longer have to plan out everyday activities to eke out my energy, or make sure to have a rest day every weekend. But I had at some point accepted that I might never run again, and now even doing small amounts is pleasing, so I'm definitely not as I was before.
I got back and did Couch to 5K last year/early this year - it was a 10 week audio programme where you were supposed to repeat each week's session three times over the course of the week. I never knowingly stopped, but very much took it at my own pace, only running once or twice a week, repeating as I felt I needed. It took me about 6 months to complete it. I maxxed out at 30 minutes, which was less than 5K at the pace I was running (though I've never been a super-fast runner, I think my fastest half marathon was 10 minute mile pace and that was nearly 20 years ago).
I've now kind of back-slid - I've stopped measuring and go out for kind of combo walk/runs from time to time, and just exercise at a level that feels OK on the day, rather than having any goals whatsoever.
A lot of that is also life stuff - we've had a lot of complicated family stuff going on that's eaten up my mental energy. Possibly also perimenopause and general middle age. But it's hard to parse out all of those things from Long Covid itself and the effects of just having been so inactive for three years. I still like to think that at some point I'll be fit enough to go out into the hills again for long run/walks but I don't know if that's true or not.
I think the big change is that I am still somewhat afraid of the old "I'll just push as hard as I can to improve as much as I can," approach, which is a massive shift in how you relate to fitness, really. Though in fact perhaps not a bad one to move into as we age, tbh.
On the bright side, I appreciate even the slightest bit of exercise in a way I just wasn't capable of before. Especially when I look at the friend I ran an ultra with in 2017, who is now housebound from Long Covid, and count my blessings.
posted by penguin pie at 11:39 AM on July 15, 2024 [2 favorites]
This question came at a good time for me as I am just getting over a bout of Covid.
I'm a 60 year old martial arts instructor and practitioner. I normally train about 4 days per week on average. The last time I got Covid a couple of years ago I took a couple of weeks afterwards to get back to my normal training schedule. I felt okay while training, but then I came down with what felt like a mild cold for about a week every single month for the next 6 months.
Based on that experience, I'm going to ramp things up more slowly this time. I'm going to try not pushing myself past 50% intensity for at least the next month. Hopefully that will produce better results than last time.
posted by tdismukes at 11:41 AM on July 15, 2024 [1 favorite]
I'm a 60 year old martial arts instructor and practitioner. I normally train about 4 days per week on average. The last time I got Covid a couple of years ago I took a couple of weeks afterwards to get back to my normal training schedule. I felt okay while training, but then I came down with what felt like a mild cold for about a week every single month for the next 6 months.
Based on that experience, I'm going to ramp things up more slowly this time. I'm going to try not pushing myself past 50% intensity for at least the next month. Hopefully that will produce better results than last time.
posted by tdismukes at 11:41 AM on July 15, 2024 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I would treat it like any other sickness, like the flu or pneumonia, which does not mean shrugging it off: It means starting out quite gradually, especially if you had a bad case, and then seeing how your body reacts, and then still cautiously ramping things up, again paying more than usual attention to your day-to-day recovery. Another data point/anecdote: I'm a casual runner who last year began steadily increasing my training, getting up to 30+ mile weeks by the end of the year, when I got a moderate case of Covid. (Sick for 3-4 days, including a 3 hour period where I was struggling for breath, then tired for another week or two.) I thought I was recovered, but over the last 6 months I've had repeated mild viruses and injuries that have interrupted my training, and I'm only now back to where I was in January. It occurred to me only a few weeks ago that those problems might be related to Covid. Maybe not, but in retrospect I would have restarted more gradually.
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 11:55 AM on July 15, 2024 [2 favorites]
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 11:55 AM on July 15, 2024 [2 favorites]
I am a semi-serious (though slow) and immunocompromised runner. I was running virtual 10ks at a decent pace in 2020/2021 and feeling pretty good about myself. In May 2022, I got COVID. After 3 weeks, I was able to go for a slow walk as long as I took it easy the next day. About 2 months after getting sick, I started an 8 week couch to 5k program (Zombies Run! I love it), and so about 4 months after I tested positive for COVID, I completed a (very slow) 5k again. I took it pretty easy on myself and stuck with the slower pace and reduced mileage, and it was a year after COVID before I was back up to a 10k. And now, 2 years later (and with another bout of something this spring that knocked me down hard but apparently wasn't COVID), I'm finally getting my pace back up to where it was in 2022.
posted by hydropsyche at 12:05 PM on July 15, 2024
posted by hydropsyche at 12:05 PM on July 15, 2024
Just pure anecdata from me. I was not any level of elite or competitive athlete, but I was serious about my running and gym-going, so hopefully this is what you are looking for.
I first had COVID in April 2023. It wasn't a bad case, and it was all above my neck. I became symptomatic the day before I was to run a 10k race and was confident I could finish under an hour—I had done so in an earlier run, and I had extended my long runs past 10k since then. I waited a couple of weeks before heading out again and had a lot of problems. My heart rate sky rocketed after almost exactly one mile. I waited a few more days and went out and was able to manage 5k at a slightly slower pace, but after that struggled to rebuild my mileage and my speed. It was probably mid-summer before I ran 10k again.
That fall, I ran a slow half marathon and was able to run a 10km at just barely under an hour. Then at Christmas I got sick again. I remember running a nice, relaxed 10km on December 23, and then a 5km recovery run on Christmas Eve before I became symptomatic that night. I never tested positive for COVID, but went out about 2 weeks after feeling symptoms and could barely manage a slow 3km.
I took some more time off, then got sick again. Again, not sure if it was COVID—I never tested positive—but the symptoms were very similar to the last two times I was sick (including what my Garmin showed in relation to body battery and stress levels). Waited a couple of weeks again before running, but I am still not nearly back to where I was. I just can't get a good breath. It's probably exacerbated by the fact that my inactivity has contributed to me gaining a significant amount of weight, but I just don't seem to improve. FWIW, I've had a stress test, an echocardiogram, and a pulmonary function test but nothing especially out of the ordinary is showing up. My doctor's prescribed a puffer to see if it helps while referring me to a respirologist.
None of the cases of COVID (and what I assume was COVID) were very serious, and nothing seemed to get below my neck—it was all sinuses for me.
I was also a regular gym-goer at a Crossfit-ish crosstraining gym and I've had so much trouble with the workouts that I am nervous about going back. I really hope the puffer helps. I hate how hard everything is right now.
posted by synecdoche at 12:21 PM on July 15, 2024
I first had COVID in April 2023. It wasn't a bad case, and it was all above my neck. I became symptomatic the day before I was to run a 10k race and was confident I could finish under an hour—I had done so in an earlier run, and I had extended my long runs past 10k since then. I waited a couple of weeks before heading out again and had a lot of problems. My heart rate sky rocketed after almost exactly one mile. I waited a few more days and went out and was able to manage 5k at a slightly slower pace, but after that struggled to rebuild my mileage and my speed. It was probably mid-summer before I ran 10k again.
That fall, I ran a slow half marathon and was able to run a 10km at just barely under an hour. Then at Christmas I got sick again. I remember running a nice, relaxed 10km on December 23, and then a 5km recovery run on Christmas Eve before I became symptomatic that night. I never tested positive for COVID, but went out about 2 weeks after feeling symptoms and could barely manage a slow 3km.
I took some more time off, then got sick again. Again, not sure if it was COVID—I never tested positive—but the symptoms were very similar to the last two times I was sick (including what my Garmin showed in relation to body battery and stress levels). Waited a couple of weeks again before running, but I am still not nearly back to where I was. I just can't get a good breath. It's probably exacerbated by the fact that my inactivity has contributed to me gaining a significant amount of weight, but I just don't seem to improve. FWIW, I've had a stress test, an echocardiogram, and a pulmonary function test but nothing especially out of the ordinary is showing up. My doctor's prescribed a puffer to see if it helps while referring me to a respirologist.
None of the cases of COVID (and what I assume was COVID) were very serious, and nothing seemed to get below my neck—it was all sinuses for me.
I was also a regular gym-goer at a Crossfit-ish crosstraining gym and I've had so much trouble with the workouts that I am nervous about going back. I really hope the puffer helps. I hate how hard everything is right now.
posted by synecdoche at 12:21 PM on July 15, 2024
Best answer: I got back to cycling after having a minor case of covid in the same manner that I've returned to it after having a cold -- waited a few extra days after symptoms went away (and testing negative) and refrained from going all-out immediately.
An interesting thing I noticed post-covid was that for about a month my heart rate recovery numbers were significantly lower and then gradually returned to what they'd been pre-covid. I felt fine and didn't notice anything amiss otherwise, but the data clearly showed that my heart was taking longer to return to its resting rate after completing a workout. This hasn't happened when I've had a normal cold.
posted by theory at 12:56 PM on July 15, 2024 [3 favorites]
An interesting thing I noticed post-covid was that for about a month my heart rate recovery numbers were significantly lower and then gradually returned to what they'd been pre-covid. I felt fine and didn't notice anything amiss otherwise, but the data clearly showed that my heart was taking longer to return to its resting rate after completing a workout. This hasn't happened when I've had a normal cold.
posted by theory at 12:56 PM on July 15, 2024 [3 favorites]
My rule of thumb is that recovery from exercising should never take longer than the exercise itself. In other words, if it takes me seven minutes to recover from exercising for five minutes I overdid it. It if takes me four hours to recover from a three and a half hour hike I overdid it.
But if it takes me three and a half hours or less to recover fully from a four hour hike, I've found the sweet spot and I stay there for awhile to fully acclimatize before I raise the intensity or the duration slightly.
It also helps to be quick to drop back - gains are not reliable. In warm weather, for example, I can expect to tolerate half the amount of exercise I can do in cold weather, and if the weather is actually hot I can only tolerate an eighth of the amount. I pay absolutely no attention to the thought that because I was able to do it before, surely I can go back to doing it again with hardly any reconditioning. Forget it. That is entirely wrong.
The no pain, no gain maxim turns into any pain, will remain. If I push until it hurts... why then I am definitely going to pay for it, while not getting any benefit from the session.
posted by Jane the Brown at 2:02 PM on July 15, 2024
But if it takes me three and a half hours or less to recover fully from a four hour hike, I've found the sweet spot and I stay there for awhile to fully acclimatize before I raise the intensity or the duration slightly.
It also helps to be quick to drop back - gains are not reliable. In warm weather, for example, I can expect to tolerate half the amount of exercise I can do in cold weather, and if the weather is actually hot I can only tolerate an eighth of the amount. I pay absolutely no attention to the thought that because I was able to do it before, surely I can go back to doing it again with hardly any reconditioning. Forget it. That is entirely wrong.
The no pain, no gain maxim turns into any pain, will remain. If I push until it hurts... why then I am definitely going to pay for it, while not getting any benefit from the session.
posted by Jane the Brown at 2:02 PM on July 15, 2024
Best answer: Wait until symptoms are completely resolved, including just feeling more tired or sleeping more than usual, and then ease back in, as if you are returning from taking months off.
This worked for me last spring when I got COVID at the beginning of what was supposed to be a 6-day 95-mile hike in Scotland, with multiple 20+ mile days. I dropped out immediately and spent one week laying around miserably in an airbnb with fever, chills, and aches, and then another week doing nothing more taxing than chatting with a friend and walking her dog up moderate hills. I slept 12 hours a night for both of those weeks. The third week was the start of another, gentler hiking trip, with the longest day being 8 miles. I felt rested and strong and greatly enjoyed this trip, and came back home feeling good. At home I was able to go back to my usual routine of lifting, bicycling, and hiking, with only the discomfort you'd expect from increased intensity after a long vacation.
posted by esoterrica at 2:14 PM on July 15, 2024
This worked for me last spring when I got COVID at the beginning of what was supposed to be a 6-day 95-mile hike in Scotland, with multiple 20+ mile days. I dropped out immediately and spent one week laying around miserably in an airbnb with fever, chills, and aches, and then another week doing nothing more taxing than chatting with a friend and walking her dog up moderate hills. I slept 12 hours a night for both of those weeks. The third week was the start of another, gentler hiking trip, with the longest day being 8 miles. I felt rested and strong and greatly enjoyed this trip, and came back home feeling good. At home I was able to go back to my usual routine of lifting, bicycling, and hiking, with only the discomfort you'd expect from increased intensity after a long vacation.
posted by esoterrica at 2:14 PM on July 15, 2024
This is second hand but likely relevant. A colleague got covid last xmas and reached out to a physician colleague (we are health researchers) who works with long covid patients. IANAD, TINMA, etc. This is the physycian's advice: "[doc] recommended 150mg COQ10 (an enzyme that helps heart) 3 times a day for 3 months. And absolutely no exercise for 2 weeks, and very limited (no increased HR) for 6 weeks. "
posted by lulu68 at 4:46 PM on July 15, 2024
posted by lulu68 at 4:46 PM on July 15, 2024
Personally, I would wait at least a month. At the one month mark, I would make an honest assessment of how I'm feeling. If there is even a hint of tiredness, elevated heart rate, or chest pain, then I would wait it out for another few weeks.
I made the mistake of returning to (somewhat vigorous) exercise at the ten day mark, and I ended up with long covid. It's been six months, and I still can't participate in any form of vigorous exercise, without experiencing post-exertional malaise. It sucks, because now I can't participate in some of my favorite exercise classes.
I know that "waiting it out" is extremely difficult for those of us who use exercise as a form a self care/mental health management. But trust me, you do not want to end up with the invisible nightmare that is long covid. I'm lucky that my symptoms are very much on the mild side. I can still go to work, take slow walks, and participate in gentle yoga classes. But it's going to be a while before I can get back to all the high energy activities that I used to enjoy doing.
tl;dr Listen to your body. If there's any hint of exhaustion, DO NOT push yourself. If you feel tired, just rest that day instead of exercising. Rest is not laziness. Rest is self care than can save you from worse health issues down the line.
posted by carnival_night_zone at 7:00 AM on July 16, 2024
I made the mistake of returning to (somewhat vigorous) exercise at the ten day mark, and I ended up with long covid. It's been six months, and I still can't participate in any form of vigorous exercise, without experiencing post-exertional malaise. It sucks, because now I can't participate in some of my favorite exercise classes.
I know that "waiting it out" is extremely difficult for those of us who use exercise as a form a self care/mental health management. But trust me, you do not want to end up with the invisible nightmare that is long covid. I'm lucky that my symptoms are very much on the mild side. I can still go to work, take slow walks, and participate in gentle yoga classes. But it's going to be a while before I can get back to all the high energy activities that I used to enjoy doing.
tl;dr Listen to your body. If there's any hint of exhaustion, DO NOT push yourself. If you feel tired, just rest that day instead of exercising. Rest is not laziness. Rest is self care than can save you from worse health issues down the line.
posted by carnival_night_zone at 7:00 AM on July 16, 2024
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There's some research that intensity too soon can trigger long COVID.
So, coming back to it: go slow. Slower than you think you need to. Recovery pace only, for a while, and growing in volume slowly. Slower than you think you need to. [I have also observed a coaching business owner who oversees a portfolio of likely hundreds of athletes and this is their protocol, too, based on what they have seen with this population over several years.]
Think of this as being more like an injury that you have to rehab, than a sickness that, once you're done with, you're done with. The most important thing about the "injury rehab" model is that it can put you in the mindset of "oh, don't reactivate the injury and extend the timeline."
If I were you I would wait longer than another week - another 2, 3, or 4 couldn't hurt - and start with very light movement (not exercise, but movement), checking in after each one to make sure that you haven't triggered anything bad before the next day of movement.
(Personally - in my first ~6 months with LC, every time I started to get a tiny bit better, I thought that the healing was on its way and so I would step back in to "light training" but even that was WAY TOO MUCH for my aerobic system to handle, and would trigger MAJOR relapses - this is why I say "go slower than you think you need to. slower even than THAT.")
Additionally, if you need/are interested, you can DM me for the name of a coach who used to be a high level endurance athletics coach who has pivoted to supporting people with energy-limiting conditions and chronic diseases. I've found this person to be extremely helpful in pacing me back to activity, helping me heal, helping me rest, and keeping me accountable for both.
posted by entropone at 10:52 AM on July 15, 2024 [12 favorites]