Your nose has been feeling blocked since morning and now, your throat is starting to get scratchy. Should you text your personal trainer to skip today’s gym session? Or it could be the first day of your period – and you don’t feel like putting your bloated and crampy self into tight Lycra.
The temptation to forgo your workout is always there. But when there is also a nagging discomfort, what do you do? And what can happen if you push through?
Benson Poh, a personal trainer and the director of Vigeo Personal Training, isn’t surprised that there are people who are unaware of whether they should be exercising or not. “Some days, they train through something they really should not. Other days, they skip a session over something minor that would not have set them back at all. It’s all guesswork.”
WHAT SHOULD YOU LOOK FOR?
To take the uncertainty out of your predicament, symptoms below the neck, including fever, chest congestion or an upset stomach (such as diarrhoea or vomiting), are generally red flags for exercise, said Dr Grace Chiang, a consultant family physician with Alexandra Hospital. “These symptoms may worsen your illness or may be dangerous.”
That’s because prominent below-the-neck symptoms could signal a more serious condition, said general practitioner Dr Tan Hui Li from HMI Medical Centre. For instance, chest pain or tightness, or a shortness of breath could mean that the lungs or heart is affected. “Generally, if this is the case, increased exertion can worsen the condition.”
Not only that, added Dr Chiang, your heart needs to pump harder during exercise and this function might be impaired during an illness.
Moreover, your body’s “ability to regulate heat may be affected during an illness”, said Dr Chiang, “hence, exercising may lead to a higher risk of heat injury”. Also, “our immune system is weakened when we are ill, and exercise is a physical stressor that can prevent the immune system from recovering”.
HOW LONG SHOULD YOU STAY OFF EXERCISE FOR?
The symptoms of common, self-resolving ailments (such as a cold, migraine or diarrhoea), along with your energy level are expected to improve or resolve within a few days, said Dr Tan. But if you’re still “feeling significantly fatigued and discomfort or pain”, prioritise rest. “Medical evaluation may also be required if the symptoms do not improve or are severe,” she said.