Lyles, a world-class sprinter, was expected to win gold in the 200 meters last week. The 27-year-old revealed he had tested positive two days before winning bronze, leading many to question whether Olympic doctors should have cleared him to run in the first place. “I still wanted to run,” a masked Lyles told reporters after the race. “They told me I could run.”
For people who want to exercise casually But the risk is clearly lower than it would be at the Olympics, which is why doctors say returning to exercise after COVID should be done gradually.
“I think it’s important to listen to your body,” says Dr. Nicholas Church of the Emory Clinic in Decatur. “Everyone recovers from COVID-19 differently. For some it may take a few days, for others it may take a few weeks. The goal is to get back to 100% as quickly as possible, and getting the rest you need is an important part of that process.”
During previous COVID waves, doctors People with no or minimal symptoms should aim to return to their pre-infection exercise habits approximately seven to 14 days after their last positive test.
But in March, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Those who test positive for COVID-19 can resume normal activities if their symptoms have improved overall for at least 24 hours and if they have a fever, they can return to their normal activities without the use of fever-reducing medication. They are also advised to wear masks for the next five days to help curb the spread of infection.
Atlanta-area doctors said the CDC’s recommendations are sound, but that people who engage in strenuous exercise should adjust them as they recover.
Dr. Shane said it’s important to avoid musculoskeletal injuries that can occur, for example, by suddenly increasing the volume or intensity of training after a period of inactivity. COVID-19 also leads to an increased risk of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and other heart conditions. Dr. Shane said that while this is rare, “if you experience symptoms such as pressure, tightness, or squeezing pain in the chest, arms, neck, jaw or back, cold sweats, difficulty breathing, or sudden dizziness during exercise or at rest, you should seek immediate medical attention.”
Dr. Nicholas Fitzpatrick, a pediatric pulmonologist and Shane’s colleague at Children’s Healthcare, said teen athletes may consider taking a few days off while their COVID symptoms are at their worst. “But unless your child has asthma, I don’t think it’s wise for them to exercise during COVID. It may be helpful to do some light exercise to help clear mucus from the lungs, keeping in mind that this may increase fatigue,” he said.
And of course, teens and adults should wear masks when exercising indoors, Fitzpatrick said. “If you’re still acutely infectious, that increases the risk of spreading it to others. It’s safer to exercise outdoors in this situation.”
Adult joggers like Buckhead Run Club member Patrick Ford of Atlanta decided to get a COVID test after he “felt sick” during a recent walk on a Tuesday. “Sure enough, it was positive,” Ford said.
He took three days off running, eventually succumbing to the temptation to at least go for a walk and finish the circle on his Apple Watch. But he was still slowing down a few days later. It wasn’t until he went to Stone Mountain with his partner on a Saturday that the fatigue subsided, at which point his running times were back to nearly normal.
“I think the big takeaway is that, yes, I cut back on my exercise, but I still cut back on my physical activity a little bit to gauge my recovery,” he said.
Data specialist Stephanie Lam contributed to this report
This story has been updated to correct the name of Dr. Nicholas Fitzpatrick, a pediatric pulmonologist at Children’s Healthcare.
