Recommendations For Reintroducing Physical Activity
If you are an athlete or active adult who has recovered from COVID-19, sooner or later your body will miss the workouts, you want to get back on the field, start or resume your personal exercise routine. Maybe you just didn’t get infected, don’t have symptoms or if your illness is mild, you might be wondering what activities you can do to get you trimming the “quarantine fat”.
Certified Personal Trainer Aubrey Ndisengei discusses the latest recommendations and guidelines for a safe return to fitness after COVID-19.
Many long-term effects are still unknown, including how the virus affects overall fitness
We know that the virus can lead to damage of the heart, brain, lungs, and kidneys, but there’s no way to pinpoint or predict who exactly these individuals will be. Some people might also experience lingering symptoms, including shortness of breath, muscle aches, loss of stamina and exhaustion, all of which are bad news, but particularly so for athletes and active people.
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The disease can affect everyone differently, anyone including young athletes, could experience a severe case or have long-term damage, which is why it is important to take Covid-19 seriously and continue using self-protective methods like wearing a mask in public places, washing your hands and social distancing.
This is especially true with active individuals, as it can be difficult to tell what long-term effects someone is going to have after they recover from the virus. Some people might fare just fine and will be able to jump back into their old training regiment, while others will find that their athletic performance just isn’t what it used to be.
For most athletes and active people, returning to activity will likely be a slow process and will require patience. Even when training with me or any other Certified Personal Trainer you should work closely with your physician or healthcare provider to make sure you’re progressing appropriately and monitoring your symptoms.
Exercise Restrictions in Isolation and Quarantine
If You Were Exposed to Covid – 19
If you were exposed to someone with COVID-19, you’ll need to quarantine. Quarantine separates and restricts the movement of people who were exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick. Athletes and active adults can exercise in quarantine if they’re able to maintain the restrictions. Seek clearance from your physician or healthcare provider first and workout online with a Certified Personal Trainer. If you are in quarantine and begin to feel sick, immediately stop exercising and report the incident to your physician or healthcare provider.
begin work out
If You Are Diagnosed with Covid – 19
COVID-19 patients are placed in isolation. Isolation separates sick people with a contagious disease from people who are not sick. People in isolation should not leave their homes for any reason other than an emergency. Isolating a sick member to one room and masking all members of the household is advised to help prevent other members from getting sick. If you are placed in isolation, you should refrain from doing any exercise until you are released from isolation and ultimately cleared by your physician or healthcare provider to resume physical activity.
Timelines For Returning to Sport or Exercise
While you are sick with COVID-19, you should not engage in any physical activity and should focus on rest, good hydration, proper nutrition and following the advice of your physician or healthcare provider. The timeline of return to exercise or sport is determined by how mild, moderate or severe the case was.,
Anyone that tests positive for COVID-19, regardless of symptoms, must rest for a minimum of 10 days. There should be no physical activity or training in that 10-day time frame. If you test positive but you are not presenting symptoms, the isolation date starts at the date of the positive test. If you’re symptomatic, this period begins the date the symptoms started.
If an athlete only has a mild illness or tests positive without experiencing any symptoms, they can consider returning to activity after the 10-day isolation period. Once that 10-day window has passed, the athlete may consider a gradual return to physical activity but must not have symptoms. Even for the supremely skilled and proficient, get clearance from your physician or healthcare provider first.
If an athlete or active individual has a moderate or a severe illness or needed to be hospitalized, you should be evaluated by your physician or healthcare provider prior to restarting any type of exercise. Your doctor or healthcare provider may need to have additional tests, including ECGs, heart imaging or blood work before they can safely clear you to start a progression back into physical activity.
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Myocarditis In Athletes and Active People
Myocarditis is an inflammatory response of the heart due to a viral infection, such as COVID-19. It can cause swelling in the heart muscle making the rigorous activity more difficult and sometimes, even deadly. Myocarditis is more likely to be found in people who had a moderate or severe case of the virus, but it can happen to anyone who was infected.
Given this increased potential risk for myocarditis, athletes and active individuals wanting to get back on the field and in the gym after COVID-19 infections need to be cleared by a physician or their healthcare provider who will determine if any additional testing is needed. It is because of the risk of myocarditis, anyone who exercises whether as a career or a vocation should follow a graduated return to physical activity over the course of a week to monitor for signs and symptoms of this serious complication.
Help your Certified Personal Trainer get the best results for you by consulting your physician or healthcare provider prior to starting your workouts and following this up with regular visits to get your progress measured and your symptoms monitored.
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Gradual Return to Sport for Athletes and Active Individuals
Whether you are a professional athlete or weekend warrior, you should complete a supervised, graduated return to sports progression as you head back to practice, training or the gym. This progression is often referred to as Return to Play (RTP) and involves seven stages.
Everyone starts at stage one and you only progress to the next stages if you remain symptom-free. It’s a good idea for athletes and active individuals to have the progression supervised and guided by a Certified Personal Trainer. If you don’t have access to a Certified Personal Trainer that can guide you in person or online have a parent or friend act as an accountability partner and keep an eye on you in case, you need help.
If you suffer any of the following red flag symptoms during the attempted progression, stop exercising immediately and seek medical attention for recommendations regarding additional evaluation and testing as well as exercise guidelines for your Certified Personal Trainer:
Chest pain or heart palpitations.
Nausea.,
Headache.
High heart rate is not proportional to exertion level or prolonged heart rate recovery.
Feeling lightheaded or dizzy.
Shortness of breath, difficulty catching breath or abnormal, rapid breathing.
Excessive level of fatigue.
Swelling in the extremities
Syncope (passing out)
Experiencing tunnel vision or loss of vision.
Follow These Seven Stages for The Safest Return to Sports Participation and Exercise
Stage 1
Diagnosis, Illness & Recovery
10 days minimum from positive test or onset of symptoms
Must be cleared to start an exercise program by your physician or healthcare provider.
Must have a resolution of symptoms except loss of taste and smell prior to exercise.
Stage 2
Light Exercise
Two days minimum
Walk, light jog, stationary bike, no resistance training.
< 70% Maximal Heartrate.
Workout Time < 15 minutes.
Stage 3
Light to Moderate Exercise
One Day Minimum
Movement exercises: running drills, bodyweight resistance, circuit training
< 80% Maximum heart rate.
Workout Time < 30 minutes.
Stage 4
Moderate Exercise
One Day Minimum
More complex training, sports specific drills, running, weight training.
< 80 Maximum Heartrate.
Workout Time < 45 minutes.
Stage 5sports-specific
Moderate to Intense Exercise
Two Days Minimum
Normal sports activities, non-contact activities, sport-specific drills, running.
< 80% Maximum Heartrate.
Workout Time < 60 minutes.
Stage 6
Resume Normal Training
One Day Minimum
Complete one day of traditional sports practice or your normal exercise routine.
Stage 7
Return to unrestricted exercise and competition.
Managing Your Return to Activity
Training to compete or for personal goals after recovering from COVID-19 can be a slow, frustrating experience. It’s important that you listen to your body. If you’re experiencing symptoms like chest pain or heart palpitations, stop exercising immediately and consult with your physician or healthcare provider. Exercise and movement is important for overall health, however, if something feels more than just being out of shape, stop exercising and get help! (Red flag symptoms to watch for are listed above).
Take it easy. Don’t try to “power through” like you used to. Athletes of all ages should follow a gradual progression to get back into exercise. You’ll need to build up the time and intensity of your workouts. Start with a slow walk and if that feels OK, try a brisk walk the next day. Then increase the amount of time you are walking. Gradually build up for about 1 to 2 weeks before you return to the HIIT training or CrossFit you were doing before COVID-19.
Be patient. Even if you were training for a marathon prior to becoming infected, you’ll likely discover that your body has changed a bit, which warrants extra caution. Don’t push too hard on a body that is still trying to recover.
Important Nuggets
Make sure to always get clearance from your Physician or Healthcare Provider, before starting any kind of exercise program. They are best qualified to know when it will be best for you to begin. You want to always start with lower intensity and gradually work your way up as your body adjusts to the new lifestyle and rapid weight loss.
This approach will help you avoid injury and other issues that can come with pushing too hard too soon. Your Certified Personal Trainer conducts periodic assessments to effectively manage your Return to Play (RTP).
No matter what, make sure you are doing some kind of physical activity. This will play a huge role in your long-term success as well as your overall health. Some people believe that it has to be all or nothing, and that is not the case. Part of my job as your Certified Personal Trainer, is to show you how with lifestyle tips, recipes, nutritional advice, and motivation.
If it takes you a little longer to get into a routine or habit of exercise, that is perfectly fine. Just make sure that you are always looking to improve and never let yourself give up! As your Certified Personal Trainer, I’d like you to know that I fully understand if somedays you feel less motivated than others to work out, especially in the beginning 12 weeks, we call this time, ‘the resistance phase’, so named because of what your mind has set out to achieve and how your body may be feeling may be incongruous. It takes time for thought and physical action to be on the same page, relax, be patient, and be kind to yourself.
Tiger Athletic is a modern, private, appointment-only gym in Bryanston, Johannesburg using a rigorous, results-focused methodology. We are passionate about helping you be the healthiest version of yourself, so you can lead a more fulfilling personal and professional life.
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