Even if you pass the neck test and are determined to get a workout in, you should take it easy at first. “To be prudent, I’d recommend cutting exercise duration and intensity when symptoms are present,” says Woods.
Daryl Rosenbaum, MD, director of the Sports Medicine Fellowship at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine, recommends that people with colds begin working out at 50% intensity. If symptoms improve after the first 5 to 10 minutes (as they often do), you can gradually increase the length and effort of your workout up to about 80% to 90% of your usual routine.
“Moderation is the key,” says Dr. Rosenbaum. “Studies have shown that people suffering from the common cold who get up and get moving actually feel better. If you go too far, however—either with extreme short-term activity or long-term overtraining—the immune system weakens. A viral cold that is allowed to linger for longer than normal could create sinus conditions that are ripe for a bacterial sinusitis to take over.”
There are some other precautions to keep in mind. Staying hydrated during exercise is always important; it is especially so if you’re planning to exercise with a cold. The nasal drainage associated with colds can hasten dehydration, and some over-the-counter cold remedies containing antihistamines (many cough syrups, for instance) can dry you out further, Dr. Rosenbaum points out.
Don’t spread—or catch—more germs at the gym
If you work out in a public gym, be extra vigilant when exercising with a cold. Germs can be transmitted through the air and through any person-to-person contact, so if you use a treadmill, gym mat, or barbells, be sure to be extra careful when it comes to wiping down the equipment. And avoid touching your face after handling equipment; you can pick up germs that will be more likely to infiltrate your body that way.
Your vulnerability to upper respiratory tract infections spikes for several hours starting just after a strenuous workout, studies suggest. So if you’ve just stepped off the treadmill after a 10-mile run, give that sweating, coughing, and sniffling stranger in the locker room a wide berth.
“Regardless of whether you’re exercising moderately or intensely, you want to take precautions against infection,” says Woods. “Clean your exercise equipment before and after, use a clean cup to get water from the fountain, and try to pick a machine away from other people.”
