BENGALURU: All rest and no working out makes a fitness enthusiast frustrated and unhappy. Gyms may have been allowed to reopen with 50 per cent occupancy but medical experts suggest those who have recently recovered from Covid-19 exercise caution. “No matter how mild or severe your infection was, your lungs and heart need time to recover,” says Dr Divya Marina Fernandes, consultant, interventional cardiology and heart failure specialist, Aster RV Hospital. Since Covid could also lead to an inflammation of the heart, it is imperative to not jump right back into your old fitness routine.
“You don’t have to give up on being physically active,” points out Fernandes, who recommends waiting 4-6 weeks before attempting a proper workout. And this applies to those with mild symptoms as well. “During this waiting period, start off with regular household chores, walking, and doing breathing exercises. Every three days, increase the time spent walking by 5 per cent,” says Fernandes.
Dr Sachin Kumar, senior consultant, pulmonology and critical care medicine, Sakra World Hospital, agrees. One must wait at least a month before returning to their full-level of fitness and in cases where someone was hospitalised with cardiac or respiratory co-morbidities, a three-month wait would be more advisable. “You would need to consult your doctor too but in such cases, pulmonary rehabilitation might be needed before exercising,” he says. Kumar suggests using a pulse oximeter to gauge your body’s reaction to working out again after the wait period. “Exercise only if your oxygen saturation level is above 95. It may fall by 1-2 per cent while exercising, that’s alright. But if it dips by 3-4 per cent, stop, because your body isn’t ready,” he says.
Pay attention to your heart rate too. While an increase in heart rate occurs during exercise, pay attention to not let it go beyond a certain limit. “Here’s a small hack: Subtract your age from 220 to get the maximum heart rate a healthy person can allow the heart rate to reach. Now since someone is recovering, it’s best to stay within 50 to 70 per cent of that healthy heart rate to be on the safer side,” says Kumar. For example, if you are 30 years old, your maximum heart rate should be (220-30) 190. But if you have recovered from Covid, don’t allow your heart rate to go beyond 85-140 while exercising.
Dr P Harihara Murthy, who treats Covid cases at Apollo Spectra Hospital, Koramangala, says, “Covid-19 can cause extreme fatigue even for the patients who are fit and without co-morbidities. Cycling, running, skipping pace up the breathing and heart rate. It is best to avoid any workout that causes shortness of breath. Best way is to indulge in breathing and stretching exercises to strengthen and expand your lungs before moving onto an intense workout routine.”
Wait period before returning to high-intensity exercises