By Dev K. Mishra, M.D.
We’re getting in to that time of year when people start sneezing and coughing all around you. It’s pretty easy to catch a cold or sinus congestion togenerally make you feel lousy. And at the same time your team continues to practice and play games. You want to keep playing, so should you just try to play through it or should you sit out and getbetter (and maybe do your teammates a favor by not getting them sick)?
Here are some things to consider before deciding whether you should lay low or break a sweat.
Above the neckor below the neck. A guideline doctors have used for a long time is to see if what you’re experiencing is “above the neck” (meaning sniffling, sneezing, sore throat, etc.) or“below the neck” (coughing, aches, stomach pains, etc.). If you’re symptoms are above the neck then you can probably do a light workout on your own if you’re feeling up to it.However, if your symptoms are below the neck, skip the workout. If you have a fever, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting, now is the time to rest because you are already at a higher risk of dehydration andtaking longer to recover from your illness.
Dial it back. Even if you meet the above-the-neck guidelines, you should dial back the intensity of your workout. Perhaps a light jog, someeasy weights in the gym, or maybe just a flexibility session. You’ll want to be sure to stay hydrated, monitor your exertion level and keep checking in to see if what you are doing is making youfeel better or worse than when you started exercising.
Be a good person and avoid your teammates. My recommendations above are really about working out on your own. But if you’rethinking of doing a team practice it’ll be a good idea to skip the practice. Out of consideration for your teammates, give them a break and don’t take the risk of passing on what you haveto them.
One “above the neck” ailment is the common cold. The common cold can be caused by a number of different viruses, but the “rhinovirus” is believed to be themain culprit.
When someone has a cold the first three days are generally when they are most capable of passing the cold virus on to someone else. The virus is passed through aerosol particleswhen someone sneezes, and also by contact with the skin of someone who is infected. It’s incredibly easy to pass on the virus and young children seem particularly skilled at this, as any parentwho’s had a child in daycare can attest.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers some simpletips to reduce the chance of catching a cold:
• Wash your hands with soap and water often.
• Don’t touch your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
•Avoid being around people who are sick (that means team practices).
Take care of yourself and take care of others by avoiding sports practices when you’re sick. There’ll be plentyof other training sessions where you can shine when you’re feeling good.
Key Points:
• We are getting in to “common coldseason” where many around you will be sneezing.
• If you have a cold you should avoid team practices so you don’t pass the cold on to your teammates.
• However youmight be able to do a light workout on your own as long as your symptoms are mild and “above the neck.”
(Dr. Dev K. Mishra, a Clinical Assistant Professor of orthopedic surgery at Stanford University, is thecreator of the SidelineSportsDoc.com online injury-recognition course, now a requirement for US Club Soccer coaches and staff members. Mishra writes about injury management at SidelineSportsDoc.com Blog, where this article first appeared.)