COVID has been a household word for over two years now. We admit, even we’re tired of hearing and talking about it.

The problem is that COVID isn’t done with us and it’s not going away soon, especially for the 1 in 5 adults that will suffer from Long-COVID (as predicted by the CDC).

You might have heard of Long-COVID, but maybe you’re not sure what it is exactly, how it will impact your fitness or what you can do to ensure your overall health doesn’t suffer. Well, we’re going to break it down. 

 

Here’s what you need to know about Long-COVID:

What is Long-COVID and Who is Impacted?

Long-COVID is a post-COVID condition wherein symptoms extend well past the initial infection.

Those who are most at risk of experiencing Long-COVID are:

  • those who experienced more severe cases of COVID (those who were hospitalized or required intensive care)
  • those with pre-existing health conditions
  • those unvaccinated against COVID
  • those who experienced Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome while suffering from COVID-19

Long-COVID vs COVID Recovery

Most people will suffer mild COVID symptoms while recovering. Typically these symptoms won’t last longer than two weeks after the initial onset of the illness. Meanwhile, Long-COVID can present with a variety of symptoms that can last anywhere from four weeks to several months (see list below).

Currently, there is no universally agreed upon way to diagnose Long-COVID. The only way for a doctor to diagnose Long-COVID is through patient history alone. If you are worried about Long-COVID, it is beneficial to keep a journal of symptoms and duration from the date of your positive COVID-19 test.

Symptoms Most Commonly Associated with Long-COVID

  • Fatigue
  • Post-exertional malaise (worsening of symptoms after even mild exertion)
    • lasting 12-48 hours post activity — sometimes taking as long as 2 weeks for full recovery
  • Fever
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Cough
  • Chest pain
  • Heart Palpitations
  • Brain fog
  • Headache
  • Sleep Problems
  • Dizziness
  • Change in smell or taste
  • Pins/Needles
  • Anxiety/Depression
  • Diarrhea
  • Stomach Pain
  • Joint Pain
  • Rash
  • Changes in Menstrual Cycle

Impact on Exercise

As with any major infection, it’s important to get the all clear from your doctor before returning to your previous exercise routine, especially if multiple organs were impacted during your initial infection.

Once you’ve received the all clear from your medical practitioner, the recommendations around returning to working out get a little murky. There are various, often conflicting, opinions on what is considered safe when it comes to returning to previous fitness routines.

For the most part, consensus is that a slow, individually tailored and supervised return to exercise is ok. Recommendations are that “first frequency, then duration, and finally intensity”.

When returning to your workouts, it’s important to make sure you’re monitoring several factors:

  • oxygen saturation
  • heart rate
  • post-exertional symptoms
    • some symptoms will be the result of deconditioning due to a period of inactivity during illness and recovery–however, intense symptoms lasting longer than 48 hours could indicate circulatory issues or require a reduction in exercise intensity.

Monitoring these factors is particularly important when returning to cardio training as most people with Long-COVID scored lower than expected on tests of aerobic fitness. This makes sense as COVID-19 primarily impacts the respiratory system.

Concluding Thoughts

Obviously, exercise is important in maintaining overall health and wellness. The healthier you are, the easier it is to fight off future diseases and infections. However, when recovering from a severe infection like COVID-19 or Long-COVID, it is necessary to get the all clear from a medical professional before returning to your routine. Also, starting slow and listening to your body’s cues are key.

Unfortunately, because Long-COVID is still a fairly new ailment, little research has been done on either its long-term impact to health or its role in returning to exercise; as a result, we are left with only generic recommendations for training those with Long-COVID.

If you have questions about working out after an illness, contact us! We are happy to put together a thoroughly researched and individualized plan for you based on your health history.

Also, follow us on Instagram to see what we’re up to.

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References:

Cattadori, G., Di Marco, S., Baravelli, M., Picozzi, A., & Ambrosio, G. (2022, April 15). Exercise training in post-covid-19 patients: The need for a multifactorial protocol for a multifactorial pathophysiology. MDPI. Retrieved September 16, 2022, from https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/11/8/2228/htm

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, September 1). Long Covid or post-covid conditions. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved September 16, 2022, from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/long-term-effects/index.html

Exercise. Long COVID Physio. (2022, May 13). Retrieved September 16, 2022, from https://longcovid.physio/exercise

Halle, M., Bloch, W., Niess, A. M., Predel, H.-G., Reinsberger, C., Scharhag, J., Steinacker, J., Wolfarth, B., Scherr, J., & Niebauer, J. (2021, April 5). Exercise and sports after COVID-19-guidance from a clinical perspective. Translational sports medicine. Retrieved September 16, 2022, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34230908/

Singh, I., Joseph, P., Heerdt, P. M., Cullinan, M., Lutchmansingh, D. D., Gulati, M., Possick, J. D., Systrom, D. M., & Waxman, A. B. (2021, August 11). Persistent exertional intolerance after COVID-19: Insights from invasive cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Persistent Exertional Intolerance After COVID-19. Retrieved September 16, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8354807/