Exercise is a critical part of COVID-19 recovery, but it’s also one of the most challenging. Here’s how you can get started with an exercise regimen following a coronavirus infection.
Start Very Slow
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The coronavirus is extremely taxing on the human body, even in cases where symptoms initially appear to be mild. Many people assume that their recovery might be similar to that of the flu or a severe cold and are surprised to learn that they are much weaker than they feel.
Start slow and work your way up to harder, more intense exercise. You may not be able to exercise for more than a few minutes at a time in the beginning, or you may only be able to do very light exercise such as walking to the front door and back. Go slow; your body will thank you.
Pay Attention to Your Body
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As you begin becoming more active during your COVID-19 recovery, it’s important to listen to what your body is telling you. You may become fatigued more quickly and you likely won’t be able to do very much in the beginning. It may also take longer than you expect to build endurance, which can be extremely frustrating, especially for people who were active before COVID.
Your body will tell you when it’s had enough and it’s critical that you don’t push yourself beyond your current abilities, even if it feels like you can or should.
Be Patient With Your Progress
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In the weeks and months following your COVID-19 infection, you may not see much progress. Or, you may not see improvement come as quickly as you anticipated once you start exercising. Although disheartening, this is quite normal after the coronavirus. Recovery is long and hard and it may take several weeks or even months to get back to just some of your pre-COVID function.
Be patient with yourself and give yourself plenty of grace when needed. Mentally allow yourself enough time and space to cope with your new normal and try not to expect more from yourself than what you are actually able to do.
Gradually Increase Intensity and Duration of Exercise
As you go through the different stages of the recovery process, you can gradually increase the duration and intensity of the exercises you’re doing. This should be very slow and deliberate, taking baby steps instead of leaps. Over time, however, you will notice that you are gaining strength and endurance, even if it takes much longer than you expect.
In some cases, patients do not return to their pre-COVID function. This is why prevention strategies, including vaccination, mask-wearing, and social distancing are still crucial in overcoming the pandemic.
At Huntington Orthopedics, we understand how challenging it can be to recover from the coronavirus, particularly for patients who suffer from long COVID-19. Exercise is an important part of recovery, but it can feel nearly impossible. Even when you start to feel better, it’s easy to take a step back and become frustrated if you can’t do the same activities you used to before COVID. We can help.
Contact us today to learn more at (626) 486-9494.