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Return to Exercise after having COVID-19
COVID-19 has turned the world upside down, including in our personal lives, work lives, as well as our athletic lives. Some of us have managed to stay in shape during the pandemic, others have seen their fitness regress; secondary to gyms being closed, loss of finances and financial stressors, or just pandemic apathy. At this point we have realized that Covid Is still a definite threat, and it does not appear to be going away anytime soon. We have progressively returned back to work, returned back to some of the routine of our daily lives, with major modifications for safety, as well as many have returned to their athletics.
If you have not been infected with Covid, then there are no new additions to an exercise prescription in regards to getting back into an athletic program. On the other hand, if you did test positive for Covid, there’s a whole slew of recommendations that have been coming out in regards to safely returning to activity/sport:
- People who tested positive for COVID-19 but were asymptomatic, never demonstrated any symptoms, are typically told to stay inactive for 10 days, monitor for symptoms of illness during their quarantine. If no symptoms, then they are often recommended to still see a physician before starting back into sports to ensure no harm will come to them. An EKG or other cardiac workup may be warranted at the physician’s discretion.
- People who tested positive for COVID-19 and were mildly symptomatic, but not needing to be treated in the hospital, are told to stay inactive for 10 days before attempting to resume athletic activity. It is highly recommended for then to see a physician before starting back into sports to ensure no harm will come to them. An EKG or other cardiac workup may be warranted at the physician’s discretion.
- People who tested positive for COVID-19 and were severely symptomatic, needing to be treated in the hospital, are recommended to follow with their PCP, cardiology, and their sports medicine physicians before they can be cleared for athletics. A more robust cardiac evaluation including, but not limited to: EKG, cardiac MRI, laboratory testing (high sensitivity troponin), and Echocardiogram may be performed to ensure there is no long-term heart or lung damage done before the athlete can be safely returned to sport.
- People who tested positive for COVID-19, recovered, but are still having ongoing symptoms including: chest pain, shortness of breath, exercise intolerance, and/or palpitations, are recommended to follow with their PCP, cardiology, and their sports medicine physicians before they can be cleared for athletics. A more robust cardiac evaluation including, but not limited to: EKG, cardiac MRI, laboratory testing (high sensitivity troponin), and Echocardiogram may be performed to ensure there is no long-term heart or lung damage done before the athlete can be safely returned to sport.
From the National Federation of High Schools (NFHS) and American Medical Society of Sports Medicine (AMSSM):
From the American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the and American Medical Society of Sports Medicine (AMSSM):
