An Exercise Physiologist answers your questions about exercising post-COVID

Posted on 18 February, 2022

This week, Exercise Physiologist and owner of Capital Hydrotherapy Kirra Rankin answers HerCanberra readers’ questions about exercising post-COVID.

“I had COVID in early January 2022, with moderate symptoms. I’m a fit, active 35-year-old (with poor core control).

Kirra, I feel fine when I work out; however, my recovery is terrible, and quite breathless and abnormal fatigue.  Any tips or suggestions?”

– April, 35 years old

Great question, April.

My first tip would be to “be patient”. Everyone is unique. Knowledge is power—here’s a great recovery guide you may be interested in.

There is a wonderful printable resource at the end called ‘My post-COVID-19 symptom diary’. It is recommended to fill out the symptom diary every 2-3 days, while you’re recovering (liaising with your GP is best practice).

The diary is a simple process, where you list your symptoms and rank their severity on a scale of 0-10 (eg: fatigue, breathlessness, etc).  The symptom diary will work perfectly with the four stage “get started” program we discussed last week (here’s the link, if you missed the stages).

Pacing yourself through the stages and understanding your recovery time (24-48 hours after your workout) will help you understand why you’re not recovering (if you’ve moved through the stages too quickly).

April, some people will progress through the four stages within 14 days, others will take 6-8 weeks (even longer if you are experiencing long-COVID). I would recommend not putting a timeline on each stage—only go by “feel” and recovery (heart rate, fatigue, muscle soreness, breathlessness at rest, etc). April, you know your body best.

 Here are some questions for you to contemplate:

• Have you consulted your doctor before commencing your physical activity program to assess and prevent potential complications?
• Have you consulted an Allied Health Professional who specialises in exercise prescription? Sounds like you need some guidance through the recovery stages and give you alternative activity options. Once you are recovering better, you can integrate your usual activity expectations.
• Did you know there is no exact algorithm to determine when you can return to activity and at what intensity? Patience is the key. Recovery depends on the individual’s history, what level of activity you were doing pre-COVID, and what degree of the viral load you had/have in your system.
• Do you monitor your heart rate during and after exercise? Objective feedback is essential for your recovery.

Now, you mentioned you had poor core control.

Here’s a Stage 1 Exercising After COVID core program for you

Print the PDF here

1) 4 point kneeling – knee hovers.

2) Side plank on knee.

3) Pilates spine twist.

4) Passive Lumbar extensions.

Do you have any AFTER-COVID workout requests or suggestions? Let us know!

Sharing your concerns will help others within the community. Welcome to email: kirra@capitalhydrotherapy.com.au

Love, Kirra