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Sinus Congestion & Exercise

Sinus congestion is a relatively common problem that should not prove much of a threat to successful completion of your planned workout. According to information from the New York Times and ABC News, a minor cold or congestion should pose no hazard to your training session. While you may need to take some liberties with your exercise selection and engage in due diligence to protect the other members of your gym, you should be able to train without adversely affecting your health.

  1. Sinus Congestion Evaluation

    • Evaluate the severity of your condition to make the final determination as to whether you should be engaging in exercise If your only symptom is sinus congestion, you should be good to go., If, however, you are exhibiting other symptoms, such as a heavy fever, bowel movement problems (constipation or diarrhea), or an uncontrollable cough, you might be better off skipping the workout and saving it for a day where you feel better. Attempt to be objective in your assessment--avoiding emotional decisions to skip a workout because you do not "feel like it" under the pretense that you are too ill to train when your symptoms are, in fact, no actual barrier to performance.

    Exercise Selection

    • Avoid high-intensity training while ill, even if it is just simple sinus congestion. The maxim you should follow while training is "better safe than sorry," so put aside heavy weightlifting sessions, sprinting sessions, and other activities that are likely to bring your heart rate close to its theoretical maximum. Instead, focus your energies on performing moderate and low intensity activities like light jogging, isolation and machine resistance training, and low-impact cardiovascular activities (moderate cycling or use of the elliptical).

    Considerations

    • Remember to be considerate of your fellow-gym goers if you do decide to exercise while suffering from a mild cold or case of congestion. According to Dr. Lisa Bernstein, M.D., be cautious of exercising in public if you feel that your condition might be contagious. Always wipe down equipment, bring plenty of tissues and bring your own beverage as opposed to using a common source like the water fountain to lower your risk of contaminating others.

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