2020 was a different year altogether. It was a year of chasing bigger and more aggressive fitness goals, while for others, it was a time of recovering from the dreaded COVID-19. If you contracted the COVID-19 virus, you would know that the coronavirus can change your body even in its mildest form. And since it is a relatively new disease for medical science, there are still many questions about what happens to the body after the infection? Moreover, when should you start exercising if you had contracted the virus?
This post shares guidelines about when and how to get started with exercise and get in shape after you have recovered from COVID-19. But let’s start by looking at how the coronavirus affects your body.
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Viruses, in general, work by taking control of the body cells. They enter the body cells and multiply and continue to spread throughout the body. Coronavirus is not an exception. Typically, coronaviruses affect the respiratory system that causes symptoms such as coughing and shortness of breath. However, it can have other more severe implications, especially for people with other serious illnesses.
Effects on Your Lungs
The coronavirus can affect the receptors in both your upper and lower respiratory tract. As a result, it causes symptoms similar to common colds, such as runny nose and cough. Moreover, since it can affect the lower respiratory tract receptors, it can trigger inflammation in your lungs.
As the body tries to combat the virus, it sets the stage for pneumonia. It is also possible that the inflammation can persist and lead to lung fibrosis (hardening of the lung tissue). Since it affects the ability of the lungs to function effectively, coronavirus can be deadly.
Effects on Your Heart
COVID-19 does not spare your heart either. Early evidence indicates that up to 1 in 5 patients with COVID-19 have signs of cardiac injury (regardless of whether they had mild or more severe symptoms of COVID-19). The impact is worst among people who get more severe symptoms of COVID-19 and may have to deal with myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle). Moreover, people with preexisting medical conditions (such as diabetes or blood disorders) are more likely to succumb to the effects of low oxygen levels, unstable blood pressure, and abnormal ability of the blood to clot.
Even in patients with no prior history of cardiac conditions or blood disorders, COVID-19 can lead to some form of heart injury.
Getting in Shape After COVID-19
Now that you know how COVID-19 may affect your body’s two most critical organs let’s look at how you can get in shape as you recover from the coronavirus infection.
Discuss With Your Healthcare Provider
As you get started with a physical workout, it is always best to discuss it with your primary healthcare provider, even if you had mild symptoms of the disease and did not require hospitalization.
