Table 24.4.

Guidelines for return to exercise after infections

Recommendations
• Wait 1 day without fever and with improvement of URTI symptoms before returning to exercise
• Stop physical exercise and consult your physician if a new episode with fever or worsening the initial symptoms or persistent coughing and exercise-induced breathing problems occur
• Use the same numbers of days to step up to normal training as spent off regular training because of illness
• Observe closely your tolerance to increased exercise intensity and take extra day off if recovery is incomplete
• Use proper outdoor clothing and specific cold air protection for airways when exercising in temperatures below −10 °C the first week after URTI

Adapted from Walsh NP, Gleeson M, Pyne DB, Nieman DC, Dhabhar FS, Shephard RJ, Oliver SJ, Bermon S, Kajeniene A: Position statement. Part two: Maintaining immune health. Exerc Immunol Rev 2011, 17:64–103, with kind permission of Dr. Hinnak Northoff