Can you exercise with Bronchitis?

Question

For the past two weeks I've been feeling poorly and I've been still going out for my running and chalked up my lack of energry to just me being lazy. Last week, I went out for a run and did throw up twice *(right in the middle of my run) but I just kept going until I finished running and got home and went out the following days with no probs.

Today my husband made me go to the docs *(I hate going) and I have been diagnosed with Bronchitis.

Should I give myself time to fully recover without running and get over this bronchitis or just keep going as kosher ( i really enjoy getting out for my runs).

Answer 1

Have a rest!

Answer 2

Five years ago, I thought it was OK to run with bronchitis. This was over the winter of 2003. It ended up being one of the worst mistakes of my life.

First, you need to understand that bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchi (medium sized airways) with significant phlegm production. In my case, this was due to a bacterial infection which became resistant to multiple antibiotics including Ciprofloxacin.

I ran for several months affected with my condition. For a full year, I experienced poor performances and serious health deficits. At one point my weight dropped so low that I had to stop running altogether and take corticosteroids (prednisone) to try to reverse the chronic inflammation.

For another year I rebounded and healed. I eventually ran a 4:30 mile.

I know how strong exercise addiction can be. It can make you sacrifice everything. Please, do yourself a favor and just STOP running for at least 1 month...

I GUARANTEE you will be in better shape at the end of that month than if you ran that entire month.

Take it from someone who has gone through this condition and knows - stop running and you will heal. Go back to it after some time off and you will be faster and healthier.

Answer 3

You should rest.  Bronchitis is pretty serious.  Running puts additional stress on your immune system. If you continue training, at best it will lengthen your recovery time and at worst turn the bronchitis into something even more serious.

Answer 4

Physical activity will help clear your lungs and prevent pneumonia from developing.  Keep on running.

Answer 5

For your health you shouldn't. Being a respiratory illness, you will only hurt yourself more by exercising, until your doctor tells you you are healthy enough for strenuous exercise

Answer 6

i recommend you go to the Doctor and ask him/her to write you a perscripition for a Z-Pack...a combination of that and any physical activity should sweat it all out in about a week...