The stomach flu, or viral gastroenteritis, is not dangerous to most people, but it can cause dehydration, excessive vomiting and fatigue -- conditions that are not at all conducive to exercise. Though there's no hard-and-fast rule for when it's safe to return to the gym, it's better to let your body recover completely than to risk aggravating your symptoms.
Definition
The condition commonly referred to as "stomach flu" is actually viral gastroenteritis, which isn't related to the flu viruses. The stomach flu virus is contagious, and you can get it by having contact with an infected person or by ingesting contaminated food or water. Avoiding contagion and washing your hands frequently is the only way to prevent contracting viral gastroenteritis.
Symptoms
While the influenza viruses attack your nose, lungs and throat, viral gastroenteritis affects your intestines. Symptoms of the stomach flu include watery diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea and vomiting, muscle aches and low-grade fever. See a doctor right away if you can't keep liquids down for 24 hours, vomit for more than two days, notice blood in your vomit or bowel movements, or have a fever above 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
Treatment
The symptoms of stomach flu appear one to three days after infection and last anywhere from two to 10 days. There's no effective medication or other form of treatment; you simply need to wait it out. Give your body a break from food and beverages, and suck on ice chips to stay hydrated. Ease back into eating with bland foods like crackers, toast, rice and bananas. Get plenty of rest, and avoid any medications that can upset your stomach.
Recovery
Stomach flu and the associated dehydration can make you very tired. Give yourself several days to recover before trying to return to exercise. You should be eating a normal or close-to-normal diet and keeping down all food and liquids before working out again. Keep in mind that germs and viruses spread easily in fitness centers, so if you usually exercise at a gym, you shouldn't go there until you're no longer contagious. Older adults and people with weakened immune systems should check with a doctor before returning to normal activity -- stomach flu can cause extra complications in these populations.
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