A chest infection can range from an infection in your upper or lower respiratory tract including pleurisy, an inflammation of the lining of the pleura surrounding your lungs; pneumonia, an inflammation in your lungs; and bronchitis, the inflammation of mucous membranes in your bronchi. If you are wanting to exercise the day after a chest infection, you will need to do it carefully, taking your time and understanding that your body is not operating under normal conditions and may not have as much energy for exercise as you would if you were not experiencing a chest infection.
Step 1
Do a morning walk outdoors if it is warm or on a treadmill during the colder months of the year. Start off slowly to gauge your breathing capacity, as it is likely to be compromised by your chest infection.
Step 2
Continue walking slowly until you reach your target exercising time and avoid strenuous aerobic exercise that will raise your heart rate and prompt your body to need more oxygen. If you over-exert yourself you may have a coughing fit that can cause you to experience pain and discomfort in your entire respiratory tract.
Step 3
Continue on to resistance training if you normally do this during your workout routine, but use less weight and do less reps with each machine. You may find yourself feeling weak and tired after your cardio workout, in which case you should not do any more exercise and should allow your body to rest in order to heal.
Step 4
Drink plenty of water before, during and after your work out to keep your body hydrated. Your cells need water to perform all their functions and this is especially important when you are dealing with infection.
Tips and Warnings
- For severe chest infection cases you should consult with your doctor before engaging in any form of exercise, as the exertion may aggravate your condition and slow down your healing process. If you live in a place with low temperatures, only exercise indoors, as the cold air that you would inhale while exercising outdoors will be detrimental to your body's recovery from your chest infection.
- If you have extreme difficulty breathing or are experiencing sharp shooting pain in your chest call your doctor immediately for an examination.
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