I love sport, I get out of round when I'm not running, working at my gym or swimming in the gym. Fitness is part of my well-being. But what if it's cracked by a cold or flu? How much exercise can you do during a cold (here the signs)? And what harms the heart?

Sport with cold: You risk consequential damage

The sad answer: In a cold sport is taboo. Jogging, cycling, swimming, strength training – no matter what fitness program: While your immune system is fighting the virus, you should take a break. Otherwise you risk dangerous consequential damage. The myth is still circulating that sport supports recovery. This is completely wrong. If you do not rest and cure your body during a cold, you are hampering the work of its defensive troops. The evil consequences: The pathogens (usually called coxsackie viruses) spread unhindered in the organism and can affect other organs. Particularly vulnerable to it is the sensitive heart muscle.

Driven by the cold Sport: It threatens a heart muscle damage …

When the heart muscle is inflamed, the patient is in mortal danger. Because of the virus attack, he can no longer contract properly, the heart rhythm gets out of tact. In addition: The heart muscle cells regenerate only very slowly. If the heart muscle was badly inflamed, then the damaged areas are replaced by scar tissue. This is weak and only works with half the force of healthy tissue. The power of your heart can be limited for life.

… or you risk pneumonia

Another risk in sports with weakened immune systems is pneumonia. During a cold, the fine defensive ramifications of the lungs are paralyzed, germs are not so well filtered out. If you do not rest now, you make your lung box harder to work and promote the spread of bacteria. The then settle on the mucous membrane of the lung tissue. Which can lead to inflammation of the alveoli. In short: During a cold, your athletic ambition must rest. Only when you have fully recovered, you can again full throttle.