“If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise, not too little and not too much, we would have found the safest way to health.” – Hippocrates
“The people who have strong immune systems have a far better chance of fighting off any type of disease or virus than someone who does not follow those principles.” – Steve Collett, Exercise Physiologist and Health Coach
It’s not news to anyone now that the world is dealing with a pandemic of COVID-19, a novel coronavirus that apparently originated in China late last year. While the pandemic is certainly not unprecedented, the global response most certainly is.
Stay Safe While Keeping Fit
While there’s no shortage of media reports regarding coronavirus and COVID-19, there are still many questions as the pandemic itself progresses and different people confront different issues.
And this includes exercise and working out. Heart.org, for example, notes that, “As people are advised to stay home and as the list of gathering places being closed to limit the spread of the coronavirus grows, people might find themselves shut out of their gym, or choose not to go.
But that doesn’t mean they should give up on the idea of fitness entirely, trainers say.
And people who do find places to work out in the weeks ahead will want to be aware that gyms can be germy – and they should take steps to protect themselves.
First things first: Older adults and people with heart disease, diabetes or lung disease face a heightened risk of serious complications from the coronavirus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says people in those groups should make sure they keep their distance from other people and stay home as much as possible.”
In fact, it is a common understanding that it is vital to keep your immune system strong and optimized with adequate sleep, good nutrition and sufficient exercise. And, if you do happen to experience flu-like symptoms, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve contracted COVID-19.
According to one article, “If you are generally healthy, you don’t necessarily need to get tested for confirmation. Just ensure you stay home, get plenty of rest and stay hydrated. Use appropriate over-the-counter medications to lower your fever and help with body aches or headaches. You can generally expect to start getting better within a week, though some patients can have residual symptoms like cough that can linger on for up to a couple of weeks.”
This is not to minimize or trivialize the potential threat of COVID-10, but the overwhelming data points to the vast majority of sufferers either experience mild or no symptoms, or certainly recover after a period of illness.
Not the World’s First Rodeo
Emotional stress is directly tied to physical health, and these are stressful times. However, despite the media barrage of dire proclamations of a viral apocalypse, we’ve suffered from far worse.
During the years of 1918 to 1920, the Spanish Flu infected almost 3,000,000 Americans and killed between 500,000 and 675,000 people, or .55 of the population.
Much more recently, in 2009-2010, the flu season brought us H1N1, or the Swine Flu. The CDC estimated there were 60.8 million cases of H1N1 virus during that time, with more than 274,300 Americans hospitalized, and almost 12,500 deaths in the United States due to the virus.
By comparison, as of March 18, 2020, the total deaths from COVID-19 only numbered about 160. The figures varied depending on a number of factors and some estimates were as low as only 97 officially confirmed fatalities in the U.S. as of that date.
On March 16, the CDC stated that a total of 4,226 COVID-19 cases had been reported in the United States, with reports increasing to 500 or more cases per day since March 14, 2020.
Again, this is not to minimize or downplay the threat of COVID-19, especially to those who are over 70 or have existing conditions that make them more susceptible and vulnerable. In fact, as of the time of this post, the vast majority of those showing up sick with the coronavirus are in the 65 to 74 year old age range. However, it may be surprising to many that the second-largest group of COVID-19 victims are in the 20 to 44 range.
Unfortunately for those between 65 and 75, the fatality rate has hovered around 2.7 to 4.9 percent compared to just 1.4 to 2.6 for the 20 to 45 year olds. And, tragically, the most likely to die from COVID-19 are those over the age of 85, with somewhere between 10 to 28 percent mortality.
Staying Healthy and Pain-Free
Are you in pain after working out? It may well be that you really are “overdoing it.” We invite you to call for an appointment and, during your initial consultation and assessment at Pain and Performance Solutions, we will learn all we can about your present pain and condition, along with any history of discomfort, as well as your current level of activity.
Treating and relieving your pain starts once we understand where and how your pain started. A full examination will help us determine which form of treatment is best suited to get you on your road to recovery. Your trust in us is key, as is your honesty. Ultimately, getting your body healthy and working properly is the only way to achieve total recovery. Our goal is to work through the sequence of pain and dysfunction in order to get your body healthy and working properly and to achieve total recovery. Don’t hesitate to reach out. We are here to help and will answer any questions that you may have. You can reach us at (707) 636-4404 or by filling out our online contact form.