We’re conditioned to think of Covid-19 as a respiratory disease—but it’s not just about the lungs. Evidence is emerging that the virus can cause heart damage in people who’ve had mild symptoms or none at all, especially if they exercise while infected 1/ wired.trib.al/cBQnMiR
One of the biggest concerns about exercising while recovering from Covid is myocarditis. This causes the muscular walls of the heart to become inflamed, weakening the organ and making it more difficult for it to pump blood. It’s rare, but infections have been shown to cause it 2/
A virus jolts the body’s immune system into attack mode, leading to inflammation. If a person rests while they are ill and during recovery, the inflammation usually recedes and the heart heals on its own. But strenuous activity while it's still weakened can be dangerous 3/
Overexertion can cause swelling in the legs, dizziness, shortness of breath, and—in serious cases—irregular heartbeat, cardiac arrest, and sudden death. These more extreme outcomes are seen most often in competitive athletes 4/
But the heart problems don’t just affect athletes. A study conducted in Germany earlier this summer followed 100 non-athlete Covid-19 patients and found lingering heart inflammation and other cardiac abnormalities in 78 of them 5/
It’s still unclear if the inflammation is collateral damage from the body’s immune response or the virus infecting heart tissue.
This month, scientists found that the virus, when added to human cardiac cells in a petri dish, shredded the muscle fibers that keep hearts beating 6/
More research is needed to better understand what’s happening inside the hearts of people with Covid-19. This is especially critical because so many who get infected don’t know it. And they might unwittingly do things—like exercising—that could cause further damage 7/
If you’re going out for a hard run, bike ride, or other sporting activity, pay extra-close attention to your body. Chest pain, shortness of breath, or heart palpitations could all be reasons to contact your doctor. 8/
And if you have tested positive for Covid-19, take it slow. Rest for at least a few weeks before returning gradually to the level of training you were at before 9/ wired.trib.al/cBQnMiR
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