Falling ill is a fear many endurance athletes have during the cold winter season. 11 statements about doing sports when you have a cold or the flu. True or false?

1. The flu is a full-blown cold

False: A cold and the flu are two different types of infection. Strictly speaking, a cold is a respiratory infection in either the upper or lower respiratory tract. The flu, however, refers to a systemic disease which is also transferred through the respiratory tract but then circulates throughout the body, weakening it altogether. A cold is usually an infection caused by rhinoviruses, which mainly affect the nose and trigger sniffling, and respiratory viruses, which mainly affect the lower respiratory tract and cause a sore throat and irritated respiratory tract. There are around 200 different types of viruses with which you can become infected. The flu, on the other hand, is when you become infected with the influenza virus. 

2. The symptoms of a cold and the flu are the same

False: The main difference between the flu and a cold is the severity of the symptoms. With the flu, your physical condition can change within 24 hours from being physically fit to bed-ridden. In one fell swoop you can be hit so badly you can't even read a book. Any kind of physical movement becomes a huge effort and you just want to sleep. 

3. Only the flu can cause fever

False: A cold can also cause fever, but this depends on the person and still says nothing about the infection. However, the flu makes you generally more ill.

4. Doing sports with a cold is not a problem

Correct: Doing sports training when you have a cold is possible and harmless, albeit when reduced. You need to rest your respiratory tract, not additionally burden it with intensive training, and adapt your training so it is easier and not too long, or switch to other forms of training such as strength training. 

5. Doing sports when you have the flu is prohibited 

Partly true: Light exercise would not necessarily be harmful, if you feel at all like going out. However, you normally don’t feel like training when you have the flu because you automatically feel too weak. Training can become dangerous when athletes physically overexert themselves and are weakened by the flu at the same time, as the virus can then also attack the heart, which in extreme cases can lead to inflammation of the heart muscle. Once the symptoms of the flu have subsided, you should refrain from proper training for the same number of days you were ill.

6. Medication curtails a cold as well as the flu.

False: A cold can last for a few days up to a week, depending on its severity. In the case of the flu, the dictum is that it lasts at least a week without medication and home remedies - and with treatment, seven days. Thus, you cannot curtail the flu, but at most alleviate the symptoms.

7. Medication and home remedies bring relief

Correct: In the case of a severe headache, sore throat or fever, medication or even traditional home remedies can be used to alleviate the respective complaints. However, the duration of the illness remains the same. With the flu, you should definitely stay at home and sleep a lot.

8. Viruses lurk everywhere

False: You won’t find any viruses on a mountain peak or cross-country ski trail. Viruses can be found wherever there are many people gathered together in a confined space and where it is warm. They are spread either through airborne droplets that come from the respiratory tract when coughing, sneezing, or speaking, or through contact with the viruses via contaminated objects such as door handles or keyboards. 

9. You cannot protect yourself against the flu

Partly true: The flu vaccination provides a certain degree of protection. However, young athletes do not belong to the group for which a vaccination is recommended. There is certainly nothing wrong with getting a vaccination. Vaccine candidates are more likely to be top athletes who are preparing for a special event and want to make absolutely sure that they won’t fall ill on the day. You cannot prevent a flu infection with any certainty. However, you can take general preventative measures to protect yourself against a viral disease, such as by leading a healthy lifestyle, eating a balanced and vitamin-rich diet, taking sufficient exercise, and washing your hands thoroughly on a regular basis. The most effective measure is "social distancing", which means avoiding gatherings of people in overcrowded areas.

10. The cold and wet provoke a viral disease

Partly true: In principle, a cold has nothing to do with cold and wet weather. Doing long or intensive sports training in the cold, however, can weaken the body and thus make it more vulnerable when it comes into contact with viruses. Intensive training in dry air conditions dries out the mucous membranes, making them more susceptible to viruses. If, for example, you undertake a long jogging or cross-country skiing tour from A to B and then board a crowded train when you are sweaty, you will increase the risk of infection. If, however, you change clothes quickly after your sport, drink plenty and avoid mass gatherings, there is little risk.

11. There is a great risk of infection in an indoor pool

False: In an indoor pool, the risk of infection is lower than in a theatre or crowded restaurant. In an indoor pool, there are a lot less people per cubic metre of air, which reduces the risk because droplet infection only occurs when there is a short distance to the carrier - around one metre is considered to be the maximum possible distance for transmission. What’s more, viruses cannot survive in chlorine water.

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