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Why Long COVID Makes It So Difficult to Exercise
Interview with Linda Geng, MD, PhD, director of the Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome Clinic at Stanford who says areas explored for explaining PEM are:
- Blood vessel and nerve fibre damage
- Heart issues
- The SARS-CoV-2 S1 protein
- Mitochondrial damage
quote:
"Listen to your body and consult with your doctor," Dr. Geng advises. It's likely that your specific plan will be tailored to your symptoms and any underlying conditions you may have. Depending on your long COVID symptoms, your doctor might recommend a "strategy of rest and pacing with gradual return to prior level of activity," Dr. Geng explains. In other words, you might be able to slowly
build back up to the frequency and intensity of exercise that you're used to. However, if you are actively struggling with post-exertional malaise, exercise might not necessarily be recommended. Again, it all depends on your body and your symptoms.