The quick answer

It depends on your symptoms. For mild above-the-neck illnesses such as a runny nose or mild sore throat without fever, an easy walk can be as healthy as resting and may feel better than sitting still. If you have fever, body aches, chest symptoms, stomach upset, or marked fatigue, rest is healthier until those symptoms settle.

When walking helps

With a common cold and no fever, light activity is usually safe. A short, gentle walk can open nasal passages, lift mood, and help you feel more comfortable while you recover. Keep the effort easy and shorten your usual duration.

If you recently had a respiratory infection and now feel better, return with light sessions and build up slowly. Start easy, keep sessions short, and increase only as your energy returns.

For mild COVID-19 symptoms, only light activity is appropriate. Stop immediately if you feel worse or short of breath.

When sitting and resting is healthier

Skip exercise and prioritize rest if you have fever, muscle aches, chest congestion, a bad cough, vomiting or diarrhea, or if you feel wiped out. Exercising with these systemic symptoms can worsen how you feel and may prolong recovery. Do not exercise with a fever.

With flu, self-care basics matter most. Rest and sleep, drink fluids, and keep warm. Walking can wait until the fever and exhaustion resolve.

How to walk safely while sick

• Choose very easy intensity at a conversational pace, 10 to 20 minutes. End early if symptoms worsen.
• Prefer outdoor or at-home movement to avoid spreading germs in crowded indoor gyms.
• Resume normal training only after you are symptom-free and feeling recovered, then progress gradually.

When to seek medical advice

Stop activity and contact a clinician if you have chest pain, trouble breathing, lightheadedness, signs of dehydration, a fever that lasts more than a couple of days, or symptoms that are not improving as expected. In general, avoid exercise with fever or significant below-the-neck symptoms.

Bottom line

For mild head-cold symptoms without fever, gentle walking can be as healthy as sitting because it keeps you moving without straining the body. For flu-like illness, fever, chest or stomach symptoms, or marked fatigue, sitting and resting is healthier until you are recovering. Use the neck-check rule, listen to your body, and return to normal activity gradually.