Parents What’s normal recovery from Covid for gymnast?

[Gymmie’s Mom]

Hi all. I seldom come here, but have a question for you all!

My 14-y/o NGA level 6 daughter just had Covid for the first time. She’s vaccinated, a year ago.

She had maybe 5 days of mild cold symptoms. She’s now on day 13 and has felt fine for days. No fatigue, nothing at all.

She’s been out of the gym for 2 total weeks due to 1) the gym’s usual 1-week closure benefits summer schedule starts and 2) then having Covid. This might usually throw her a bit, but not *that* much.

Tonight was her first day back. She had floor first. They warmed up by jogging 10 min. She did that, but then could not do floor. They were only doing back handsprings and round-offs. She said it felt so hard and super tiring and made her nauseous- she physically couldn’t do it and had to sit out.

She was able to do the rest of everything fine during the rest of her 3-hr practice, but they did stations and there are a lot of girls, so prob a lot of waiting around. I was not there.

I’m honestly worried, because I know long Covid can start this way. Can this be normal in Covid recovery at first? If so, for how long is it normal? If I hear this is common and goes away soon, I would feel better I have no one I know to compare to.

She’s had other teammates who have had Covid and doesn’t remember any of them having any issues coming back. But it is only day 13. I’m just surprised as she has felt totally fine otherwise.

Thank you

 

[Tigtimes]

My daughter had Covid in mid May (she is vaccinated). Return to practice was rough, she is a level 10. For at least 3 weeks she was fatigued and had lack of stamina, floor and bars were difficult. She left practices early for at least two weeks cause she just couldn’t do it. She is fine now and back to normal but expect it to take a few weeks.

 

[txgymfan]

Covid is weird. It’s seems to hit everyone differently. My friend that gave it to me had a hard time getting through her work day as a nurse for two to three weeks. I had different lingering symptoms. We were both vaccinated and boosted. Give her time and tell her she’ll get her stamina back but Covid takes a lot of energy to fight off and it will likely take time a to bounce back.

 

[NutterButter]

As others have said it can take several weeks to get back to normal and she may have alternating periods where she’s doing better and then have a few days of not feeling well. With that said though, my daughter developed POTS symptoms about a month after having covid. Her primary symptom was exercise intolerance which she initially attributed to being sidelined with an ankle injury but her symptoms continued to get worse over the next several months. Her dr referred her to a cardiologist and she’s waiting to hear the results of a take-home heart monitor test.

 

[Madden3]

She had not been at practice for 2 weeks and has been sick. She felt a little too dizzy/nauseous and tired to do flipping on floor, but was fine otherwise. Is it possible how she felt had nothing to do with her recent illness? Mild dehydration, low sugar, getting over heated, hormones, even fears might all cause similar symptoms. Even if how she felt stems entirely from the recent illness, it was her first day back to intense activity so fatigue, at least, sounds entirely normal. I don't see this as any cause for worry at this point. I would suggest 1) complement her on listening to her body and sitting out when she was not feeling up to the activity, 2) keep an eye on things but 3) try to avoid letting your gymnast sense that you are worried, because the most likely scenario is that she is entirely fine. Anecdotally, my teen son and preteen daughter both had Covid with a few days of symptoms including fever, are not vaccinated, neither experienced any lingering symptoms and both returned to sports practice (football and acro gymnastics, respectively) once recovered- without any issues. I had Covid with symptoms of about 3-4 days, only a week after recovering from back to back severe colds that had made me feel terrible for a month. After being sick for so long I was fed up with feeling like a lump so I started exercising regularly the next week- something I had not done in a very long time- and within a few weeks I was feeling better than I had in years.

 

[JessSyd]

My daughter’s team all got covid at the same time. Some had days of fevers and others were mostly asymptomatic. Most of them were back at gym by about the ten day mark, but their coach told me that fatigue was an issue for all of them for a few weeks after they returned.

 

[gym_dad32608]

There is no consistent pattern with COVID recovery. Everyone is pretty unique. We did have one girl in our gym that had mild symptoms but upon return developed myocarditis which is pretty significant. Bottom line she needs to listen to her body, if she is getting dizzy, possible fainting, chest pain, stop immediately and get checked out!

 

[kecks]

Hi all. I seldom come here, but have a question for you all!

My 14-y/o NGA level 6 daughter just had Covid for the first time. She’s vaccinated, a year ago.

She had maybe 5 days of mild cold symptoms. She’s now on day 13 and has felt fine for days. No fatigue, nothing at all.

She’s been out of the gym for 2 total weeks due to 1) the gym’s usual 1-week closure benefits summer schedule starts and 2) then having Covid. This might usually throw her a bit, but not *that* much.

Tonight was her first day back. She had floor first. They warmed up by jogging 10 min. She did that, but then could not do floor. They were only doing back handsprings and round-offs. She said it felt so hard and super tiring and made her nauseous- she physically couldn’t do it and had to sit out.

She was able to do the rest of everything fine during the rest of her 3-hr practice, but they did stations and there are a lot of girls, so prob a lot of waiting around. I was not there.

I’m honestly worried, because I know long Covid can start this way. Can this be normal in Covid recovery at first? If so, for how long is it normal? If I hear this is common and goes away soon, I would feel better I have no one I know to compare to.

She’s had other teammates who have had Covid and doesn’t remember any of them having any issues coming back. But it is only day 13. I’m just surprised as she has felt totally fine otherwise.

Thank you

Getting back into shape after Covid for athletes can be a matter of weeks or over a year. Long Covid is really bad and it usually shows up if you do too much too early. I would have her rest for at least another 14 days, after that complete heart checkup (d dimmer!), easing back into it after that. Feeling ill during a workout is a total nono after covid as is anything feeling hard to do. Really taking it easy and then some more of that. Yes, that could mean her season is lost. Avoiding long covid is way more important than that in my opinion.

 

[GymMomStarQuest29]

i hope she feels better soon!

 

[Tammie]

I hope she feels better soon!!

My kid had an easy time with covid(i have MS-first 3 kids reacted to vaccines, so we have been advised against them for all 5). 1day sick(seriously), she was back in gym after a couple of days(once I was well enough to drive) like nothing happened.

On the other hand, she got a stomach bug last year that had her out of the gym for a full week, then it took her a couple of weeks to get her stamina and strength back-it was AWFUL!!

We are all unique and our responses to different sicknesses are equally as unique! Let her take her time and get back to gym on her own schedule!!

Good luck to all of you!!