Hazards of playing badminton while nursing a flu!

I 've been off the bad court recently because of one big reason-I' nursing a flu. My day wouldn't be complete though without "visiting" the badminton court and watch baddicts (badminton addicts) play their adrenaline driven games. I often get cajoled and tempted to hold a racket and whip a shuttle cock once or twice, but I decline in grace. "Doc, pag di ka nag laro mas lalong hihina ang katawan mo! (Doc, if you're not going to play, you'll be more sick than ever!").

Flu can get you into trouble, like this one, during a badminton game!

It's a myth among us Pinoys, that a body rest (as opposed to doing nothing) while nursing a flu, will make you more sick than ever. Not true baddicts! Here is why playing with a flu is actually detrimental to your health and your game!

• It predisposes you to more severe injuries on court.The inflammatory process in your body (a result of fighting off viral or bacterial infections) spurn chemicals to ward off toxins. Theoretically a protective and healing strategy of our body, such chemicals also affect your muscles and joints. Inflamed muscle are less flexible, easily strained and do not easily recover from injury. Ligaments are affected the same way, and thus joint stability (which is stabilized by both muscles and ligaments) is compromised during sickness. Imagine loading your, knees, and ankles with huge amount of stress (such as during badminton play) in such states.
• Dehydration comes in unnoticed. During sickness, our body has difficulty balancing electrolytes as a result of a temporary disruption in its chemical balance. Our body then tries to compensate with the "thirst mechanism" and thus the endless water breaks during a game. Drinking pure water without electrolytes during such states will actually "dehydrate" your body
• Sluggish reaction time. Often, you miss a shot that would otherwise be a simple, no fanfare stroke for you. No your not getting dull. The "sluggish" response is a result of an overall delay in brain-muscle coordination, somehow affected by the on going inflammatory process in your body.
• Sore muscles. A painful muscle is difficult to use. and it easily breaks. Worse, it would take time to recover. If your core temperature is off normal limits and you still play, our body starts to 'eat' up muscle protein- a quick first order energy source use by our body in emergencies. Remember, the priority of the body is to ward of infection and then settle down inflammation. Add another stress to that and our body will have to burn other sources of fuel. Play longer and you'll get into so many other problems, like ARF.
• Loss of balance. Maintaining a center of gravity for badminton play is very important. When this is affected by sluggish reaction time, or a delay in brain to muscle coordination( as a result of an inflammation) you fall or get injuries more often.The caveat is, most player doesn't recognize this until they already have major or sever injuries!

The net effect of all this is a noticeable decrease in stamina, agility, balance and flexibility while playing. Worse, playing badminton while nursing a flu predisposes you to more severe injuries while playing! So think a hundred times before playing when your sick!!!!

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