Abstract
The physical training undertaken by athletes is one of a set of lifestyle or behavioural
factors that can influence immune function, health and ultimately exercise
performance. Others factors including potential exposure to pathogens, health
status, lifestyle behaviours, sleep and recovery, nutrition and psychosocial issues,
need to be considered alongside the physical demands of an athlete’s training programme.
The general consensus on managing training to maintain immune health is to start
with a programme of low to moderate volume and intensity; employ a gradual and
periodised increase in training volumes and loads; add variety to limit training
monotony and stress; avoid excessively heavy training loads that could lead to
exhaustion, illness or injury; include non-specific cross-training to offset staleness;
ensure sufficient rest and recovery; and instigate a testing programme for
identifying signs of performance deterioration and manifestations of physical
stress. Inter-individual variability in immunocompetence, recovery, exercise
capacity, non-training stress factors, and stress tolerance likely explains the different
vulnerability of athletes to illness. Most athletes should be able to train with
high loads provided their programme includes strategies devised to control the
overall strain and stress. Athletes, coaches and medical personnel should be alert
to periods of increased risk of illness (e.g. intensive training weeks, the taper period
prior to competition, and during competition) and pay particular attention to
recovery and nutritional strategies. [...continues].