Days Since Fever Broke
Fever = 100.4°F+ (38°C+). Count from when it dropped below this.
0
Days
Current Phase
Phase 1: Complete Rest
1 more day until Phase 2
Important: If you experience chest pain, difficulty breathing, heart palpitations, or fainting during any phase — stop immediately and see a doctor. Post-viral myocarditis is rare but serious.
Phase 1: Complete Rest
Day 0+Current PhaseNo exercise. Walking only if needed.
- Stay home. Sleep 9-10 hours per night.
- If fever returns at any point, restart from Day 0.
- No screen time for prolonged periods — rest your eyes too.
🍎 Nutrition
Focus on hydration (water, broth, Pedialyte). Light meals: toast, bananas, rice, applesauce.
Phase 2: Light Walking
Day 1+15-20 min easy walk. Heart rate below 100 BPM.
Phase 3: Light Jog
Day 3+20-25 min easy jog. Conversational pace only.
Phase 4: Easy Run
Day 5+30-40 min at easy effort. Can include 2-3 strides.
Phase 5: Full Training
Day 7+Resume normal training. Workouts, long runs, racing.
Use this in practice
- When an athlete reports illness, log the date their fever broke and share this protocol.
- Never let athletes return to hard training within 48 hours of a fever.
- If symptoms lasted 7+ days or involved chest symptoms, require a doctor's clearance before Phase 4.
post-illness return to play
Practical examples
Stepwise return-to-play visuals that stay in the same fever-break, light-food, hydration, and recovery lane as the protocol itself.
Day 1-3: light foods before the walk or jog
A gentle applesauce-and-banana option for the phase when the athlete is moving again but the stomach is still not normal.
Back to training: recovery snack after the first real run
A practical return-to-training example when the athlete is cleared for normal food and needs the recovery habit back immediately.
Sleep-first recovery night
A strong example for the phase where the athlete feels better but still needs 9-10 hours and a calm recovery routine.