Posted on 06/01/2022 at 12:58 p.m.,
Reading 2 mins.
Like any top athlete, Lionel Messi is scrutinized on his physical performance. And if the Argentinian hasn’t seemed to be in top form lately, the Covid may be the explanation.
Questioned by our Argentinian colleagues from the media TYC Sports, on May 30, Leo Messi opens up about his state of health in an interview.
Tested positive in January
The football player explains that he suffered from sequelae linked to his Covid-19 infection. Tested positive at the end of January, he suffered the symptoms of the virus, but after a few weeks, he realized the consequences of the disease on his body.
“I kept the scars” admits Leo Messi. “My lungs were affected. When I came back, it had been almost a month and a half since I had been able to run due to my lungs.”.
Too early recovery
The Argentinian player therefore puts his poor form on the aftermath of his Covid-19 infection and a too rapid recovery. “It got worse because I went too fast and dragged it around. But I couldn’t wait any longer, I wanted to run, train, I wanted to continue. And in the end, it got worse”.
Questioned by our colleagues from The crossDr. Fabien Pillard, physiologist and sports doctor at the university sports clinic of the University Hospital of Purpan, in Toulouse explains that “The Covid affects the lungs, probably vessels and certain nervous systems. But these are only pathophysiological hypotheses. Today, when questioning athletes, what comes up the most is: fatigue, shortness of breath, deconditioning or the inability to regain an expression of previous physical condition. In this case, what is the failing organ? Today, we don’t know.
Consult a GP online
The Covid, and after?
High-level athletes affected by Covid have been the target of studies to determine their risk when resuming intensive cardiac practice. But far fewer studies have focused on the pulmonary level. While paradoxically, the destructive effects of Covid-19 on the lungs are known.
Are athletes more at risk of developing asthma? Respiratory symptoms with inflammation of the bronchi? A cough ? A long Covid? In general, athletes affected in the lungs had to wait longer before resuming their sport compared to those who were affected in the upper airways. The case of Leo Messi should push researchers to work on this significant impact of the disease on these top athletes.