It’s normal to have muscle soreness from exercise, especially if you’re pushing yourself to the limit. There are ways to speed recovery and diminish the pain. You do have to watch out for severe DOMS——-delayed onset muscle soreness—that reaches peak pain between 24 and 48 hours after exercise but can start as soon as six hours after exercise. When you workout the muscles develop small tears that require time to repair. The repairs build both muscle and strength. Until the process is complete, you’ll feel pain. You can diminish the potential pain or speed the healing with these ideas.
Staying hydrated prevents much of the pain.
If you’re dehydrated, it exacerbates the pain and adds to it. Drinking water before, during, and after a workout improves your performance while flushing out the waste and reducing pain. It improves circulation, supplies oxygen and nutrients to the muscles, and is vital for muscles, organs, and bones. Just losing 1% of the body’s water without replenishing it can increase the risk of injury. If you drink coffee to increase your body’s fluid before a workout, it can reduce the potential for DOMS by 48%. It also helps prevent normal muscle soreness and fatigue.
Use OTC rubs and patches or get a massage.
OTC remedies like oils or patches containing oils that heat or cool the area of the pain and increase circulation. If you get a massage, the combination of oils and the massage also increase circulation. One study studied people who got regular massages and found their muscles had more blood vessels, which improves circulation. Massage guns are relatively new to the market and excellent for relaxing muscles. It creates percussive vibrations that can relax myofascial tissues, reduce tightness, relax tense muscles, and increase blood flow.
Participate in active recovery.
Sore muscles can make you want to stay in bed. You shouldn’t. Participating in light exercise can help increase recovery and reduce some of the pain. It increases circulation, reduces lactic acid buildup, helps eliminate toxins, and keeps muscles more flexible. The increased blood flow sends oxygen and healing nutrients to the area to help build new tissue. Just walking or bicycling at a comfortable pace or swimming can help reduce the time spent in pain.
- Put ice packs on the affected area as soon as you feel pain. It can help prevent swelling and reduce inflammation. Once inflammation sets in, use heat.
- Getting adequate rest can help prevent muscle pain and also help heal muscle tissue when you have it. Keep the area in pain slightly elevated, especially if it’s the legs. It helps reduce inflammation.
- OTC pain relievers and anti-inflammatories, like ibuprofen or aspirin, can help diminish the pain and make it more tolerable. Drinking tart cherry juice before, during, and after exercise or eating raspberries can also help reduce the pain.
- Gentle stretching and cool-down exercises can help prevent pain and muscle soreness. Stretching speeds recovery and eases pain. See a healthcare professional if your pain is unbearable or lasts longer than a few days.
For more information, contact us today at Rising Fitness Gym