6 Best Ways to Handle Muscle Soreness
The painful muscles we experience after an intense workout is a struggle everyone goes through in their fitness journey, and that’s normal.
Having sore muscles is a side effect of the tension put on muscles, which occurs after shifting physical activities or after a workout.
Regardless of fitness level, muscle ache happens to everybody on an average of 1 to 2 days after exercise.
Don’t worry though because it won’t last long, and it is a sign that your health is improving.
To help you out, we’ve found a few ways to help you cope with muscle soreness.
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Light stretches. Start your day by stretching, whether you’re scheduled for a workout or not. And before starting a workout session, be sure to do a few warm up drills to prepare your muscles.
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Sleep. Sleep is a regenerating process where our body produces HGH (human growth hormone) so that it can heal, rebuild, and adjust. HGH is the fountain of youth they say, and developing a healthy sleeping routine can not only help with muscle soreness, it will also help you lose fat.
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Eat healthy. Protein plays a huge role in helping muscles heal from intense workouts. It is recognized as a critical nutrient for muscle building and maintenance.
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Ice or heat. Ice tends to lessen the swelling that is often associated with the pain. Heat can also decrease the signs of tension and pain. Whether it’s applying an ice pack, taking a soothing warm bath or a cold shower, it depends on what you prefer.
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Lots of water. Staying hydrated keeps your body going and helps your muscles recover. Remember to drink plenty of water, not just during workouts, but all day.
- Keep moving. Continuously moving prevents your body from becoming stiff and sore. If you’re having a hard time with soreness, the worst thing you can do is to stop exercising. When you stop using your body the pain can get worse, plus you never allow your body to adapt to the stimulus of the workouts. Training frequency is one very important factor in reducing soreness over the long haul. So, adjust the intensity or do some "active recovery" instead of stopping completely.
One should know that muscle pain typically decreases after 48 to 72 hours. But if it lasts longer than 2 to 3 days or if you’re experiencing signs of athletic injury such as swelling, numbness or tingling, go see your doctor immediately.