Often, the muscles of the body feel sore after exercising or doing other strenuous activities. This pain can indeed be very annoying and prevent you from returning to exercise; But the good news is that the more you exercise, the less sore your muscles will be in the coming weeks. Take advantage of some of the simple tips below to relieve common sore muscles!
Step
Part 1 of 3: Maintaining Muscle While Exercising
Step 1. Warm up before starting to exercise
To avoid injury and make your muscles more flexible during strenuous exercise, you must get your muscles used to these activities by giving your body time to warm up and flexible. Do not immediately do intense or strenuous exercise.
You can start with light exercise, then gradually increase the intensity. For example, if you're doing weightlifting, don't start lifting heavy weights right away: start by lifting light and easy weights over and over again, only then can you do intense bench press exercises
Step 2. Perform muscle stretching exercises properly
Stretching your muscles at the beginning and end of a training session can help expel lactic acid. Waiting a few hours to stretch your muscles after a strenuous workout is not a good thing. Stretch your muscles immediately after engaging in activities that have the potential to cause muscle soreness. This is important so that the muscles do not stiffen.
You should stretch your muscles after your warm-up to make them more flexible and less prone to injury. Read this wikiHow article on how to stretch properly to increase flexibility and reduce the risk of injury
Step 3. Meet the body's fluid needs
Lack of body fluids at the beginning of exercise or during exercise can be dangerous. In addition to causing you to feel dizzy and faint, dehydration can also cause muscle pain and soreness after exercise. Adequate fluid needs during intense physical exercise can increase oxygen to enter the muscles, so muscles have more stamina and recover faster when exercising.
- Don't drink a lot of water immediately before exercising, as your stomach will feel bloated and can cause cramps. However, drink plenty of water at all times, especially in the 24-48 hours before intense exercise.
- Most people think that you should drink half of your body weight in kilograms of water. So, if you weigh 72.6 kilograms, you should consume 36.3 kg of water in a day (2.3 liters). Water consumption here also includes water contained in both food and other types of beverages, such as juice or milk.
- Make sure you keep enough water in your body during exercise: for intense exercise, drink 237 milliliters of water every 15 minutes.
Part 2 of 3: Relieve Muscles after Exercising
Step 1. Apply ice to the muscles of the body
Using ice water immediately after intense muscle-stressing exercise has been shown to reduce pain and aches more effectively than other treatments. Ice relieves inflammation in the muscles and relieves pain. If you are a professional athlete, college athlete, or work out at a quality gym, this place may provide an ice bath that you can use to reduce muscle soreness. If not, try these steps as an alternative:
- Take a cold shower. The colder the water the better: professional athletes do use water filled with ice, but if your body can't stand it, just use cold tap water without a hot water mix. The results will not be as good as ice water, but still better than using warm or lukewarm water.
- If you are an athlete, consider buying a bucket that can hold as much as 19 liters of water. When your arm feels sore (for example, from baseball practice), you can soak your entire arm in a bucket filled with ice water at the same time. You can also use this method to soak your sore foot.
- When you're applying ice to a muscle or group of muscles (not the entire body), make sure you wrap the ice pack in something that can reduce the temperature before applying it to the skin. Thus, the extreme cold of the ice will not injure the skin. Put the crushed ice in a plastic bag and cover the bag with a napkin or washcloth before applying it to sore or sore muscles.
- Use plastic wrap to attach the ice pack to your legs, arms, or other body parts. If you need to move around and do other activities (cleaning, cooking, etc.) while using ice, you can attach the ice pack to your muscles with the help of plastic wrap so that the ice bag doesn't come off while you're moving.
- Apply ice to the sore muscle for about 10-20 minutes.
Step 2. Use a heat source
Indeed, the first step that should always be taken to relieve pain and muscle aches is to use ice. However, after a few hours, you can apply a heat source to the sore muscle to help stimulate blood flow to the muscle and keep it flexible instead of stiff. Use the heat source for about 20 minutes.
- Take a hot shower. The muscles will relax when you soak / wet the body with hot water.
- Mixing Epsom salts in bath water is a great home remedy to relieve sore muscles. Epsom salt is made of magnesium, which absorbs into the skin and works naturally to relax muscles. Pour 2-4 tablespoons full of salt into a bathtub filled with water, then stir the water a little so that the salt dissolves. Enjoy your bath time. You should feel better immediately after taking a shower.
- If the neck is stiff, fill the long socks with rice and tie the ends. Put these socks in the oven for about 1.5 minutes and then wrap them around the neck. These rice filled socks are reusable.
- If you experience pain or soreness only in certain muscle areas, you can attach a removable heating pad directly to the skin. Wear the pads under clothing for a few hours. These heating pads can be purchased at most pharmacies.
Step 3. Keep moving
While it may be tempting to give sore muscles a full rest during recovery, some research shows that doing light activities that use sore muscles can relieve pain more quickly. However, you should still allow the muscles to recover. So, make sure you don't overdo physical activity.
- Doing sports exercises can help relieve muscle pain by increasing the rate of blood circulation to sore muscles, so that the muscles are helped to secrete faster and not stiffen.
- Consider the intensity level of the exercise that has made your muscles sore. Then, do a lighter version of the exercise the next day (at the same intensity as the warm-up exercise). For example, if your muscles hurt from running 8 kilometers, then you can then go fast for 800 meters to 1.6 kilometers.
Step 4. Do the massage
When you exercise to exhaustion, there is a small tear in the muscle tissue. The body's natural response to this torn tissue is inflammation. The body produces cytokines that have an influence on the inflammation, but the amount of cytokines can be reduced by doing massage on the body. Doing massage also seems to increase the number of mitochondria in the muscles, which increases the muscle's ability to absorb oxygen.
- Doing massage can also remove lymph, lactic acid, and other toxins that are stagnant in the muscles. Massage therapy can also be healing, relaxing, and calming.
- Find a massage therapist and let him or her deal with your sore muscles. Massage therapy is soothing, meditative, and healing.
- Massage your own muscles. Depending on the location of the sore and sore muscles, you can try self-massage. Use a combination of thumbs, knuckles, and palms to massage into the muscle tissue. You can also use a lacrosse ball or tennis ball to massage tight muscles and reduce the amount of force your hands have to exert.
- If you're massaging a sore, sore muscle, don't focus on the center of the muscle. Focus on the muscle connections at each end. Thus, the muscles can relax more quickly. So, if your wrist hurts, massage your forearm.
Step 5. Purchase a special foam roller called a foam roller
You can use this useful tool on its own to massage the deep muscle tissue before and after exercise, so that the muscles relax and reduce stiffness. This item is especially useful for sore thighs and leg muscles, but can also be used for the chest, back, and buttocks. Press the roller on the sore muscle and rub it up and down. This action can relax tense and stressed muscles.
- Also known as "self-myofascial release", this massage method used to be only used by professional athletes and therapists, but has now become popular and is practiced by anyone who participates in sports or fitness activities. You can buy foam rollers at any sporting goods store or online.
- Check out the articles on our site for tips on how to properly use a foam roller to relieve muscle aches and pains.
- If you don't intend to spend IDR 250,000, 00-Rp 700,000, 00 to buy a foam roller, you can use a lacrosse ball or a tennis ball to roll under your body.
Step 6. Take pain medication
If you need immediate pain relief, try taking acetaminophen or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (also known as NSAIDs) such as naproxen, aspirin, or ibuprofen.
- If you or the person you are caring for is not yet 18 years old, do not take aspirin. Aspirin consumption in children under the age of 18 is associated with a dangerous disease called Reye's syndrome, which can lead to acute brain damage.
- As much as possible, avoid taking NSAIDs too often because NSAIDs can decrease the muscle's ability to repair its own tissue naturally. If possible, you should look for a more natural way to treat sore and achy muscles.
Step 7. You must know the line between pain that is still considered normal and pain that is starting to show signs of danger
Pain in the muscles after intense exercise or when you train muscles that were previously rarely used is normal pain. However, there are some signs you should watch out for, which may indicate a more serious condition.
- Normally, muscles start to feel sore or sore the day after you start exercising, especially if you change your schedule, increase your exercise intensity, or use muscles that you don't move very often. This pain usually begins to peak on the second day, then gradually disappears.
- Pay close attention if there is a sudden stabbing pain when you exercise, as this could indicate a torn muscle. Also, pay attention to joint pain, which may indicate damage to the meniscus or ligaments, or a symptom of osteoarthritis.
- Check with your doctor if your muscles suddenly feel sore, the pain doesn't subside after you take over-the-counter painkillers, or if it doesn't go away after a few days.
Part 3 of 3: Preventing Muscle Aches and Aches
Step 1. Eat well and regularly, including meeting the needs of body fluids
If your muscles hurt after you've done an intense activity like weightlifting, they're trying to rebuild their tissue, and need a lot of water and protein. Meet the protein needs in a day, which is 1 gram of protein for every kilogram of body mass that is not fat.
- For example, a man weighing 72 kg with 20% body fat is advised to consume approximately 130 grams of protein a day. Thus, the recovery period becomes much faster. In addition, sufficient protein also prevents the loss of muscle shape due to nutritional deficiencies. For best results, consume protein within 15-45 minutes of exercising.
- Drink plenty of water throughout the day and when you exercise. Muscles need water to function optimally. The body also needs it to repair muscle tissue. Don't forget to drink water.
- Eating foods that contain carbohydrates before and after exercise will help muscle recovery and provide the body with the energy it needs to carry out daily activities.
Step 2. You can consider taking antioxidants, vitamins, and other supplements
Muscles need certain vitamins and minerals to recover when you exercise, so taking the right supplements will help prepare your body for a strenuous workout.
- Antioxidants and vitamin C are especially effective in helping prevent sore and achy muscles. Artichokes, blueberries, and green tea are high in antioxidants, while guavas, chilies, and citrus fruits are high in vitamin C.
- Take supplements containing BCAAs (branched-chain amino acids: L-leucine, L-isoleucine, L-valine) and others before exercise - such as l-arginine, l-glutamine, taurine, and betaine - which can help clear secretions from muscles. This supplement can also speed up recovery and protein renewal or replacement, so that it can rebuild muscle.
- Consider taking a protein supplement in addition. Protein helps rebuild muscle. You can try eating more natural sources of protein (such as yogurt, chicken, or eggs) or adding a spoonful of protein powder to your smoothie and drinking it after your workout.
- Consider adding creatine to your diet. Creatine is an amino acid that occurs naturally in the body, but consuming more creatine can help muscles repair tissue more quickly after intense exercise. Creatine supplements are available at health food stores.
Step 3. Try drinking sour cherry juice
This juice is quickly gaining popularity as a superfood, as it contains antioxidants as well as other benefits. In one study, researchers found that sour cherry juice eased muscle pain, ranging from mild to moderate.
- You can find 100% sour cherry juice at most grocery or health food stores. Look for brands that don't mix sour cherry juice with other juices (for example, apple-cherry juice), as they tend to include less cherry mix. Also, make sure the juice doesn't contain added sugar and other ingredients.
- Try using sour cherry juice as a base for a smoothie you drink after a workout. You can also drink the cherry juice directly. The sour cherry juice tasted fresh after being refrigerated. Pour the cherry juice into a plastic cup and refrigerate for 45 minutes to make a delicious cherry slushie.
Warning
- Be careful if you plan to do the method by submerging the entire arm in a bucket that can hold 19 liters of water, which was previously mentioned above. This method can result in rapid loss of body heat and affect blood circulation. DO NOT use this method if you have blood pressure or heart problems. Even if your condition is completely healthy, do this method slowly by dipping your arm little by little. Start at your fingertips, especially when it's hot. It might even be better if you make something resembling an ice lolly out of plain water, then wipe your arm with the ice (again, starting with the fingers). Then, immediately dry and do a massage (starting from the arms to the body). Do it gently so as not to trigger pain or make muscle pain worse.
- Applying ice to sore and sore muscles for too long is very ineffective. In general, it's recommended that you apply the ice for 15-20 minutes, release the ice for another 15-20 minutes, then repeat the process as many times as you like. The reason is, sticking ice for longer than 15-20 minutes will not make the muscles colder. Doing so can also lead to frostbite, soft tissue damage, or damage to the skin.
- Joint pain is a serious problem and can lead to serious, chronic injuries. Try to differentiate between muscle pain and joint pain. If the pain doesn't go away after resting for a few days and following some of the procedures suggested in this article, it's a good idea to see a doctor.
