Many articles and a great
deal of interest revolve around the topic of sore muscles and exercise.
This is probably because most of us wake up with a certain amount of
muscle pain every morning of our lives.
I have gotten used to the idea that it comes with getting older, so I do
stretching routine every morning. I am a
bit miffed that a fitness buff, such as me, is a victim of more muscle soreness
than my couch potato friends.
Exercise is the be all and end all, according
to our therapists and physicians, so we can’t just stop. We all know that if we are going to remain
active and independent that we have to exercise. So what are we going to
do?
If every workout leaves you
achy, you don’t have to be alarmed (easy for them to say). Post-exercise muscle soreness is a sign that your workout is working. The
soreness is caused by microscopic tears in the muscle fibers. As the body repairs these tears, it is
building new muscle. You are pretty much
doomed to feel sore if you are doing weight training, if you exercise more or
harder than usual or are doing something new like seasonal tennis or golf. Soreness is not unusual but if you are
experiencing sharp and severe pain that lasts longer than a week you should see
your doctor.
For the most part your
muscle pain, chronic though it seems, is from exercising. Post
exercise soreness waits to surface about 24 hours after a workout, although
I swear just driving home in the car after hiking is all it takes for me to
stiffen up.
Treatment: Alas, the first recommendation is to keep
moving. Not exactly what you want to
hear as you hobble around. Light aerobic
activity can actually speed your recovery.
The increased oxygen and blood flow to the muscles will stimulate the
heeling process. Take it slow and easy, less intense than the activity that got
you in this pickle in the first place.
Get Wet: A hot tub or even a hot shower is nice,
although experts recommend following that by a cold bath or shower, or
alternating hot and cold compresses. I
am not a huge fan of the cold thing, but an ice pack really does help.
Massage: Gentle massage
eases post-exercise soreness in most people as it increases the blood flow to
the area. Massage feels good. If you can’t go to a professional you can do
a self massage.
I know from personal
experience that yoga helps more than anything.
I often do a yoga class the day after my hardest workout of the week and
find that the gentle stretching, posturing and breathing techniques are as good
as a massage.
Are you still sore? Do not stop exercising because your body
complains. Learn how to be gentle with yourself and you will feel better in
time. Many of us are diehard athletes;
we know that we don’t stretch enough, don’t drink enough water and we tend to
ignore our muscle pain. The key is to
listen to your body and treat yourself gently.
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