How to Get Rid of Muscle Soreness?

Muscle soreness is a side effect of the stress placed on the muscles during exercise. This is commonly called delayed onset muscle soreness or DOMS and is completely normal. DOMS usually begins within 6-8 hours of a new activity or change in activity and can last up to 24-48 hours after exercise. Muscle pain is caused by inflammation in the muscle, which is one of the main triggers of this muscle pain.

You are most likely to experience delayed onset muscle soreness after one of the following:

• Starting an exercise or exercise program for the very first time
• Adding a new exercise or activity to your workout
• Increasing the intensity of the exercises already in your program (increasing the amount of weight lifted, the number of repetitions, or the speed)
• Doing the same activity over and over without enough rest

All people are at risk of muscle pain, even bodybuilders and other professional athletes. The good news is that normal muscle soreness is a sign that you are getting stronger and is nothing to worry about. When you exercise, you stress the muscles and the fibers begin to break down. As the fibers repair themselves, they become stronger and larger than before. This means your muscles will be better prepared to handle the stress the next time you exercise. 

The best way to relieve muscle pain is to do some gentle exercise, such as walking or light stretching. It may seem counterintuitive, but the more you move, the faster the discomfort will go away! A heating pad or warm bath can also help temporarily relieve discomfort, but in the long run, ice is a better treatment because it actually helps reduce swelling and inflammation in your muscles. 

It sounds like muscle soreness is a positive thing, but here it can get a little complicated. Mild to moderate muscle soreness is generally harmless and common. And vice versa, severe muscle pain can be dangerous and harmful. It is important to know the difference between reasonable muscle soreness caused by exercise and soreness caused by muscle overuse or injury.

You should take a short break from exercise to recover if you experience the following:

• If the pain you are experiencing is preventing you from carrying out daily life or work activities, then the exercise has been too much.
• If the discomfort lasts more than 72 hours, then the exercise was too much.

If the pain starts during or immediately after exercise, this is not normal. Pain that occurs during exercise is a sign that there is a problem with the exercise. This type of pain should be seen as your body’s signal to stop the activity before serious joint or muscle damage occurs.

5 Things To Do During and After Your Workout to Ease Muscle Soreness –

While there are no quick fixes, your muscles need time to heal, there are a few strategies you can use to ease soreness and promote recovery. Here’s what you should know.

1. Hydrate Yourself During and After Workout

It may sound obvious, but staying hydrated is an important aspect of muscle recovery. Water keeps fluids moving through your system, which reduces inflammation, flushes out waste products, and delivers nutrients to your muscles.

The problem is that it can be difficult to tell if and when you’re dehydrated because you’re likely to become dehydrated before thirst sets in. The color of your urine is a good indicator: medium or dark yellow indicates dehydration, while light yellow means you’re hydrated.

Just be aware that taking vitamin supplements can make your urine look darker than usual. Who will be affected and what types of vitamin supplements? It is hard to say. Everyone is different.

2. After the Workout, Use a Foam Roller (Self-Myofascial Release) or Massage Gun 

Self-myofascial release (SMR) is a technique used to release tension in muscles and connective tissues (foam rollers, lacrosse balls, and massage sticks are common SMR tools) to help move fluids that build up in a muscle after exercise.

Foam rolling can help increase the range of motion and reduce DOMS. Foam rolling, like other types of massage, increases circulation to get more nutrients and oxygen to the affected area, which helps reduce swelling and tenderness, Arent explains.

If you’re interested in trying a foam roller, look for a softer version to start with. Firmer foam rollers allow you to apply more pressure but can be intense if you’re not used to them. Lacrosse balls can also be useful tools to keep around because they’re ideal for smoothing out hard-to-reach areas like the glutes, lats, calves, and iliotibial (IT) bands, notes Arent.

Massage guns (also called “percussive massage treatments” or “vibration therapy”) are another popular tool for promoting muscle recovery after training.

“Percussive self-massage devices work similarly like a massage in general”. These handheld machines provide rapid vibrations that, when placed on your muscles, can help promote blood flow to the area. Many massage guns come with attachments of different shapes and sizes to better target different-sized muscle groups.

Few studies have specifically examined the effectiveness of massage guns, but massage guns can combine two elements that have been supported by science: conventional massage and vibration therapy. For example, earlier research found both methods to be equally effective in preventing DOMS.

If you’re interested in using the massage gun after a workout, Nitesh suggests finding an area that’s tight and goes lightly over the belly of the muscle. Put pressure as much as you can tolerate, but not too aggressively. Making three to five strokes over one area at a time. Be careful not to spend too long in one place, otherwise, you risk muscle irritation. 

3. After an Intense Workout Eat for Under Half an Hour 

By giving your muscles the nutrients they need to repair and grow back stronger, you can speed up the recovery process.

He suggests kick-starting recovery by making sure you get 20 to 40 grams (g) of protein and 20 to 40 g of carbohydrates into your system within 30 minutes of an intense or long workout (that lasts 60 minutes or longer). (One snack option is a serving of Greek yogurt with a handful of berries and a spoonful of honey.)

Protein is important for the amino acids needed for muscle recovery, while carbohydrates play a major role in replenishing the fuel stores that the muscles have used up during training.

But don’t stop at the post-workout snack; you won’t help your muscles recover if you’re hungry or skimp on nutritious foods for the rest of the day, notes Arent. Prioritize your meals and make sure your daily protein intake is fairly consistent so that your tissues are fed a steady supply of amino acids throughout the day. Recommendations vary, but the International Society of Sports Nutrition recommends 1.4 to 2 g of protein per kilogram (kg) of body weight each day if you’re active, with doses spread evenly every three to four hours. This means that if you weigh 150 pounds, you will need approximately 95 to 136 grams of protein each day.

Fruits, vegetables, and legumes are also key to providing the body with vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C and zinc that promote healing.

4. Adequate Sleep

Sleep is critical for many reasons, but it’s also one of the most important components of post-workout recovery, says Nitesh. It might not seem to have an immediate effect on [muscle pain], but it can definitely be helpful. 

For example, non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep increases protein synthesis (the creation of new proteins), which is needed to repair damaged muscles, according to a review in Sports Medicine.

You need to get at least seven hours of sleep.

5. Light Exercise After a Tough Workout 

You should do light exercise after a tough workout. Sore muscles need rest, but that doesn’t mean it’s best to kick your feet up and spend the day on the couch. Try to get moderate movement through activities such as restorative yoga; easy walking, swimming or cycling; or even light resistance training. The key is to avoid repeatedly training the same muscle groups on consecutive days. On an effort scale of 0 to 10 (10 is maximum intensity), you should aim for an effort level of 3. You want to get the blood flowing to sore muscles to deliver the oxygen and nutrients needed for repair—without causing further tissue damage to your muscles. 

Things to consider

Muscle pain is normal. They get stronger again and are able to work at a higher level of intensity for longer periods of time. However, be careful not to injure your muscles, tendons, or joints. Pain closer to the joint can be a signal of a more serious injury

If you think you have a strain or sprain, try the RICE approach.

• You may need to rest all or part of the injury. It will depend on how bad it gets.
• Use ice packs, ice baths, or ice massages. These can reduce your swelling, pain, bruising, and muscle spasms. You can use ice up to 3 days after the injury.
• You can wrap the injury to reduce swelling and bruising. Leave it wrapped until a week after the injury.
• Elevate your injury at or above your heart. This helps prevent swelling and reduces bruising. If possible, keep it elevated for 2 to 3 hours a day.

When to Consult Doctor

You must consult your doctor if you experience the problems below:

• Your muscle pain has lasted more than a week.
• Your pain is excruciating and prevents you from moving.
• Your pain gets worse with exercise.
• Your pain causes dizziness or difficulty breathing.
• You will notice redness, swelling, or warmth in sore muscles.
• RICE treatment does not work.
• You feel pain in the joint, above the bones, or in the tendons.

Author: Nitesh Dhameliya

Physiotherapist, Ahmedabad Clinic Name : Samarpan Physiotherapy Clinic Nikol Nava Naroda Branch 11, Vedant Bunglow, Opp. Radhe Bunglow Part -2 Haridarshan Char Rasta, Nikol Naroda Road Behind. Shalby Hospital, near Fortune Circle, Ahmedabad, Gujarat 382330