How to Ease Sore Muscles
Apply ice immediately after exercise or injury., Move around., Massage sore muscles., Stretch sore or tight muscles., Apply heat to the muscles., Hydrate well., Replenish your electrolytes., Eat plenty of protein., Take over-the-counter painkillers...
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Apply ice immediately after exercise or injury.
Ice prevents painful inflammation, and applying ice shortly after a work-out can slow down the inflammation process that causes muscle soreness.
Wrap a bag of ice in a towel or t-shirt and apply to the affect muscles for 20 minutes.
Rest for 40 minutes and then reapply the ice for another
20.Never apply ice directly to the skin or for more than 20 minutes, as this can cause frost-bite.
Ice baths, found in most professional athletic training rooms, are a fantastic way to ice multiple muscles at once. -
Step 2: Move around.
While it is tempting to drop onto the couch, moving around slowly increases blood flow to sore muscles and accelerates the healing process.
While you shouldn’t go exercise, get up and walk around or go for a light 10-15 minute jog to get your heart rate up and blood flowing.If you are really sore, simply raise your arms over your head and breathe deeply for 1-2 minutes, lightly bending and twisting to stretch. , Massaging promotes blood-flow to sore muscles, which brings oxygen to muscles trying to recover.
Use your fingertips to lightly massage the areas that hurt–the massage may not feel good in the short-term, but it will help your muscles heal faster if you sit through the pain.
Get a foam roller to massage your own muscles if you cannot get a friend to help.
Simply use your body weight to roll the tube over the affected area. , Stretching increases flexibility by elongating muscle fibers, and this can limit your soreness when done correctly.
Focus on stretching the hurt muscles for 20-30 seconds each.
Stretch lightly–you do not want to feel pain.Deepen your stretch as you loosen up, pushing yourself a little farther with each breath. , While this seems contradictory to the “apply ice” advice, heat relaxes your muscles to provide short-term relief for aching muscles.
Take a hot shower or bath or apply a heat back for 20 minutes to loosen your muscle fibers.
Heat will help with the pain, but it will not help heal your muscles., Water is essential for removing waste from sore and tired muscles, and you should always drink 4-6 glasses of water every day.
After a workout, be sure to drink 16-20 ounces of water to replenish lost fluids. , Many muscle cramps are the result of a lack of electrolytes, causing your muscles to spasm painfully.
Eat a banana, a handful or pretzels, or drink a sports drink to replenish the essential electrolytes that your muscles need., Muscles need protein to grow back after a workout, so eat a diet heavy in protein within 1-2 hours of working out to prevent soreness.
Natural sources like chicken, peanut butter, tuna, and eggs will absorb quickly, but some people love the convenience of protein powder. , Acetaminophen (Tylenol), or a NSAID (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug) like Advil, Motrin, or Aleve can ease discomfort in the short-term.
However, using them frequently can interfere with your muscles' ability to heal itself.
Only use pain-relief drugs rarely for the best results., The best thing to eliminate muscle soreness is to rest.
Do not return to the same muscle groups in your workout for 2-3 days to give them time to recover.
If you eat well, stretch occasionally, and ice after tough workouts you should be able to keep your soreness in check and return to the field or weight room soon enough.
Do not return to exercise if it causes pain, as this could be the sign of an injury. -
Step 3: Massage sore muscles.
-
Step 4: Stretch sore or tight muscles.
-
Step 5: Apply heat to the muscles.
-
Step 6: Hydrate well.
-
Step 7: Replenish your electrolytes.
-
Step 8: Eat plenty of protein.
-
Step 9: Take over-the-counter painkillers in moderation.
Detailed Guide
Ice prevents painful inflammation, and applying ice shortly after a work-out can slow down the inflammation process that causes muscle soreness.
Wrap a bag of ice in a towel or t-shirt and apply to the affect muscles for 20 minutes.
Rest for 40 minutes and then reapply the ice for another
20.Never apply ice directly to the skin or for more than 20 minutes, as this can cause frost-bite.
Ice baths, found in most professional athletic training rooms, are a fantastic way to ice multiple muscles at once.
While it is tempting to drop onto the couch, moving around slowly increases blood flow to sore muscles and accelerates the healing process.
While you shouldn’t go exercise, get up and walk around or go for a light 10-15 minute jog to get your heart rate up and blood flowing.If you are really sore, simply raise your arms over your head and breathe deeply for 1-2 minutes, lightly bending and twisting to stretch. , Massaging promotes blood-flow to sore muscles, which brings oxygen to muscles trying to recover.
Use your fingertips to lightly massage the areas that hurt–the massage may not feel good in the short-term, but it will help your muscles heal faster if you sit through the pain.
Get a foam roller to massage your own muscles if you cannot get a friend to help.
Simply use your body weight to roll the tube over the affected area. , Stretching increases flexibility by elongating muscle fibers, and this can limit your soreness when done correctly.
Focus on stretching the hurt muscles for 20-30 seconds each.
Stretch lightly–you do not want to feel pain.Deepen your stretch as you loosen up, pushing yourself a little farther with each breath. , While this seems contradictory to the “apply ice” advice, heat relaxes your muscles to provide short-term relief for aching muscles.
Take a hot shower or bath or apply a heat back for 20 minutes to loosen your muscle fibers.
Heat will help with the pain, but it will not help heal your muscles., Water is essential for removing waste from sore and tired muscles, and you should always drink 4-6 glasses of water every day.
After a workout, be sure to drink 16-20 ounces of water to replenish lost fluids. , Many muscle cramps are the result of a lack of electrolytes, causing your muscles to spasm painfully.
Eat a banana, a handful or pretzels, or drink a sports drink to replenish the essential electrolytes that your muscles need., Muscles need protein to grow back after a workout, so eat a diet heavy in protein within 1-2 hours of working out to prevent soreness.
Natural sources like chicken, peanut butter, tuna, and eggs will absorb quickly, but some people love the convenience of protein powder. , Acetaminophen (Tylenol), or a NSAID (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug) like Advil, Motrin, or Aleve can ease discomfort in the short-term.
However, using them frequently can interfere with your muscles' ability to heal itself.
Only use pain-relief drugs rarely for the best results., The best thing to eliminate muscle soreness is to rest.
Do not return to the same muscle groups in your workout for 2-3 days to give them time to recover.
If you eat well, stretch occasionally, and ice after tough workouts you should be able to keep your soreness in check and return to the field or weight room soon enough.
Do not return to exercise if it causes pain, as this could be the sign of an injury.
About the Author
Sara Moore
Writer and educator with a focus on practical crafts knowledge.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: