Fitness

10 Ways to Ease Sore Muscles

sore muscles

Starting a new training regime, changing up your current program or changes to intensity are just a few things that can encourage sore muscles, or DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) as it’s commonly known.

Yes, this can indeed have you question why you thought it was a good idea to push yourself – but if this is you, we hear you! Please don’t worry and read on for some tips to ease the symptoms.

1. Warm-up!

A good warm up ahead of a workout starts circulation and prepares the muscles for work with oxygen and blood flow.

2. Stretching and cool-down

Don’t skip a cooling down period at the end of your workout and spend some time stretching and lengthening those muscles back to their origin.

3. Foam rolling

Using this technique to break up knots within the muscles can help to ease them back from their shortened state. It aids in calming tight fascia ( connective tissue ) and promotes muscle recovery.

4. Massage

Much as in the same way that foam rolling helps to relieve the symptoms of DOMS, massage can help with this too by flushing out the muscles and increasing blood flow to the area.

5. Water

Staying on top of your water levels helps to remove toxins and prevents cramping and dehydration, which can make muscle soreness even more painful.

6. Move it

It may seem counter intuitive to do much whilst you’re sore, but gently encouraging some light activity or simply moving can help soften the severity of the soreness by bringing blood flow into the area.

Also read: How Long Does it Take to ‘Lose’ Your Fitness?

7. Sleep

This can be very overlooked and an essential part of muscle recovery.

8. Heat and baths

Having an Epsom salt bath is a great way to support muscle recovery, as the minerals in the solution can be absorbed through the skin.

Alternating between hot and cold water immersion can help to soothe sore muscles, as the blood vessels expand and contract which flushes out excess fluid.

9. Food antioxidants

Great nutrition is key when it comes to giving your body adequate support for post workout recovery.

Foods rich in anti-oxidants are fantastic and combined with a sensible amount of protein and carbs as part of a structured approach, this helps to prevent the degree of soreness occurring and easies the intensity of it while present.

10. Compression

Wearing compression clothing can help to push deoxygenated blood out of the muscles and invite new oxygenated blood in with increased blood flow.

This may not be effective for everyone, but at best, it can stop those muscles from jiggling quite so much while they are recovering and this really can make a difference!

Louise McDonald, Cert III & Cert IV Fitness
Louise has been a Trainer and Wellness Coach for almost 20 years and is one of our experienced Support Crew members in Fitness, as our Lean and Strong Captain! Louise has worked passionately with all levels of fitness over the years across both Australia and the UK, where she has specialised in competition training with athletes for the last decade. She has worked closely with top level competitors and even our own 12WBT peeps to bring home a National Trophy! She lives, breathes, eats and sleeps weight training and is super passionate about teaching others how to reach their full potential.

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