How to work out sore muscles. Active Recovery Workouts: Easing Muscle Soreness and Enhancing Performance

08.08.202323.06.2023 by alexxlab

How do active recovery workouts ease muscle soreness. What are the best exercises for active recovery. When should you avoid active recovery. How can you incorporate active recovery into your fitness routine.

Содержание

Understanding Muscle Soreness: Causes and Types

Muscle soreness is a common experience for both seasoned athletes and occasional exercisers. But what causes this discomfort, and how can we effectively address it? Let’s delve into the science behind muscle soreness and explore the benefits of active recovery workouts.

Why Do Muscles Get Sore After Exercise?

Muscle soreness typically occurs due to two main factors:

Microscopic muscle tears: When you engage in intense physical activity, you create tiny tears in your muscle fibers. This process is natural and essential for muscle growth and strength development.
Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS): This type of soreness usually appears 24-48 hours after exercising, particularly when trying new activities or intensifying your workout routine.

Contrary to popular belief, lactic acid buildup is not responsible for prolonged muscle soreness. While lactic acid does accumulate during intense exercise, it dissipates quickly once the activity ends.

The Power of Active Recovery: Boosting Healing and Performance

When faced with post-exercise muscle soreness, you have two recovery options: passive and active. While passive recovery involves complete rest, active recovery has gained popularity among fitness enthusiasts and professionals alike. But what makes active recovery so effective?

How Does Active Recovery Work?

Active recovery workouts promote healing and reduce muscle soreness through several mechanisms:

Increased blood flow: Light exercise enhances circulation, delivering oxygen and nutrients to sore muscles while removing waste products.
Reduced inflammation: Gentle movement can help decrease inflammation in affected areas.
Improved flexibility: Low-intensity activities can maintain and even improve range of motion.
Mental benefits: Engaging in light exercise can boost mood and reduce stress, contributing to overall recovery.

Studies have shown that active recovery can be more effective than passive rest in reducing muscle soreness and improving subsequent performance.

Optimal Exercises for Active Recovery: Finding Your Perfect Routine

The key to successful active recovery lies in choosing exercises that are low-intensity yet engaging. Here are some popular options to consider:

1. Low-Intensity Cardiovascular Exercise

Light cardio activities can effectively promote blood flow without overtaxing your muscles. Consider these options:

Brisk walking
Slow jogging
Cycling at a leisurely pace
Using an elliptical machine at low resistance

Aim to maintain a conversation-friendly pace during these activities to ensure you’re not overexerting yourself.

2. Yoga and Stretching

Gentle yoga practices, such as yin yoga or restorative yoga, can be excellent for active recovery. These disciplines focus on holding poses for extended periods, promoting flexibility and relaxation. Regular stretching routines can also help alleviate muscle tension and improve overall mobility.

3. Swimming and Water Exercises

Aquatic activities offer unique benefits for active recovery:

Low-impact nature reduces stress on joints
Water pressure provides a gentle massage-like effect
Buoyancy supports the body, allowing for easier movement

A study involving runners found that those who used swimming for recovery outperformed a passive recovery group in subsequent runs.

4. Foam Rolling and Self-Massage

Foam rolling combines the benefits of exercise and massage, targeting specific muscle groups to release tension and promote healing. While it can be uncomfortable at first, many athletes swear by its effectiveness in reducing muscle soreness.

When to Avoid Active Recovery: Recognizing the Signs

While active recovery can be highly beneficial, there are situations where rest or medical attention may be necessary. It’s crucial to distinguish between normal muscle soreness and potential injuries.

Red Flags: When to Seek Medical Advice

If you experience any of the following symptoms, it’s best to consult a healthcare professional:

Sharp, constant, or worsening pain
Pain in areas of previous injuries or surgeries
Visible swelling, bruising, or deformity
Pain that doesn’t improve with rest, ice, or anti-inflammatory medications
Fever, chills, nausea, or vomiting accompanying the pain
Sleep disturbances due to pain

In these cases, active recovery could potentially exacerbate the underlying issue, making professional evaluation crucial.

Incorporating Active Recovery into Your Fitness Routine

To maximize the benefits of active recovery, it’s essential to integrate it strategically into your overall fitness plan. Here are some tips to help you get started:

1. Schedule Regular Active Recovery Days

Dedicate specific days in your workout schedule for active recovery. This approach ensures you’re giving your body the opportunity to heal and adapt without completely halting physical activity.

2. Listen to Your Body

Pay attention to how your body feels after intense workouts. If you’re experiencing significant soreness, it might be a good time to incorporate some active recovery exercises.

3. Adjust Intensity Appropriately

Remember that active recovery workouts should be low-intensity. Aim for a heart rate of 30% to 60% of your maximum to ensure you’re not overexerting yourself.

4. Experiment with Different Activities

Try various forms of active recovery to find what works best for you. Some people might prefer yoga, while others might enjoy light cycling or swimming.

Complementary Strategies for Muscle Recovery

While active recovery is a powerful tool, it’s not the only way to support muscle healing and reduce soreness. Consider incorporating these complementary strategies into your recovery routine:

1. Proper Nutrition

Fueling your body with the right nutrients is crucial for muscle recovery. Focus on:

Adequate protein intake to support muscle repair
Complex carbohydrates to replenish energy stores
Anti-inflammatory foods like berries, leafy greens, and fatty fish
Staying hydrated to support overall bodily functions

2. Quality Sleep

Sleep is when your body does most of its repair work. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night to support muscle recovery and overall health.

3. Stress Management

Chronic stress can impede recovery and increase inflammation. Incorporate stress-reduction techniques such as meditation, deep breathing exercises, or engaging in hobbies you enjoy.

4. Compression Garments

Some athletes find that wearing compression garments during or after workouts can help reduce muscle soreness and improve recovery.

The Science Behind Active Recovery: Research and Findings

As the fitness industry continues to evolve, researchers are uncovering more evidence supporting the benefits of active recovery. Let’s examine some of the key findings:

1. Impact on Performance

A study published in the Journal of Sports Sciences found that active recovery between high-intensity interval training (HIIT) sessions resulted in better maintenance of power output compared to passive recovery.

2. Effect on Lactate Clearance

Research in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness demonstrated that active recovery was more effective than passive recovery in clearing blood lactate after intense exercise.

3. Psychological Benefits

A study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research revealed that athletes who engaged in active recovery reported lower levels of perceived exertion during subsequent workouts compared to those who used passive recovery methods.

Tailoring Active Recovery to Your Fitness Level

The beauty of active recovery lies in its adaptability. Whether you’re a beginner or an elite athlete, you can tailor your active recovery routine to suit your fitness level and goals.

For Beginners

If you’re new to exercise or returning after a long break, consider these active recovery options:

Gentle stretching routines
Short walks
Light yoga sessions
Slow-paced swimming

For Intermediate Exercisers

As your fitness improves, you can gradually increase the intensity of your active recovery workouts:

Longer, brisker walks
Light jogging
Dynamic stretching routines
Moderate-intensity cycling

For Advanced Athletes

Experienced athletes can incorporate more challenging activities into their active recovery routine, while still maintaining a lower intensity than their regular workouts:

Cross-training with different sports or activities
Light resistance training with focus on form and technique
Dynamic yoga flows
Tempo runs at a conversational pace

Active Recovery for Different Types of Training

The ideal active recovery strategy can vary depending on your primary form of exercise. Let’s explore how to tailor active recovery for different training modalities:

1. Strength Training

After intense weightlifting sessions, consider these active recovery options:

Light bodyweight exercises focusing on mobility
Yoga flows emphasizing strength and flexibility
Swimming or water aerobics to reduce joint stress

2. Endurance Training

For runners, cyclists, and other endurance athletes, try:

Easy-paced versions of your primary activity (e.g., slow jog for runners)
Cross-training with low-impact activities like cycling or swimming
Dynamic stretching routines to maintain flexibility

3. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

After HIIT workouts, focus on:

Light, steady-state cardio
Gentle yoga or Pilates
Foam rolling to address muscle tightness

Overcoming Common Active Recovery Challenges

While the benefits of active recovery are clear, implementing it consistently can present some challenges. Here are solutions to common obstacles:

1. Time Constraints

Finding time for active recovery can be difficult in busy schedules. Try these strategies:

Incorporate short, 10-15 minute active recovery sessions throughout your day
Replace some passive leisure activities (e.g., watching TV) with light movement
Use active commuting methods like walking or cycling when possible

2. Motivation Issues

Staying motivated for active recovery can be challenging when you’re sore or tired. To overcome this:

Choose activities you genuinely enjoy
Set small, achievable goals for your active recovery sessions
Partner with a friend for accountability and social interaction

3. Overexertion During Recovery

It’s easy to push too hard during active recovery, defeating its purpose. To avoid this:

Use a heart rate monitor to stay within the recommended 30-60% of your maximum heart rate
Focus on how you feel rather than performance metrics
Remember that the goal is recovery, not improvement

The Future of Active Recovery: Emerging Trends and Technologies

As our understanding of exercise science evolves, so do the methods and technologies associated with active recovery. Here are some emerging trends to watch:

1. Wearable Technology

Advanced fitness trackers and smartwatches are beginning to incorporate recovery metrics, helping users optimize their active recovery routines based on personalized data.

2. Virtual Reality (VR) Workouts

VR technology is being used to create immersive, low-intensity exercise experiences that make active recovery more engaging and enjoyable.

3. Personalized Recovery Programs

AI-driven apps are emerging that can create tailored active recovery plans based on an individual’s workout history, fitness level, and recovery needs.

4. Mindfulness Integration

There’s a growing emphasis on combining physical active recovery with mindfulness practices to enhance both mental and physical recuperation.

As we continue to uncover the benefits of active recovery, it’s clear that this approach to post-exercise care is more than just a trend. By incorporating active recovery into your fitness routine, you can enhance your performance, reduce muscle soreness, and cultivate a more sustainable and enjoyable exercise practice. Remember to listen to your body, stay consistent, and don’t hesitate to consult with fitness professionals or healthcare providers to create an active recovery plan that best suits your individual needs and goals.

Active Recovery Workouts and How They Can Ease Muscle Soreness

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

A different soreness happens when you try a new exercise or a new movement. It usually occurs hours or even a day or two later. Called delayed onset muscle soreness or DOMS, this can involve actual damage to muscles. To avoid this type of pain, experts recommend that when you try an unfamiliar sport or activity, you cut the duration by one-third. DOMS can also happen when you perform a familiar activity but you go extra hard.

Experts once thought that DOMS was due to lactic acid buildup in muscles, but they now recognize that’s not actually true. While the body forms lactic acid when it calls on stored energy, that excess lactic acid disappears rapidly when the period of exertion ends. It doesn’t cause soreness that can persist days later.

When you have any type of muscle pain after exercising, you have two options: passive recovery or active recovery. Passive recovery is resting the body. This type of recovery is good for strains and other injuries. For other post-exercise aches and pains, though, experts recommend active recovery, which can be almost any type of light exercise.

Active recovery works because it increases blood flow to the muscles and joints. This improved blood supply takes away toxins and brings in fresh nutrients for healing.

Active recovery workouts should be moderate in intensity. Aim at a heart rate of 30% to 60% of your maximum. Studies show that recovery workouts are less effective when they are hard or vigorous.

There are many exercise options for active recovery. It’s smart to choose an activity that you like so your recovery will be as helpful to your body as your mind. Some active recovery workouts include:

Low-intensity exercise. It’s OK to use your regular form of exercise for an active recovery workout. Just remember to dial down the intensity. If you walk or jog, do it at a pace that makes it possible to carry on a conversation. A bike ride is another option. You can even do weight training if you decrease your weight, repetitions, or both.

Yoga. Yoga, and especially slow-paced disciplines like yin yoga, are great for recovery. Yoga can refresh you mentally and psychologically while aiding your physical recovery.

Foam rolling. Some people find relief from sore muscles by using a foam roller, which combines the benefits of exercise and massage. To try this method, place the roller between the floor and the sore area of the body. Slowly roll on it to put light pressure on the muscles.

Foam rolling can be uncomfortable, and beginners should use it in small doses while avoiding pressure on bones and joints.

Swimming and water exercise. Working out in water allows you to benefit from the pressure of the water on the body, which can be compared to the sensation of a light massage. This pressure improves circulation while minimizing stress on the joints.

In one study of runners, those who used swimming for recovery outperformed a passive recovery group on a run the following day.

Pain that exceeds normal soreness means that you may need rest or medical care. Besides taxing the muscles, exercise can put stress on bones, tendons, and cartilage. Pain in these areas is likely to be due to an injury. Active recovery strategies could make the injury worse.

See your doctor if you have any of these symptoms after exercise:

Pain that is constant, sharp, or worsening
Pain in the area of a previous injury or surgery
A painful area that looks deformed, bruised, or swollen
Pain that doesn’t improve with rest, icing, or anti-inflammatory medications
Pain combined with fever, chills, nausea, or vomiting
Pain that interferes with sleep

Rest: Taking a day off gives your body a chance to repair itself and replenishes your energy. Jennifer Rulon, a seven-time Ironman triathlete and triathlon coach, says the second day after an intense workout can be the toughest. So she suggests doing light exercise the day after a heavy workout, then taking off the next day.

Ice: Icing for 20 to 30 minutes can lessen blood flow to sore muscles, which often reduces swelling and pain. And remember: Just because you can’t see muscles swelling doesn’t mean they are not inflamed. Be sure to put a towel between the ice pack and your skin and stick to the time limit (20-30 minutes) to protect your skin.

Heat: If your muscles still ache after 48 hours, try applying some heat (carefully). It can stimulate blood flow to your muscles to ease tightness and help them feel better. Try a warm (not hot) towel or heating pad. But be careful. Take care and watch your body’s response. In some cases, heat can further inflame muscles. Follow manufacturer instructions to avoid skin burns, and avoid direct contact with any heating device.

Stretching: A gentle stretching routine can help break the cycle of tight sore muscles. Talk to your health care provider or a physical therapist if you’re unsure where to start, especially if you have any injuries.

Massage: It can relieve muscle tension, boost blood flow, and increase the range of motion in your joints. It’s also a great mood lifter. When your muscles are sore, a gentle massage is best. Light pressure may be better for recovery than a deep-tissue massage. Or try tender-point acupressure in which a massage therapist applies pressure and holds it directly on the tender areas.

Medication: You can try an anti-inflammatory medication. Over-the-counter versions can reduce swelling and relieve pain. Try aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen.

Compression garments: Wearing compression sleeves during or after a workout can help decrease muscle soreness afterward and help you recover for your next workout. Sleeves might go over your calves when you run, and over your arms when you lift weights. Your health care team can help find the right fit for you.

Nutrition: Make sure you get enough nutrients to feed your tired muscles and replenish your energy stores. A good balance of protein, fat, and carbohydrates is important. In general, protein helps with muscle repair and carbohydrates help replenish energy stores after aerobic exercise. Be sure to get enough water and electrolytes (essential minerals like sodium, potassium, and magnesium) too.

Top Picks

Benefits, Risks, When to Seek Help, and More

petesphotography/Getty Images

Overview

If your muscles are sore, you might wonder if you should continue with your workouts or rest. In some cases, active recovery exercise like stretching and walking can be beneficial to sore muscles. But the decision to continue depends on the severity of soreness and symptoms you’re experiencing.

Read on to learn more about when it’s all right to work out sore, and when you should rest and recover.

If you’re slightly sore, an “active” recovery may be beneficial. It may feel good to:

stretch out sore muscles
do light resistance exercises, such as core strengthening workouts
do low-intensity cardio, such as walking or swimming

You can also focus on muscle groups that you didn’t work previously. For example, add in an arm weight workout the day after a run.

In addition to feeling good, light recovery exercise may offer other health benefits. Mobility, or full-range, exercises like walking or easy cycling lead to more blood pumping through the muscles. This increase in blood flow may help you recover from soreness sooner. That is, as long as you aren’t overloading or challenging the muscles more.

Recovery exercises may even offer the same benefits as getting a massage. One study compared soreness in a group of participants 48 hours after they performed upper trapezius muscle exercises.

Some participants received a 10-minute massage following the workout. Others performed exercises with a resistance band. Researchers concluded that both recoveries were equally effective in temporarily helping with delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), but more research is needed.

Muscle damage and muscle growth

Microscopic tears in the muscle, or a breakdown in muscle tissue, likely causes DOMS after a workout. Trying a new type of exercise or increasing the intensity can increase how sore you are in the days following a workout.

Over time, though, your muscles become resilient to that exercise. They won’t break down or tear as easily.

In response to micro tears, the body will use satellite cells to fix the tears and build them up more over time. This protects against future damage and leads to muscle growth.

It’s important to get enough protein in your diet and allow your muscles to rest for this process to occur.

Gentle recovery exercises can be beneficial. But overtraining can be harmful and even dangerous for your health.

If you experience the following symptoms, it’s important to take time off from exercise and allow your body to rest. Let your doctor know about any of the following:

increased resting heart rate
depression or mood changes
increased amount of colds or other illness
overuse injuries
muscle or joint pain
constant fatigue
insomnia
decreased appetite
worsening of athletic performance or little improvement, even after rest

Soreness can feel uncomfortable, but shouldn’t be very painful. The discomfort usually decreases 48 to 72 hours later.

Symptoms of an athletic injury may include:

sharp pain
feeling uncomfortable or nauseated
pain that won’t go away
swelling
tingling or numbness
areas of black or blue marks
loss of function to the injured area

If you experience these symptoms, see your doctor. They may recommend at-home treatments like ice or medication. For a more serious injury, your doctor may use X-rays to help them plan out further treatment.

To prevent DOMS, cool down after exercising. Unlike a warmup, during a cooldown you’re gradually bringing your heart rate down and adjusting your body back to a resting state.

Start with a gentle walk or easy spin on a stationary bike for 5 to 10 minutes. Stretching for the next 5 to 10 minutes can also help clear out lactic acid from the body. Lactic acid builds up when you exercise and can cause a burning feeling in your muscles. Clearing it out will allow you to bounce back sooner when you next work out.

You can also use a foam roller to release any tension after exercise.

In the days following your muscle soreness, these recovery workouts may help prevent or reduce soreness:

yoga
stretching or resistance band exercises
walking or easy hiking
swimming laps
easy cycling

If you’re starting a new fitness routine or trying a new type of exercise for the first time, it’s important to go slow at first. Gradually increasing the intensity and frequency of exercise will help prevent soreness. And remember to always get your doctor’s approval before starting a new exercise routine.

Depending on your fitness level and how sore you are, you can usually resume workouts within a few days to a week following recovery. Work with a certified fitness professional to create an exercise regimen that’s safe and effective for you.

In most cases, gentle recovery exercises like walking or swimming are safe if you’re sore after working out. They may even be beneficial and help you recover faster. But it’s important to rest if you’re experiencing symptoms of fatigue or are in pain.

See a doctor if you believe you’re injured, or if the soreness doesn’t go away after a few days.

Even professional athletes take days off. Working rest and recovery days into your regular exercise routine will allow you to perform better the next time you hit the gym.

Is it possible to train when muscles hurt?

There is an opinion: if your muscles hurt after a previous workout, then you need to move as much as possible so that they stop hurting. Is it true? The experts answered this question.

Tags:

Netlenka

Sport

Sports

Sport and health

Athletic body

Unsplash

Muscle pain is mainly the result of muscle tension of the first type after exercise to which you are not accustomed.

According to Dr. Grant K. Radermacher, Athletic Consultant, muscle soreness is caused by micro-tearing caused by new exercise. “This microtrauma then triggers an inflammatory response in the body. As a result, muscle soreness can lead to reduced range of motion, loss of strength, and inflammation,” he stressed.

Benefits of exercising during pain

The most important thing is to listen to your body. If it hurts you to perform everyday tasks, then it’s still better to give your body the rest it needs. But if inflammation is minimal, then training through pain may have some benefits for muscle recovery.

ADVERTISING – CONTINUED BELOW

Increased blood flow: low intensity workouts will increase blood flow to the affected area, which will help reduce the sensation of pain.

Habit formation: If you experience pain after a workout, you can stop going to the gym for a long time. But if you gather your thoughts and come back to practice the next day, this will increase your motivation to return to training again and again. Refusing to exercise for a long period, you expose your body to the risk of again losing the strength that you managed to gain. Thus, your body becomes weaker, and therefore more vulnerable to injury.

What are the risks

The most potential risk is full injury. Therefore, in the case of training with sore muscles, it is necessary to change the intensity or muscle groups that the exercises are aimed at.

How to determine whether it is a trauma or a microtrauma?

To decide whether or not to exercise again the next day after an intense workout, make sure you are not injured. Determining if you have an injury and simple muscle pain is quite easy:

Sharp and prolonged pain

Ordinary muscle pain comes and goes within a few days, but the injury hurts immediately after it occurs and lasts longer. Pain from an injury begins immediately or within the first 24 hours, experts say, and is accompanied by characteristic symptoms, such as bruising, inflammation, sharp pain, or decreased range of motion in a person with muscle tension.

Sudden sharp pain

If you are at the gym, make a wrong move, and suddenly feel pain in a part of your body, you may have been injured. Stop doing the exercise immediately and contact the trainer on duty for advice and first aid.

Swelling and radiating pain

Experts believe that swelling is a bad sign, as it is part of the body’s natural inflammatory process at the site of injury. The same with radiating pain is a sign that your nervous system is involved.

How to prevent muscle pain

It is impossible to completely prevent muscle pain, because without microcracks, they will not strengthen. However, it is possible to reduce the degree of pain.

Stretching

Before any strength training, you must first warm up your muscles: do exercises that include all muscle groups to prepare them for the main part of the workout.

Start slowly

Do not chase after the number of repetitions – it is better to do each exercise little by little, but qualitatively and to the best of your ability.

Active Recovery

A great option for muscle recovery is using a massage roller or hand massage, stretching, yoga and swimming.

Drink more

You sweat a lot during physical activity, so you need to rehydrate. This will not only help lubricate the joints, but also soothe inflammation.

In any case, always listen to your feelings and don’t overdo it.

How often do you go to the gym? Are your muscles already accustomed to frequent physical activity?

Can you exercise if your muscles are still sore? Is this normal and how can I reduce the pain? – Coach allowed – Blogs

Coach allowed

Blog

We answer one of the most popular questions about amateur sports.

Short answer : Yes, but why? If you feel an overwhelming desire to go to the gym, at least try not to overload the muscles that have not yet recovered. In addition, you must be sure that the pain is caused by muscle growth, and not by injury.

Dormancy or delayed muscle pain syndrome is a common condition that athletes typically experience for some time after exercise. In a novice athlete, discomfort can last up to five to seven days. In an experienced person, muscles usually ache only after super-intense workouts. Usually pain does not occur immediately: it can only come on the second or third day after training. This is fine.

Why do muscles hurt?

Krepatura is traditionally associated with the accumulation of lactic acid in muscle tissue. In this case, the acid, or rather the products of its decay, are excreted from the body within a maximum of 72 hours. The causes of further pain are still not fully understood, but most researchers agree that burning can be caused by damaged cell membranes, which are formed as a result of micro-tears in muscle tissue and are gradually eliminated from the body. In any case, these processes are natural and not dangerous, and therefore in themselves cannot be an obstacle to training.

At the same time, it must be remembered that muscle pain can also be caused by injuries – sprains or tears. And if the athlete’s pain threshold is high enough, he may not pay attention to this pain. If you see a bruise or swelling on the body – training should be suspended, and if necessary, if the swelling does not subside and the pain does not go away for a long time – consult a doctor.

How to train if your muscles hurt?

If there is no injury, but the muscles hurt, and you want to train, you should follow these recommendations:

1. Try to alternate workouts for different muscle groups to give them more time to recover.

2. Be sure to do a good warm-up before training. It is important to warm up all muscle groups in order to reduce pain.

3. If pain is preventing you from maintaining proper posture, stretching between workouts will help. If the body still does not obey you, it is better to refuse training – otherwise there is a risk of injury.

4. If the pain persists for several days (for example, if you are a beginner, you have taken a long break from training, or you have started a new weight program), reconsider your training plan: an increased frequency of training and even fewer repetitions will help.

5. Cooldowns and stretches will help reduce the time it takes to remove lactic acid from the muscles, make time for them in the final part of the workout.

6. Pay attention to your diet: prolonged muscle pain may indicate that your body does not have enough nutrients to effectively repair tissues.

And most importantly, remember that pain is not a sign of effective training. If you exercise regularly and eat right, the body will gradually adapt to the stress and the pain will come to naught. In the future, increase the load gradually, and evaluate the effectiveness of the program according to objective criteria – the growth of muscle mass, endurance and reduction of body fat.

You can ask your question in a special form or in the comments to this post.