Active Recovery Workouts and How They Can Ease Muscle Soreness

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

In this Article

• Why You Get Sore After Exercise
• Why Active Recovery Workouts Help Ease Muscle Soreness
• Exercises for Active Recovery
• When Not to Use Active Recovery
• Other Ways to Ease Sore Muscles

Whether you’re a serious athlete or an occasional exerciser, you’ve probably felt the pain of muscle soreness after a hard workout. As long as you are just sore and not injured, you may feel better faster with an active recovery workout, vs. passive recovery (just resting your body).

Exercise can cause sore muscles.

Active recovery workouts don’t need to take up too much of your time. They also don’t need to be hard – they shouldn’t be – and may include low-intensity exercise, yoga, swimming, or foam rolling.

Muscles grow and get stronger when you work them hard enough to cause tiny tears in the muscle tissue. It’s a natural process, but it can still cause mild discomfort. 

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

Muscle Soreness After Exercise: Causes and Treatments

If you’ve ever done a new or tough workout, you’re probably not a stranger to sore muscles that hit you afterward. Maybe you were achy before you even left the gym. Or maybe you felt great after your workout but couldn’t lift your arms above your head by the time you got out of bed the next day. Both scenarios are normal. 

Although post-exercise muscle soreness is expected, let’s not pretend it’s pleasant. If you’re like most people, you want to know what you can do to make it go away — and fast. 

Here, learn about the different types of muscle soreness, what causes muscle soreness after exercise, and what you can do to prevent and treat it, especially with exercises from Hinge Health physical therapists. 

Acute vs. Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness 

There are two types of muscle soreness: acute (right away) and delayed onset muscle soreness (sometimes called DOMS). You can experience either type of soreness after a workout that’s challenging for you. Both types are a good thing — they signal that you’re getting stronger — but they do differ in a few ways. Here’s how: 

• Acute muscle soreness is usually felt immediately after you’re done exercising. It’s caused by a buildup of certain substances within your muscle, such as lactic acid, during high-intensity exercise. This type of muscle soreness resolves quickly — usually within a couple of hours. 

• Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) usually starts about 12 hours after your workout and peaks around 48 hours post-workout. Rather than being related to lactic acid, DOMS is caused by changes in your muscles and the resulting repair process your body goes through. 

Tell Me More About My Sore Muscles

Post-exercise muscle soreness may seem like a sick joke. You’re doing something good for your body. Why does it have to hurt? The answer depends on what type of muscle soreness you experience. 

Acute muscle soreness is often due to a buildup of lactic acid. This is a substance that’s produced in your muscle cells and red blood cells that forms when your body breaks down carbohydrates to use for energy during exercise. After a hard workout, your muscles may have a lot of lactic acids built up. While this can contribute to temporary soreness, it generally clears out a couple of hours after stopping activity.

“Delayed onset muscle soreness is most likely due to the tiny microtears that can form in muscles,” explains Steven Goostree, PT, DPT, a physical therapist at Hinge Health. This creates an inflammatory response that’s the source of your discomfort. While microtears may sound like a bad thing, it’s not. The process your body goes through to repair those tiny tears is the very thing that makes your muscles stronger. 

So, ‘No Pain, No Gain’ — Right?

It’s important to know that if you’re not sore after a workout it doesn’t mean you’re not getting stronger or that you’re not challenging your body enough. “No pain, no gain” is a myth. Our Hinge Health physical therapists tell members all the time that more soreness is not equivalent to a better workout. So keep on moving!

How to Heal Your Sore Muscles

As frustrating as achy muscles can be, try not to let the soreness discourage you. And let’s not forget the silver lining: As you get stronger and your muscles become accustomed to different types of movements, you’re less likely to experience muscle soreness after exercise.

In the meantime, your muscle soreness will most likely peak between 24 and 72 hours after your activity and ease up on its own. But here are additional steps you can take to promote relief from sore muscles: 

• Stay active. If you’re sore, you may not want to jump right back into an intense workout. “But light activity, such as walking, may make you feel better since it increases blood flow to the area,” advises Dr. Goostree.

• Rub it out. Massaging a sore muscle can help relieve tightness and increase blood flow to the area, which can help with recovery. A 2017 study published in the Frontiers in Physiology journal found that a massage within 24 hours of intense exercise helped reduce soreness.

• Stretch. Light basic stretches that you hold for a few seconds can help increase blood flow to sore areas without overstressing muscles, says Dr. Goostree. Many Hinge Health members report using their exercise playlists for post-workout stretches. 

• Heat. While ice is often recommended to reduce inflammation, heat is often preferred for post-exercise soreness since it increases blood flow to the area, says Dr. Goostree. Even a warm bath or hot shower can help.

• Over-the-counter (OTC) creams and gels. Look for one that contains menthol or capsaicin, such as IcyHot and Aspercreme, to help ease muscle soreness. A 2020 study published in the Journal of Strength Conditioning and Research found that OTC creams and gels helped speed up recovery from exercise-induced microtears in the muscle.

• Compression garments. These are typically made from nylon, spandex, or similar material and fit tightly around the skin to apply gentle pressure to certain muscle groups. A 2016 review published in Physiology and Behavior concluded that they help to decrease post-workout muscle soreness. “This is probably due to increased blood flow from compression to the area,” says Dr. Goostree.

What About Pain Medication? 

You may be tempted to pop an over-the-counter pain reliever such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) to help relieve pain and muscle soreness after a workout. It might be worth reconsidering, though. 

One study found that ibuprofen did not alter muscle soreness among ultramarathoners, and was actually associated with higher levels of inflammation after running. Other studies point to long-term consequences of using NSAIDs for DOMS, such as a greater likelihood of experiencing kidney damage. 

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen work to stop the inflammatory process in the body, but your body needs the inflammatory response to repair muscle. Inhibiting inflammation can negatively affect long-term tissue healing, especially when higher dosages are used, according to the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

When to See a Doctor

Sore muscles are a sign that you’ve challenged them and they’re being built up. As unpleasant as the post-workout soreness is, it’s usually a good thing. In some cases though, pain can indicate that you’ve injured muscles, tendons, or even joints. See your doctor if: 

• Your muscle soreness lasts for more than a week

• Your pain is so bad you can’t move or do normal day-to-day activities

• You are dizzy or have trouble breathing

• Your sore muscles are red, swollen, or warm to touch 

• You notice pain in a surrounding joint, over the bones, or in a tendon

• Pain doesn’t seem to get better with at-home treatments, such as those mentioned above

How to Prevent Sore Muscles When You Exercise

As reassuring as it may be to know that sore muscles are actually a good thing, acute soreness, and DOMS are still unpleasant. Here’s what Hinge Health physical therapists recommend to minimize post-exercise pain and discomfort while building muscle and maximizing recovery: 

Warm-up. It increases blood flow to your muscles and reduces the risk of injury. “I recommend light cardio, such as a slow walk or cycling at a low setting on an exercise bike,” says Dr. Goostree. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to stretch as a part of your warm-up. Experts say that it doesn’t reduce your chances of developing muscle soreness. 

Drink plenty of water. It helps loosen joints and transports nutrients that your body needs to promote muscle healing. “Your muscles need a lot of water so if you are dehydrated, it can trigger cramps,” explains Dr. Goostree. 

Think light. Just did a tough workout? While you may want to wait 48 hours before the next one, you still want to do some light exercise that involves the sore muscles. So if you’re sore after a long run, take a short walk or bike ride and focus on strengthening your upper body muscles for a few days instead of vegging out on the couch.

Apply moist heat. Moist heat such as a warm towel or a hot water bottle may prevent soreness better than dry heat sources. If you’re worried about DOMS, it’s best to do this right after a workout as opposed to waiting until later in the day, according to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Medical Research. 

Cool down. “It’s very important to stretch after you exercise since muscles are more relaxed and flexible,” says Dr. Goostree. Research shows it can help reduce post-workout muscle soreness and aid in recovery.

Recover from Exercise with Movement

Dynamic stretches are any movement-based type of stretching that uses your muscles to bring about a stretch. They can help prevent and treat muscle soreness, says Dr. Goostree. The best muscle groups to focus on depend on your workout and personal factors, but the given exercises target large muscle groups that help most people. Those can be done before exercise if it feels good for you, or after exercise to prevent and alleviate soreness.  

The information contained in these videos is intended to be used for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice or treatment for any specific condition. Hinge Health is not your healthcare provider and is not responsible for any injury sustained or exacerbated by your use of or participation in these exercises. Please consult with your healthcare provider with any questions you may have about your medical condition or treatment.

PT Tip: Pile on the Protein

“Protein makes up the building blocks of your muscles. It helps increase muscle fibers, which enhances muscle strength and stability,” Dr. Goostree explains. Aim to get an extra serving of protein within 45 minutes of a hard workout. Try a protein shake, Greek yogurt, or a salad topped with grilled chicken breast. Be careful though about eating too much protein on a regular basis, especially if you are prone to kidney disease (talk to your doctor about this if you’re not sure).

Aches and Pains? Get Help from Hinge Health

We’ve got a full team of clinical experts to help you move past your pain — with the latest digital technology that works for you. Click here to see if you’re eligible.

This article and its contents are provided for educational and informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice or professional services specific to you or your medical condition.

Frequently Asked Questions

Get a Hinge Health care plan designed for you

References 

1. Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. (n.d.). American College of Sports Medicine. Retrieved from https://www.acsm.org/docs/default-source/files-for-resource-library/delayed-onset-muscle-soreness-%28doms%29.pdf

2. McCallum, K. (2021, October 19). Is Lactic Acid Buildup Really What Causes Muscle Soreness After a Workout? Houston Methodist. https://www.houstonmethodist.org/blog/articles/2021/oct/is-lactic-acid-buildup-really-what-causes-muscle-soreness-after-a-workout/ 

3. Guo, J., Li, L., Gong, Y., Zhu, R., Xu, J., Zou, J., & Chen, X. (2017). Massage Alleviates Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness after Strenuous Exercise: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Frontiers in Physiology, 8. doi:10.3389/fphys.2017.00747

4. Gillis, D. J., Vellante, A., Gallo, J. A., & D’Amico, A. P. (2020). Influence of Menthol on Recovery From Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 34(2), 451–462. doi:10.1519/jsc.0000000000002833

5. Marqués-Jiménez, D., Calleja-González, J., Arratibel, I., Delextrat, A., & Terrados, N. (2016). Are compression garments effective for the recovery of exercise-induced muscle damage? A systematic review with meta-analysis. Physiology & Behavior, 153, 133–148. doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.10.027

6. Nieman, D. C., Henson, D. A., Dumke, C. L., Oley, K., McAnulty, S. R., Davis, J. M., Murphy, E. A., Utter, A. C., Lind, R. H., McAnulty, L. S., & Morrow, J. D. (2006). Ibuprofen use, endotoxemia, inflammation, and plasma cytokines during ultramarathon competition. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 20(6), 578–584. doi:10.1016/j. bbi.2006.02.001

7. Lipman, G. S., Shea, K., Christensen, M., Phillips, C., Burns, P., Higbee, R., Koskenoja, V., Eifling, K., & Krabak, B. J. (2017). Ibuprofen versus placebo effect on acute kidney injury in ultramarathons: a randomised controlled trial. Emergency Medicine Journal, 34(10), 637–642. doi:10.1136/emermed-2016-206353

8. Dubois, B., & Esculier, J.-F. (2019). Soft-tissue Injuries Simply Need PEACE and LOVE. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 54(2), bjsports-2019-101253. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2019-101253

9. Kormos, W. (2015, July 17). Ask the doctor: Stretching before exercise Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/ask-the-doctor-stretching-before-exercise

10. Petrofsky, J., Berk, L., Bains, G., Khowailed, I. A., Hui, T., Granado, M., Laymon, M., & Leea, H. (2013). Moist Heat or Dry Heat for Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. Journal of Clinical Medical Research, 5(6), 416-425. doi:10. 4021/jocmr1521w

11. Sands, W. A., McNeal, J. R., Murray, S. R., Ramsey, M. W., Sato, K., Mizuguchi, S., & Stone, M. H. (2013). Stretching and Its Effects on Recovery. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 35(5), 30–36. doi:10.1519/ssc.0000000000000004

12. Rhabdomyolysis. (2019, April 22). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/rhabdo/who.html

Muscle pain after exercise

Diabetes mellitus

Lactic acidosis

Trauma

2080

03 March

Muscle pain: causes of occurrence, in what diseases it occurs, diagnosis and methods of treatment.

Definition

Muscle pain that occurs after physical exertion is called krepatura. Krepatura is a kind of indicator of stress on the muscles – the stronger the post-workout pain, the more stress the muscles experienced.

Varieties of muscle pain after exercise

There are several types of pain that occur after training:

• moderate post-training muscle pain – appears the next day after training, has a pulling character and increases with contraction or stretching of the corresponding muscle;
• delayed muscle pain – develops 2-3 days after training, has a strong aching character;
• traumatic muscle pain – occurs during exercise, immediately after or the next day, is acute and restrictive.

Possible causes of muscle pain after exercise

When muscles contract, they consume oxygen, which is necessary for their effective work – the more intense and more frequent the contractions, the more oxygen is required for muscle cells (myocytes).

If the muscles experience hypoxia (lack of oxygen), then another way of “extracting” energy is activated – anaerobic glycolysis.

Anaerobic glycolysis is the process of energy production by the cells of the body through various transformations of glucose with the release of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), occurring under anaerobic (oxygen-free) conditions. In other words, as a result of the breakdown of glucose, a certain amount of ATP molecules are released, which provide energy, and lactic acid (lactate), the excess of which leads to muscle soreness after exercise.

The content of lactate in the cells of a healthy person is from 0.6 to 1.3 mmol / l, according to this indicator, the quality and intensity of muscle oxygen saturation, the quality of carbohydrate metabolism are assessed. In some diseases accompanied by convulsions, lactate levels are higher than normal values.

Lactic acid is normally found in the cells of the liver, brain, muscles, heart and other organs.

In the liver, the process of reverse glycolysis takes place – a chain of chemical reactions, as a result of which glucose is obtained from lactic acid, which is used for further transformations with energy production.

Another cause of pain after exercise is muscle microtrauma. More often they occur in people who play sports irregularly. In an untrained person, myofibrils (the main contractile elements of muscles) of different lengths are present in muscle fibers – short and long. During eccentric exercises (when tense muscles lengthen under load), short myofibrils are torn.

What diseases can cause muscle pain

Lactic acid can accumulate not only in people involved in sports from time to time. The level of lactate increases with a number of diseases – such as diabetes, kidney damage, leukemia, sepsis, acute blood loss, etc.

A pathologically high level of lactic acid leads to the development of such a life-threatening condition as lactic acidosis, as a result of which the acidity of the body environment changes, which leads to dysfunction of all systems and organs at the cellular level.

Which doctors should I contact for muscle pain?

Before you start going to the gym or fitness center, it is advisable to undergo a preventive examination by
therapist and
cardiologist, to take a series of blood tests.

If any pathology is identified, the intensity of training, their volume, duration and frequency should be discussed with a fitness instructor or sports medicine doctor.

Diagnostics and examinations for muscle pain

As a rule, muscle pain after training goes away on its own. However, a preventive examination and research results will allow a trainer or fitness instructor to adjust individual training, preventing the development of muscle pain.

For the convenience of patients, the INVITRO laboratory has developed special examination complexes for men and women of different age groups (men over 25 years old, over 40 years old, over 50; women over 25 years old,
over 40 years old
older than 50), which include examinations by specialists and certain tests to assess the functioning of the body and identify the presence or risk of developing diseases of the bronchopulmonary, cardiovascular, endocrine and other systems.

What to do if you experience muscle pain after exercise?

The lack of trace elements in people involved in sports can cause malfunction of organ systems. There are a number of screening examinations that allow timely identification and replenishment of the level of missing substances.

Athletes, bodybuilders (correction of body composition)

Up to 2 working days

Available with home visit

5 125 RUB

Add to cart

Treatment of muscle pain after exercise

If muscle pain is caused only by an increase in the level of lactic acid after physical exertion, then to reduce its intensity, it is enough to follow a number of simple rules: This will restore blood supply to the muscles after training, and before training, smoothly reduce muscle oxygenation, which will lead to a decrease in the formation of lactic acid;

after training, you can take a hot bath (40 ° C), which contributes to peripheral vasodilation (vasodilation) and, accordingly, blood flow to the muscles and their increased blood supply. The recommended bath time is no more than 15 minutes. Hot baths are not recommended for patients with chronic diseases of the cardiovascular system and diabetes, so you must first consult with your doctor;

In chronic diseases (for example, diabetes mellitus, kidney pathology), the appearance of regular muscle pain may indicate a change in their course, so you should consult a doctor to determine a number of indicators of the biological environment of the body (blood, urine, etc.) and develop treatment tactics.

If bleeding is suspected (black loose stools, active nosebleeds, vomiting of “coffee grounds” or blood, hypotension – a drop in blood pressure, tachycardia – a rapid heartbeat), you should immediately seek medical help.

Sources:

1. European guidelines for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases in clinical practice (revised 2016) // Russian Journal of Cardiology, 2017, 6 (146): 7–85.
2. Rehabilitation and secondary prevention in patients with acute myocardial infarction with ST segment elevation // Russian Society for Cardiosomatic Rehabilitation and Secondary Prevention, Russian Society of Cardiology.
3. Clinical guidelines. Algorithms of specialized medical care for patients with diabetes mellitus // Diabetes mellitus. 2015;18(1S): 1-112. DOI: 10.14341/DM20151S1-112

IMPORTANT!

The information in this section should not be used for self-diagnosis or self-treatment. In case of pain or other exacerbation of the disease, only the attending physician should prescribe diagnostic tests. For diagnosis and proper treatment, you should contact your doctor.
For a correct assessment of the results of your analyzes in dynamics, it is preferable to do studies in the same laboratory, since different laboratories may use different research methods and units of measurement to perform the same analyzes.

Why does it occur and how to get rid of it? However, sometimes these effects are overshadowed by muscle pain that occurs the day after training and discourages all desire to exercise.

Lenta.ru found out what causes muscle discomfort, how to alleviate it, and for what symptoms you should immediately go to the doctor.

Why do muscles hurt after a workout?

Burning, heaviness and other discomfort in the muscles that occur after playing sports is called delayed muscle pain syndrome, or DOMS.

Symptoms usually appear about 12 hours after training, worsen after 24-72 hours and subside within 7 days

Photo: Frantic00 / Shutterstock / Fotodom Lentoy.ru identifies two main scenarios in which muscle pain may occur. “In the first case, the pain appears when a person is just getting acquainted with the sport – in my case, running – or returning to it after a long break. There is such pain due to the fact that the muscles have not yet adapted to the load – after being “drawn” into the training process, it goes away on its own, ”says Khoroshilov.

The second reason is high workload or intensive training. They lead to the accumulation of lactic acid, acidification of the muscles, after which the muscles begin to break down, causing pain. A good way to track this breakdown is to test for creatine kinase (CPK). An increase in this enzyme in the blood indicates muscle damage due to physical exertion.

How to get rid of muscle pain?

Although in most cases, muscle pain is a natural and harmless phenomenon, it can cause discomfort that distracts from daily activities. Lauren Murray, health fitness coordinator and personal trainer at the Houston Methodist Center, suggests taking a few steps to ease the pain.

Photo: PeopleImages.com — Yuri A / Shutterstock / Fotodom

What helps with muscle pain?

1. Keep moving. You can do a light cardio workout, a set of stretching exercises or yoga.

2. Be sure to warm up. Muscles must be ready to work, so before each workout, take a few minutes to warm-up exercises.

3. Adjust the program carefully. If you want to increase the intensity of your training, do it gradually, over several days or weeks, or better, consult a trainer first.

4. Take a sea salt bath to help relax your muscles and relieve pain.

5. Use painkillers. This will not speed up the healing process of the muscles, but will help to endure the associated discomfort.

6. Don’t forget about rest. When the muscles are constantly loaded, they do not have time to recover, which leads to more severe pain. Take a weekend away from sports, stick to proper nutrition, monitor sleep and hydration – be sure to drink water before and during training.

7. Alternate load. If you still feel that you are ready to practice every day, then at least try to divide your workouts into muscle groups – for example, increase the load on the legs one day, the arms on the next. This will provide enough time for each muscle group to recover before a new workout.

Photo: Branislav Nenin / Shutterstock / Fotodom

Prevention of muscle pain

Ruslan Khoroshilov notes that severe muscle pain can be avoided by taking a number of preventive and restorative measures.

How to prevent muscle pain?

Stretching

The simplest and most affordable muscle recovery prevention, which should be allocated at least 15-20 minutes a day after training.

Myofascial Release (MFR)

Self-massage with the help of special equipment – massage roll or massage balls – and your own hands helps to work out and relax muscles, relieve spasm and improve blood circulation. This is also an effective and fairly simple method, but it requires knowledge of massage techniques and consultation with a doctor.

Contraindications for MFR:

• varicose veins;
• thrombophlebitis;
• osteoporosis,
• oncological diseases;
• fresh injuries and colds, high fever;
• skin diseases;
• exacerbation of chronic diseases;
• open wounds and cuts.

Massage

According to Ruslan Khoroshilov, massage is a more expensive, but the most effective method of recovery.

For runners who do not have time to recover, I would recommend purchasing a percussion massager – of course, it is difficult to replace regular massage with it, but it also effectively restores muscles

Ruslan Khoroshilov running trainer pool exercises

Thermal treatments help muscles relax and recover after a workout. In addition, going to the bath or sauna has a positive effect on the elasticity and mobility of bones and cartilage. At the same time, this method of preventing muscle pain has many contraindications, and the total time spent in the steam room should not exceed half an hour.

Before you buy a gym membership or start running regularly in the fresh air, you should go through at least a few basic medical examinations: an examination by a general practitioner and a cardiologist, a blood test, an electrocardiogram at rest and after exercise. If the doctor detects deviations, the training program will need to be adjusted together with the trainer.