Dealing with Muscle Soreness

The feeling of tired muscles after a workout can be one of the most gratifying experiences in the world. It’s a rite of passage given to those who push a for a little more from their workouts in the pursuit of bigger, more functional muscles. However, no one likes feeling like a baby deer the day after leg day.

Sore muscles can become a problem that leads some individuals to skip the next day of training because the pain can become unbearable. In some cases, extreme soreness can be dangerous if you lose control of the weights you are using. Here are some ways to help deal with muscle soreness.

Alternate Ice and Heat

Often muscles will get sore from an increase in swelling during the repair process. By applying an ice-pack, or that frozen broccoli you are going to eat for dinner, you can help reduce swelling in the affected areas and make the pain more manageable. Once the swelling has been reduced, using a heat pack or topical solution can help loosen the muscle and further remove the soreness as blood flow increases.

Massage Therapy

Massaging sore muscles can help release some of the tension that has built up, allowing your muscles to relax. It is important to avoid deep tissue massage because the muscle is repairing itself. Instead, reduce your muscle soreness through stretching and surface massage techniques or invest in a foam roller to help ease the tension.

Tough it Out

In most cases, muscle soreness is caused by normal use and not overuse. In this case, it’s best to put them to work again. Light exercise on the affected muscles can help increase blood flow and loosen them up. However, be careful about doing any exercise or lifting that is too strenuous to avoid tearing, straining or pulling the muscle.