Intense exercise, whether it be weight lifting, endurance activities or sports, often leads to muscle soreness. This happens due to several factors, including microscopic muscle tears, nutrient depletion and general overuse. Muscle recovery is an important issue for any athlete, and one that is often overlooked. Allowing adequate time for your muscles to heal, reducing swelling and providing proper nutrients to your body are all important factors for quick muscle recovery.
Step 1
Stretch after physical activities and workouts. Stretching promotes blood flow to tired muscles and helps deliver the essential nutrients needed to repair damaged tissue.
Step 2
Drink plenty of water. After intense physical activities, the body is often left dehydrated. Replenishing the body's water supply helps speed up recovery and heal sore muscles. Sports drinks with added electrolytes help to replace nutrients lost during intense exercise.
Step 3
Rest sore muscles. When muscles are sore they need time to repair themselves. Avoid strenuous activities that use sore muscle groups, and don't resume exercise until muscle soreness is completely gone.
Step 4
Give you body the nutrients it needs to rebuild damaged muscles. Amino acids are the building blocks of muscle cells and are found in protein sources such as lean meats, poultry and fish. Nutritional supplements such as multivitamin and mineral formulations are also a valuable source of essential nutrients that aid in muscle recovery.
Step 5
Ice sore muscles to reduce swelling. Damaged muscle tissue often swells with fluid after intense physical activity. Apply ice, 20 minutes on and then 20 minutes off, to reduce muscle swelling and soreness.
Step 6
Get massage therapy to relax tight muscles, promote blood flow and reduce pain in fatigued muscle groups. Massage also helps restore range of motion that is often restricted after intense workouts.
Tips and Warnings
- Always take the necessary steps before exercising to limit muscle soreness after a workout. Eating right, stretching and getting adequate rest before engaging in strenuous activities helps promote faster muscle recovery and reduced post-activity pain.
Things You'll Need
- Ice packs
- Vitamin and mineral supplements
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