If you are new to exercising or work out more vigorously than you are used to, sore muscles are often the result. Muscle pain can develop anywhere in your body, but usually goes away within a few days. There are some things you can do to speed your recovery and prevent muscle pain from happening.
Causes
The muscle pain that results after exercising harder than usual or using muscles you haven't used in a while shows up within 12 to 48 hours after working out. It is called delayed-onset muscle soreness. It is caused from microscopic tears in the muscle tissue, which are later repaired by the body. The soreness comes from the damage to the muscles and the chemical waste products produced by the muscle, especially lactic acid.
Treatment
You can relieve some of the pain by gently stretching the affected muscles and massaging them, which may keep them from tightening up. Light cardiovascular training may help to get the blood and lymphatic systems working to flush out remaining waste products. Over the counter anti-inflammatories can help relieve the pain. If you have really overdone it, you may need to take a rest from exercising for a day or two and apply an ice pack to the muscle.
Prevention
To prevent sore muscles, begin by gently stretching each muscle group for at least 1 minute before and after workouts. Start and end your workouts with lighter exercise. Drink lots of water or a sports drink containing electrolytes. Finish each workout with a few minutes of light cardio to get the blood and lymphatic systems carrying away wastes. Other options are to have a massage or ice the affected muscle group immediately after hard workouts.
A small study reported in the online version of the "British Journal of Sports Medicine" in 2006 showed that college student exercisers who drank cherry juice for several days before and after muscle-damaging exercise had less muscle strength loss than controls who drank placebo juice. Average pain scores were less with the cherry juice and peaked at 24 hours, but continued to increase for those on the placebo juice.
Cautions
See your doctor if you have muscle pain that lasts longer than a week, redness or swelling around a sore muscle, or muscle pain or poor circulation in your legs. See your doctor immediately if you have sudden, severe pain that persists or recurs upon exercising, think you may have a serious strain or ruptured, have a rash or tick bite or have muscle pain after taking or increasing dosage of a medication, particularly a statin. If you have trouble breathing, dizziness, extreme muscle weakness or a high fever and stiff neck, get immediate medical care.
Member Comments