Dominic Stone
Muscle pain, or myalgia, is a common condition that can be caused by a variety of factors, including injury, overuse, disease, and stress. While it is usually temporary and benign, chronic or persistent muscle pain may indicate a more serious underlying condition and should be assessed by a doctor. Fortunately, there are several effective strategies to help ease muscle soreness and speed up recovery.
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What You'll Learn
Rest and hydration
Getting enough sleep is critical for muscle recovery. Sleep gives your muscles time to recover from exercise, and people who exercise intensely need even more rest than the average person. Research has found that sleep deprivation may impair muscle recovery by impairing the body's inflammation reaction and the production of hormones that aid muscle growth. Some professional athletes sleep 10 hours or more per night.
While it's important to rest, this doesn't mean you should spend the day on the couch. Try to get some gentle movement through activities like restorative yoga, an easy walk, swim, or cycle, or even light resistance training. The key is to avoid doing another intense workout using the same muscle groups on consecutive days. On a scale of 0 to 10 (where 10 is maximum intensity), aim for a level of 3. Getting the blood moving to the sore muscles will deliver oxygen and nutrients needed for repair without causing more damage to the muscle tissues.
Hydration is also essential to exercise performance and recovery. Dehydration can impair your muscles' ability to repair themselves. You're especially prone to becoming dehydrated if you exercise in hot or humid weather. Water helps transport oxygen and nutrients to your muscles, which is critical for repairing the tiny tears caused by exercise. It also helps to flush out metabolic waste and toxins, like lactic acid, preventing delayed muscle soreness and promoting quicker recovery.
To avoid dehydration, it is recommended that people drink 1.5 litres (L) for every kg lost during exercise. This equates to roughly 3 cups of fluid for every pound lost. As a general guide, the American Council on Exercise recommends drinking at least 17 ounces of water 2 hours before exercising, followed by 7-10 ounces every 10-20 minutes during exercise. After your workout, hydrate again with 16-24 ounces of water for every pound of body weight lost.
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Massage and stretching
Massage
Massage therapy can be an excellent way to recover from muscle aches and soreness. Massage therapy can help alleviate soreness by aiding circulation and flexibility, and reducing pain and inflammation. It can also help restore blood flow to sore muscles, whether they are sore from overuse or underuse. Massage therapy can be done in various ways, including professional massages, self-massage, or sitting in a massage chair.
According to scientists at the Wyss Institute and Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, consistent and repeated forces applied to injured muscles can help them recover faster and stronger. This is because the compression squeezes inflammation-causing cells out of the muscle tissue, improving muscle recovery after injury.
Stretching
Stretching is an essential component of the cool-down phase after a workout. The main goals of stretching exercises are to enhance the range of motion, flexibility, and to reduce stiffness and delayed onset muscle soreness. Stretching can help alleviate soreness and pain, and careful, gentle stretching can help prevent stiffness while muscles recover.
Combining Massage and Stretching
Combining massage and stretching can be beneficial for muscle recovery. Self-massage techniques such as compression and squeezing can be used to release toxins from the muscles, followed by a series of light stretches with long holds. This can help improve blood flow and reduce muscle soreness.
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Heat and cold therapy
Cold therapy, also known as cryotherapy, works by reducing blood flow to a particular area, which can significantly reduce inflammation and swelling that cause pain, especially around a joint or a tendon. It can also reduce painful muscle spasms. Be sure to immediately ice a new injury to keep swelling in check and reduce the pain of pressure on the injury. Cold therapy should be used for short periods of time, several times a day. Ten to fifteen minutes is fine, and no more than 20 minutes of cold therapy should be used at a time to prevent nerve, tissue, and skin damage.
Heat therapy, on the other hand, improves blood flow to the area where the heat is applied. It opens blood vessels, which can assist the healing process and alleviate some of the pain. Heat can also help loosen muscles when tension headaches strike. Use a heating pad or a warm towel to help relieve muscle aches and tension. Be sure to not cause yourself more pain and avoid burns by using a towel between the heating pad and your skin. Heat therapy should utilize "warm" temperatures instead of "hot" ones. If you use heat that's too hot, you can burn the skin. If you have an infection and use heat therapy, there is a chance that it could increase the risk of the infection spreading. Heat applied directly to a local area, like with heating packs, should not be used for more than 20 minutes at a time. If you experience increased swelling, stop the treatment immediately. If heat therapy hasn’t helped lessen any pain or discomfort after a week, or the pain increases within a few days, make an appointment to see your doctor.
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Reducing inflammation
To reduce inflammation, one can try cold therapy. For recent injuries or acute, throbbing pain, cold therapy can help by reducing inflammation and swelling. Try an ice pack on your sore muscles or soak them in a cold bath. If possible, elevate the feet to minimize inflammation.
Regular exercise can also help reduce inflammation. A study from Duke University demonstrated that human muscle has an innate ability to ward off the damaging effects of chronic inflammation when exercised. The muscle cells were capable of taking anti-inflammatory actions all on their own. The study also showed that two drugs used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, tofacitinib and baricitinib, have the same anti-inflammatory effect as exercise.
Staying hydrated is another way to reduce inflammation. Drink 6–8 glasses of water each day. If hot weather or exercise causes a person to sweat more than usual, they will need to drink more than this. Dehydration may cause muscle aches.
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Nutrition and supplements
Some supplements that may aid muscle recovery include creatine, branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), and omega-3 fatty acids. Creatine is a well-studied and effective ergogenic supplement that improves muscle strength and power. It is particularly useful for short, intense periods of muscle work, such as weightlifting or sprinting. Branched-chain amino acids may reduce soreness, minimize muscle injuries, and reduce inflammation. Omega-3 fatty acids, found in foods like fish, algae, walnuts, flaxseed, and chia seeds, have anti-inflammatory properties that can aid in muscle recovery.
It is important to consume a balanced diet to restore electrolytes like sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium, which are crucial for muscle contraction and fluid regulation. Proper hydration is also key to muscle recovery as water helps transport nutrients to muscles, remove waste, and maintain fluid balance.
In addition to these general guidelines, some specific foods that can help with muscle recovery include bananas, berries, spinach, eggs, and taro root. These foods provide essential nutrients like potassium, calcium, and vitamin C, which can help reduce inflammation and support tissue repair.
It is worth noting that while supplements can be beneficial, it is recommended to consult a doctor before starting any new supplement regimen to ensure safety and minimize potential side effects.
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Frequently asked questions
Here are some ways to recover from muscle aches:
- Rest and sleep
- Drink plenty of water and stay hydrated
- Eat a balanced diet with protein and carbohydrates
- Light stretching and yoga
- Massage the affected area
- Use a heating pad or ice pack
The recommended amount is 6-8 glasses of water each day. However, if you are exercising or sweating more than usual, you will need to drink more. It is recommended to drink about 13 to 20 ounces of water about two hours before exercising and 5 to 10 ounces every 15 to 20 minutes during exercise.
Yes, stress can cause muscle aches. Stress makes it harder for the body to fight off disease and inflammation. Learning relaxation techniques and removing yourself from stressful situations can help combat stress-related muscle aches.
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