Dominic Stone
Muscle soreness is a common side effect of exercise, particularly after trying a new type of physical activity or increasing the intensity of a workout. The good news is that there are several ways to reduce muscle soreness and speed up recovery. Before exercising, it's important to warm up your muscles by increasing blood flow to them—this can be done through light versions of certain exercises, such as slow jogging, jumping rope, or dynamic stretching. After exercising, it's beneficial to cool down with static stretching to aid in recovery. Other methods to reduce muscle soreness include foam rolling, massage, applying heat or cold therapy, and consuming protein-rich foods or foods with anti-inflammatory properties. Staying hydrated is also an important aspect of muscle recovery.
How to reduce muscle ache
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Rest | Avoid strenuous activity and rest for a few minutes. Avoid complete rest and immobilization. |
| Stretch | Stretching is an important recovery step in reducing muscle soreness and preventing injuries. Static stretching can be done before exercise but is most important after activity. Kinetic stretching, or warming up muscles with movement, is also beneficial. |
| Warm-up | Warming up your muscles before exercise is important. Light versions of certain exercises can be done, such as slow jogging, jumping rope, or lifting light weights. |
| Cool-down | It is important to cool down after a workout. |
| Hydrate | Staying hydrated is an important aspect of muscle recovery. |
| Caffeine | Moderate doses of caffeine may cut your post-workout pain by almost 50%. |
| Massage | Massage can be used to treat sore muscles. |
| Foam rolling | Foam rolling is a type of self-myofascial release that releases muscle tension with self-massage. |
| Heat | Applying heat after exercising can reduce delayed onset muscle soreness. |
| Cold therapy | Applying an ice pack or a bag of frozen vegetables can reduce swelling and nerve activity. |
| Compression | Wrap the injury to reduce swelling and bruising. |
| Elevation | Keep the injury elevated to prevent swelling and reduce bruising. |
| Nutrition | Consuming protein-rich foods like eggs, dairy products, and lean meats can aid in muscle recovery. Tomatoes, olive oil, green leafy vegetables, nuts, fatty fish like salmon and tuna, and fruits (especially berries) have anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce muscle soreness. |
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What You'll Learn
Warm-up and cool-down routines
Warm-up Routine:
- Start with a slower version of your planned activity: If you're going to run, walk, or cycle, start at a slower pace for 5 to 10 minutes. The more intense the activity, the longer the warm-up.
- Increase intensity gradually: Gradually increase the pace or intensity of your warm-up movements to allow your body to adjust.
- Use your entire body: Engage your whole body in the warm-up, even if your upcoming workout focuses on specific muscle groups.
- Low-heart rate cardio: Opt for low-impact cardio exercises like walking on a treadmill or modified bent-knee push-ups to get your blood flowing and warm up your muscles.
- Dynamic warm-up: Consider a dynamic warm-up routine that involves active movements rather than static stretching. This can include exercises like lunges, squats, or arm circles.
Cool-down Routine:
- Reduce intensity gradually: After your workout, slowly decrease the intensity by reducing your walking speed for 5 to 10 minutes. This helps your heart rate and blood pressure return to normal levels and prevents light-headedness.
- Stretch: Stretching during the cool-down phase helps reduce the buildup of lactic acid, which can lead to muscle cramping and stiffness. Hold each stretch for 10 to 30 seconds, focusing on the muscles you targeted during your workout. Remember to breathe and exhale as you stretch, inhaling while holding the stretch.
- Foam rolling: Consider using a foam roller to release muscle tension and increase circulation, delivering more oxygen and nutrients to the affected areas. This can help reduce swelling and tenderness.
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Massage and foam rolling
Foam rolling is a popular recovery technique that can be easily incorporated into your routine. It involves using a cylindrical foam roller and body weight to massage the muscles. You place the roller on the floor under the sore muscle and slowly roll your body over it. It is recommended to start with a softer version of the roller and target large muscle groups like the leg muscles (quads, hamstrings, calves, glutes) and the back muscles. Foam rolling can be done soon after physical activity and every 24 hours thereafter to effectively reduce soreness.
In addition to foam rolling, other types of massage such as ice massages can also be beneficial. Ice massages can be done using ice packs or ice slush baths, which help to decrease swelling, pain, bruising, and muscle spasms. It is important to note that ice should not be applied directly to the skin.
Combining massage and foam rolling with other recovery techniques like stretching, hydration, and a healthy diet can further enhance muscle recovery and reduce soreness.
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Stretching
There are two types of stretching: static and kinetic. Static stretching, or holding a stretch without movement, can be done before exercise, but is most important after activity. Kinetic stretching, or warming up muscles with movement, is also beneficial. Your muscles will benefit the most when you combine kinetic stretching with static stretching.
It is important to be gentle when stretching to avoid further damage to the muscle groups. The stretches should be held for a count of 12, adjusting the pressure to relieve rather than cause soreness. If any stretching causes acute pain, stop and rest.
- Lie on your back with both knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Place your right ankle at the base of your left thigh. Then, place your hands behind your left thigh and pull up toward your chest until you feel a stretch. Hold this position for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Then, do the opposite side.
- With your hands and knees on the ground, sink back through your hips to rest them on your heels. Hinge at your hips as you fold forward, walking your hands out in front of you. Rest your belly on your thighs. Extend your arms in front of or alongside your body with your palms facing down. Focus on breathing deeply and relaxing any areas of tension or tightness. Hold this pose for up to 1 minute.
- Lie on your belly with your arms stretched forward, as if flying like Superman. Squeeze your buttocks, tuck your tailbone, and engage your abdominal muscles to protect your lower back. Slowly lift your upper body and legs off the floor. Hold for 5 breaths.
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Hydration and nutrition
Hydration is essential for muscle function and recovery. Dehydration can impair your muscles' ability to repair themselves and can affect your mood and concentration, causing headaches and irritability. It is recommended that people drink 1.5 litres of water for every kg lost during exercise. This equates to roughly 3 cups of fluid for every pound lost.
Drinking enough water is vital to keep the body functioning properly, and it can also help with flushing out waste products and facilitating the healing process. Athletes should be aware of their electrolyte intake during periods of activity, as electrolytes are essential for the body's muscles, organs, and joints. Electrolytes include salt and minerals such as potassium, phosphate, calcium, and magnesium. Salt is particularly important for nerve function and helping the body absorb nutrients into its cells.
In addition to hydration, nutrition is key to muscle recovery. Eating healthy foods and getting a good night's sleep are the most important steps to aid muscle recovery. A healthy, balanced diet rich in anti-inflammatory foods can support muscle recovery and potentially reduce pain. These include fruits and vegetables, fatty fish, and healthy fats such as avocados and nuts.
Protein is also important for muscle repair and rebuilding. Consuming a protein shake or a meal with lean protein sources like chicken breast or Greek yogurt immediately after a workout can help initiate muscle repair processes. Throughout the day, it is beneficial to incorporate protein sources into every meal and snack, aiming for 0.8-1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight daily. This ensures a consistent supply of amino acids for muscle repair and growth.
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Rest and recovery
It is important to give your muscles time to heal, and this can be supported by staying hydrated. Drinking water helps control your body temperature, loosens your joints, and transports nutrients to create energy. It also helps to eat foods with anti-inflammatory properties, such as tomatoes, olive oil, green leafy vegetables, nuts, fatty fish like salmon and tuna, and fruits (especially berries).
Applying heat immediately after exercising can help reduce muscle soreness. Moist heat, in particular, has been shown to offer effective pain reduction. After applying heat, you can turn to cold muscle therapy, which relieves pain by reducing swelling and nerve activity. This can be done by applying an ice pack or a bag of frozen vegetables, or soaking in a cold bath.
Foam rolling is another popular recovery technique that can be done on subsequent days after a workout to help alleviate muscle soreness. It is a type of self-myofascial release, which is a technical term for releasing muscle tension with self-massage. It increases circulation, delivering more nutrients and oxygen to the affected area, thus helping to reduce swelling and tenderness.
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Frequently asked questions
There are several ways to reduce muscle ache. Some of the most common methods include:
- Rest: Give your muscles time to recover by taking a break from strenuous activity.
- Warm-up and cool-down: Before exercising, warm up your muscles with light versions of certain exercises, such as slow jogging or jumping rope. After exercising, cool down with light stretching to help your muscles recover.
- Hydration: Drink plenty of water to help control your body temperature, loosen your joints, and transport nutrients to create energy.
- Foam rolling: Use a foam roller to massage your muscles and release tension, increasing circulation and reducing swelling.
- Ice therapy: Apply ice packs or take ice baths to reduce swelling, pain, bruising, and muscle spasms.
Muscle ache, or delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS), is caused by microscopic tears in the muscle fibres and connective tissues. This typically occurs when starting a new exercise routine or increasing the intensity of a workout.
Muscle soreness usually peaks around day three and then starts to diminish. If soreness persists beyond three days, it may be a sign that you've pushed yourself too hard or that you have a more serious injury.
Eating foods with anti-inflammatory properties can help reduce muscle soreness. These include tomatoes, olive oil, green leafy vegetables, nuts, fatty fish like salmon and tuna, and fruits, especially berries.
Yes, light exercise or active recovery can actually help reduce muscle soreness by getting your blood flowing. However, be careful not to overdue it, as this could lead to further injury.
