Logan Steele
Sore muscles are a common occurrence after a workout, hike, or even housework. This discomfort is known as delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS), and it is caused by microscopic tears in the muscle fibres, leading to inflammation and fluid buildup, resulting in that familiar feeling of tightness and pain. While this process is a natural part of building stronger muscles, there are several strategies to relieve the soreness and speed up recovery. These include light exercise, stretching, foam rolling, heat and cold therapy, hydration, adequate sleep, and consuming a balanced diet rich in protein, carbohydrates, and anti-inflammatory foods.
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What You'll Learn
Drink water to reduce inflammation and eliminate waste
Drinking water is an essential part of reducing inflammation and eliminating waste from overworked muscles. Water keeps fluids in the body moving, which helps to reduce inflammation and speed up the removal of waste and chemicals linked to muscle aches. It also ensures that your muscles receive the oxygen and nutrients they need to recover.
When you exercise, your body rushes fluid to the affected area to flush out damaged cells and build new, stronger muscle cells. This fluid build-up can cause inflammation and put extra pressure on the damaged areas, leading to the familiar feeling of tightness and pain. Drinking water helps to prevent this fluid from pooling in the muscles and joints.
It is important to drink consistently throughout the day, as you may be dehydrated before you feel thirsty. A good rule of thumb is to drink 8 ounces of water for every 15 to 30 minutes of exercise, or for every pound lost during a workout. You should also aim for up to 2 litres of water per day.
Drinking water is just one way to help relieve overworked muscles. Getting enough sleep is also critical, as it allows your body to make the proteins needed to repair damaged muscles. Gentle movement, such as restorative yoga or light walking, can also help to keep your blood flowing and speed up your body's ability to drain waste.
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Get enough sleep to make new proteins for repair
Sleep is essential for muscle recovery. When you sleep, your body enters a state of relaxation, and your muscles are able to rest and recover. This relaxation allows for the release of tension and promotes muscle recovery.
Sleep also helps regulate hormone levels that are important for muscle recovery. Testosterone, a hormone that promotes muscle growth and repair, is primarily released during sleep. Lack of sleep can disrupt testosterone production, which may negatively impact muscle recovery. Sleep plays a role in reducing inflammation in the body. Intense exercise can cause muscle damage and inflammation. During sleep, the body releases anti-inflammatory cytokines that help reduce inflammation and promote healing.
During the non-REM (rapid eye movement) sleep phase, your body physically repairs itself from the day. This is when your body is hard at work repairing and regenerating your muscles. When you don't get enough sleep, your body is not able to repair and regenerate as effectively, and you may experience a delay in muscle recovery.
To ensure optimal muscle recovery, aim for at least seven hours of sleep per night, especially after a day of working out. This will give your body the time it needs to make new proteins and repair your muscles.
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Light exercise and stretching to keep blood circulating
Light exercise and stretching are great ways to keep blood circulating and speed up the body's ability to drain waste and chemicals linked with muscle aches.
Light Cardio
Light cardio or active recovery is a great way to reduce muscle soreness. This includes activities such as a slow jog, brisk walking, swimming, or biking.
Yoga
Yoga is a highly accessible form of exercise that can be done by people of all fitness levels. It is also one of the best types of exercise for improving circulation. Downward-Facing Dog, for example, is a pose that helps facilitate blood flow to the head by putting your hips above your heart and your heart above your head. Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose is another effective pose that promotes blood flow to the brain.
Stretching
Regular stretching can significantly boost circulation by improving the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to various parts of the body while aiding in waste removal from muscles and tissues. The Lunge is an effective stretch for improving circulation in the legs and groin, while Toe Touch enhances circulation in the arms and feet.
Foam Rolling
Using a foam roller increases blood flow to your muscles through applied pressure. By slowly rolling over areas of tension, you can help release tight muscles and speed up the healing and recovery process.
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Use a foam roller to increase blood flow to muscles
Using a foam roller is a great way to increase blood flow to overworked muscles. This is a process known as self-myofascial release (SMFR), which helps to increase the hydration and elasticity of fascia.
Foam rolling involves using the pressure of your own body weight on a foam roller, which in turn applies pressure to soft tissue. By slowly rolling over areas of tension, you can release tight muscles and speed up the healing and recovery process. This is a cheap and effective way to give yourself a deep tissue massage, helping to release muscle tightness and sending blood flow to the area.
Research has shown that foam rolling increases blood flow to the lateral thigh, with improvements in circulation lasting for up to 30 minutes. It is also supported as a cool-down method, helping to reduce muscle soreness. Another study found that arterial blood flow in the lateral thigh increased by almost 74% immediately after foam rolling, and a significant increase of 53% was still measured 30 minutes later.
Foam rolling can also be used to support post-exercise lactate removal, although it does not prevent the pain associated with damaged muscle fibres. It is also important to note that the type of foam roller does not seem to increase the recovery rate.
By using a foam roller, you can help to relieve overworked muscles and speed up recovery, allowing you to get back to your regular activities and workouts.
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Eat protein and carbs to repair and grow muscles
When you engage in intense or prolonged exercise, your muscles undergo microscopic tears in their fibres. This leads to the familiar feeling of muscle soreness and tightness, which is a signal that your muscles are repairing and rebuilding themselves to become stronger.
To support this process, it is important to provide your body with the right nutrients. Protein is essential for muscle recovery as it provides the amino acids that act as building blocks for repairing and rebuilding muscle tissue. Consuming 10 to 20 grams of high-quality protein after a workout will help your muscles repair and recover. Good sources of protein include yoghurt, eggs, turkey, nut butter, milk, soy milk, and cottage cheese.
However, protein alone is not enough. Carbohydrates are also crucial for muscle repair and growth. They help replace glycogen and enhance the role of insulin in transporting nutrients into the cells, including your muscles. Additionally, carbohydrates provide the energy needed to power through workouts, helping to build bigger and stronger muscles. Aim for 20 to 40 grams of carbohydrates after an intense workout. Healthy sources of carbohydrates include fruits, whole grains, and legumes, which also provide vitamins and minerals that promote healing.
By consuming a balanced diet that includes adequate protein and carbohydrate intake, you can effectively support the repair and growth of your muscles.
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Frequently asked questions
Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) is a natural process that indicates your muscles are getting stronger. To relieve the pain, you can try light cardio or active recovery, which includes stretching, foam rolling, or yoga.
It is recommended to warm up before exercising to ensure your muscles are primed for use. You can also try gentle stretching to prevent stiffness while your muscles recover.
You can try using a foam roller to increase blood flow to your muscles through applied pressure. Additionally, ice therapy or a cold bath can help reduce inflammation and swelling.
It is important to give your muscles the nutrients they need to repair and grow. Consuming 20 to 40 grams of protein and carbohydrates within 30 minutes of intense exercise can speed up the recovery process. Anti-inflammatory foods with antioxidants can also aid in muscle repair and pain relief.
Staying hydrated is crucial for muscle recovery. Aim to drink 8 ounces of water for every 15 to 30 minutes of exercise. Additionally, drink 8 ounces of water for every pound of weight lost during exercise.
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