Have you experienced muscle soreness after starting a new physical activity or increasing the pace or intensity of your usual workout? Muscle soreness and tightness occur a day or two after exercise and can happen to anyone, regardless of fitness level.
Do not be discouraged, this pain is normal, does not last long and is a sign that you are improving your fitness level. If you still overexert yourself or the pain is too strong, there are always ways to deal with it.
Key Takeaways:
- Muscle soreness after a new or strenuous workout is common.
- Research-backed methods, including heat and compression therapy, may relieve sore muscles.
- Delayed-onset muscle soreness is not usually a cause for concern. But, you should see a healthcare provider if your pain is severe or lasts longer than a week.
What is inflammation in the muscles after exercise and why?
Muscle inflammation can occur in anyone, most often after practicing a new physical activity or due to an activity of greater intensity. It occurs 1-2 days (it can last from 3 to 5 days) after exercise and is a completely normal phenomenon. The same can happen to people who exercise regularly, but introduce new, different exercises.
It is believed that due to the stress, that is, the strain under which the muscles are subjected during exercise, microscopic damage occurs in the muscle tissue. It is this kind of damage that is believed to be the main reason why we feel pain in our muscles.
Because pain can be really intense, it’s important to understand it, as it has the potential to discourage or intimidate people who want to start regular physical activity. Such muscle pain should not be confused with any other type of pain that can occur during exercise itself. Such acute, immediate pain can be a sign of an injury or doing an exercise incorrectly that puts excessive pressure on our muscles or joints.
Note
What’s Causing My Joint Pain?
When your joints feel sore and achy, that’s usually a sign of osteoarthritis. This inflammatory condition becomes more common as you get older. The cartilage that normally cushions the joints wears away, leaving the joints inflamed and painful.
Joint pain can also be caused by overuse or injury, for example, tennis elbow or a knee injury caused by problem with a ligament or meniscus. Ligaments are bands of tissue that connect bones in your body. A meniscus is a rubbery disc that cushions your knee.
Pro Tip
If you experience sore and achy joints, it may be due to osteoarthritis, an age-related inflammatory condition resulting from cartilage wear and tear, but joint pain can also arise from overuse or injury, such as tennis elbow or knee problems involving ligaments or meniscus.
Tips to relieve muscle soreness
You don’t have to wait for muscle pain to go away on its own. These research-backed methods can help you get rid of sore muscles.
1. Practice active recovery
Evidence suggests that static stretching after a workout won’t help with muscle soreness. But the active recovery might. Active recovery is a low-intensity exercise designed to help your muscles recover from a higher-intensity workout.
You can incorporate active recovery into your fitness routine in a few different ways:
- During your workout: With interval training, you switch between short bouts of high-intensity exercise and brief recovery intervals.
- After your workout: You can practice slow, easy movements like walking during your cooldown sequence after a vigorous training session.
- On rest days: Take advantage of your rest days by doing gentle activities like yoga, swimming, or walking.
2. Opt for ice or heat therapy
The debate over whether to ice or heat sore muscles may never end. That explains why the research on the best method is mixed. There might not be a clear winner, but both ice and heat therapy can help sore muscles.
Understanding how each method works can help you decide whether to ice or heat your muscles. Cold therapy slows circulation, which may reduce swelling and related pain. It’s useful for new injuries or pain. Heat therapy increases circulation, which may aid muscle recovery by relieving tight, sore muscles. It’s helpful for older injuries or pain.
One review found that using ice or heat therapy within 1 hour of exercise soothes muscle aches. Ice baths had pain-relieving effects for up to 24 hours, while heating pads worked longer than 24 hours. So, you might start with ice therapy and switch to heat therapy as delayed-onset muscle soreness peaks. And since the evidence is mixed, you can try one or both methods to find what works best for you.
3. Try foam rolling
Foam rolling is a type of myofascial release or self-massage. It’s been shown to reduce muscle pain and stiffness and improve range of motion. This technique uses a foam roller (a cylindrical tube) or another tool to massage your fascia (the connective tissue that holds your muscles, tendons, and ligaments together).
You can try foam-rolling exercises after your workouts. One small study found that post-exercise foam rolling may improve pain levels and athletic performance. You can also use the technique to warm your muscles up before exercise.
If you’re new to foam rolling, you might want to start with a smooth, low-density foam roller or massage ball. Both are softer and may be more comfortable than firmer rollers.
4. Consider massage therapy
If self-massage isn’t your thing, you can turn to professionals for massage therapy. Post-exercise massage promotes muscle recovery by reducing inflammation.
A 2012 review suggests that getting a massage 4 hours after high-intensity exercise may reduce pain and improve muscle performance. Another study found that massage was more effective than other recovery strategies, such as active recovery and contrast hydrotherapy.
5. Wear compression gear
Wearing compression gear after a workout may speed up muscle recovery and blood circulation. In a small-scale study, endurance runners wore compression socks between running 5Ks. The runners reported significantly less soreness and could run just as fast in the second 5K.
But compression gear isn’t just for athletes. In a different study, inactive adults wore compression socks while working out. They had significantly less muscle soreness after 24 and 48 hours.
6. Use kinesiology tape
Many athletes swear by kinesiology tape for muscle pain relief, injury prevention, and better performance. Evidence is mixed on whether or not it can boost your athletic performance. But studies show that the flexible adhesive may ease muscle pain after strenuous exercise.
7. Apply essential oils
People use essential oils for numerous health and wellness concerns, including muscle and joint pain. You have plenty of options when choosing essential oils for sore muscles, such as lavender and rosemary oil. Be sure to look for quality products.
Essential oils are highly concentrated and can irritate your skin. So remember to dilute them with carrier oil before applying them directly to your skin. You can start with a patch test and then use small amounts of diluted oil on achy muscles.
8. Add anti-inflammatory foods to your diet
Ongoing research shows that certain diets, including those full of anti-inflammatory foods, can help with delayed-onset muscle soreness. They contain antioxidants and other nutrients that may aid muscle repair and relieve pain.
For example, in a small study, runners drank tart cherry juice for 7 days before a race. They had less muscle pain after the race than those who did not.
But you don’t have to focus on one food. Aim for a balanced diet with various anti-inflammatory foods that may decreasedelayed-onset muscle soreness. Some examples include fatty fish, watermelon
8. Add anti-inflammatory foods to your diet
Ongoing research shows that certain diets, including those full of anti-inflammatory foods, can help with delayed-onset muscle soreness. They contain antioxidants and other nutrients that may aid muscle repair and relieve pain.
For example, in a small study, runners drank tart cherry juice for 7 days before a race. They had less muscle pain after the race than those who did not.
But you don’t have to focus on one food. Aim for a balanced diet with various anti-inflammatory foods that may decrease delayed-onset muscle soreness. Some examples include fatty fish, watermelon or beetroot juice, and caffeinated drinks.
9. Hydrate before, during, and after exercise
You probably already know that proper hydration helps fuel your workouts. It’s critical for exercise performance and muscle repair after training. And some evidence suggests that dehydration may increase the symptoms of delayed-onset muscle soreness and prolong recovery.
So your post-workout pain could be worse if you don’t stay hydrated. Opt for water or electrolyte drinks based on your exercise intensity.
10. Get a good night’s sleep
Don’t underestimate the power of a good night’s sleep. Quality sleep can boost everything from your heart health to your mood. And it’s essential for muscle recovery. Adequate sleep –– 7 to 9 hours a night for adults –– allows your muscles to repair and grow after exercise. Lack of sleep has been linked to higher pain sensitivity. So getting enough sleep could make your delayed-onset muscle soreness feel less intense.
Bottom Line:
Understanding the causes of muscle inflammation and adopting research-backed methods like active recovery, heat or ice therapy, foam rolling, massage, compression gear, essential oils, anti-inflammatory foods, proper hydration, and sufficient sleep can effectively alleviate sore muscles and aid in muscle recovery after exercise.
