All people who do sports may occasionally experience muscle soreness after workout. It’s a common thing to feel, and it is inevitable. Besides, one can simply do exercises, while their body isn’t ready for them at that moment. Further, you will get acquainted with several factors that develop those unpleasant feelings.
Looking ahead, it’s not that bad or catastrophic if the pain comes. It’s commonly moderate and does not last for long. Yet, the feelings are unpleasant, and all athletes would like to avoid it. So, see below the reasons for muscle soreness, as well as learn how to get rid of sore muscles.
What Is the Nature of Muscle Soreness, and What Triggers It?
Firstly, one needs to understand the nature of muscle pain occurring after exercising. Your muscles simply get torn. This is then considered as a microdamage that shouldn’t scare you. Nonetheless, it leads to unpleasant feelings. This is how our muscles are built – through that micro damaging. Your body needs time to heal. As we get used to definite loads, we stop feeling painful sensations.
Nonetheless, they may take place again. We need to understand why it happens. Now, let’s check the typical factors. They are as follows:
- Exercising more often than usual
- Your workouts are of higher intensity
- Your workouts are longer
- Introducing new exercises
Always keep in mind these reasons. Check your common plan for workouts. Perhaps one or even several factors are included in the program, and thus you have muscle soreness after workout. You shouldn’t increase intensity drastically or work for a much longer time without preparing for it.
For How Long Will It Last?
After you understand that muscle soreness will appear sooner or later, it’s crucial to answer another vital and common question. How long does a muscle strain last? This one cannot be answered with a single firm clarification. Yet, it’s possible to tell you about the average time when your muscles may ache.
On average, the first signs of muscle soreness appear in the period between 12 and 24 hours after exercising. The peak of pain, however, appears within 24–48 hours. So, you will be feeling painful sensations for about 1–2 days.
Mind that you can shorten this time if you undertake definite measures. One of them is to work out again. Some readers may be taken by surprise, but it really helps! Clavus clavo pellitur, which means fight the fire with fire. Why do muscles get sore? What caused your pain, may bring relief. Nonetheless, the pain you feel may be too much. So, this method may not work for you because you won’t be able to withstand it. Luckily, there are other solutions!
How to Relieve Muscle Soreness?
If your muscles are sore, and you cannot withstand the pain, you should undertake definite measures. What helps with sore muscles? Make allowances for the following solutions:
- Massage. One of the most pleasant ways to get rid of pain is to have a massage. Find a certified therapist or physiotherapist. Thanks to the increase in blood flow to the right sight in the body reduces pain or cancels it entirely.
- Heat therapy. Take a warm bath or apply heat pads. It likewise stimulates blood flow. You can likewise eat bananas as they help to reduce pain.
- Cold therapy. Cold packs are the opposite method to the one above. It likewise helps to reduce inflammatory processes and swellings.
- Light exercising. As we have mentioned above, working out again may help you. If you can endure pain, you definitely should visit the gym or field the other day. Notwithstanding, you should be careful! Do not try to repeat the intensity that led to soreness in muscles, make your program very light to obtain the desired relief. For example, these can be walking, gentle stretching, or working with light weights.
- Pain medications. In case your case is acute, and the pain is overwhelming, you should take medication. You will need non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. You need this group of treatments because muscle soreness is the consequence of inflammatory processes in your muscles.
Now that you know what helps with sore muscles, you may not be afraid of them. Nonetheless, it’s better to act reasonably! Do not overload your body to reduce the reoccurrence of muscle pain. Don’t make your body suffer because it may be badly damaged after all.