Muscle soreness, we’ve all experienced this phenomenon. You know the feeling after moving your body around in a way you are not used to and then one to two days later being unable to wash your hair or go down stairs. It can be compared to looking and feeling like Frankenstein.
Scientifically we can go into different theories on what exactly causes that awful ache but in reality we know the cause/effect principle works here. The cause –moving from a stationary lifestyle into a one day wonder at the gym. The effect- pain in areas of our bodies that we didn’t even know muscles existed.
Without a degree in medicine we realize we over did it.
So lets skip onto how can we combat the pain. Is there a way to lesson its effects so we are not afraid to squat while using the bathroom? Dr Jon Beradi has these suggestions.
- Vitamin C – 100 mg/day (double the RDA) is suggested though that’s probably on the low side, but it should help with the inflammation
- Ice – icing your sore muscle (or cold water immersion) will also help with the inflammation.
- Drink lots of water – drinking water seems to help by flushing the calcium and debris so there is less of an immune response from the body.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories – medications like aspirin and Advil are anti-inflammatories and can help with both pain and inflammation. However, because these can cause liver damage and gastrointestinal damage, they’re not recommended as an everyday method.
These steps will help the person new to training or someone training after taking a break from workouts. Don’t avoid the gym, train and train hard but take the steps your body needs most to repair and heal after a workout.
Make It Happen,
Coach Nancy
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