How to ease sore muscles
Sore muscles are never comfortable. A strenuous workout or even just being active around the house or garage can cause your muscles to start aching. Sore muscles usually mean that they’re getting stronger; this is a great thing! It makes getting around a little bit more painful, so finding ways to ease the ache is important. We’ve compiled some tips for helping you relax and ease those aching muscles.
- Apply heat: Try to take a soaking bath or relax in a hot tub or sauna. If you have localized pain on a specific area of muscles, rest and apply a heating pad or hot water bottle to it. The heat will help reduce pain by increasing blood flow to the area.
- Apply ice: Applying an ice pack to the inflamed area can help ease the pain. Try applying an ice pack every 20 minutes every hour until you feel some relief.
- Stretch, stretch, stretch: It’s important to remember to stretch before working out, but even after working out can help release the lactic acid that has built up in your muscles. Stretching can also help prevent more muscle soreness in the future.
- Drink a lot of water: Stay hydrated!
- Massage: Rubbing sore muscles can help release tension and ease the pain. If you don’t want to splurge on a professional massage, you could try a do-it-yourself massage with a tennis ball.
- Rest: Give your muscles a break. Take it easy for a day and give them a chance to recuperate a bit.
- Meds are ok: If you’re still feeling pain after trying the above tips and tricks, it’s ok to bust open the anti-inflammatory meds.
Most importantly, remember to learn your limits. If you’re feeling like you’re doing too much, then stop. If your muscles have started cramping, stop activity and rest so you can avoid injury or greater damage to your muscle. If you’re staring a workout routine, start small and work your way up in difficulty and intensity. Gradually increase how hard you’re working out and for how long. This will help you avoid muscle soreness and help you stay on the path to a healthy, active lifestyle!
