The World's Worst Sore Muscle Advice and What to Do Instead!!

So you completed your first couple of workouts in a while!

Kudos to you!! You've done the hard part, which is getting started.

Everything is easy now, right? 

Haha, I wish!!

Now, you have to deal with some muscle soreness. And it may be more than just some!!

Are you suffering from the toilet plops?  That's where you can't sit normally on the toile and you just PLOP down. Getting up may require some assistance.

I've heard this story more than once!!

What you most likely have is...DOMS. 

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness.

That achy feeling is caused by microscopic tears in your muscle tissue, which lead to inflammation and discomfort. It’s most likely to appear about 1 or 2 days after you engage in a strenuous activity or a task that you’re not used to doing.

While it’s nothing serious, there are some things that will relieve the pain and some things you’re better off avoiding.

 Worst Advice for Treating Sore Muscles

• Become a couch potato. Inactivity will prolong your soreness. The cure to DOMS is BLOOD FLOW. You must get the blood flowing to the sore area so that your muscles can rebuild.
  
  
• Assume all pain is the same. Sudden pain requires a different approach. Stop what you’re doing. Get medical attention if needed for muscle strains and tears. As with anything you do, there is always potential that you could suffer some type of injury. Injuries to worry about get worse with movement. If you pull or strain a muscle, it will continue to hurt with use. DOMS will feel better when you get warmed up and moving. So, get warmed up and moving!! LOL

Instead, Help Your Sore Muscles

•  Stay active. Moving around increases blood flow. That circulates more oxygen and nutrients to all your body parts so they can heal and grow stronger.
  
  
• Drink water. Dehydration weakens muscles and makes them more prone to soreness. Carry a water bottle with you to the gym. Sip water all day long. Our rule of thumb is half your body weight in ounces daily. If you are not anywhere close to this level, then begin to work your way up to it!! In the beginning, you will be making more  bathroom trips, but your body is an amazing machine and will adapt to the increased water intake very quickly! 
  
  
• Stretching. We have stretched at the end of each session, but additional stretching on your own will not hurt and will most likely help. 5 or 10 minutes will help. 30 minutes will be even better. Hopefully, it will become a habit with you! Try not to strain. Be gentle when you stretch!!
  
  
• Get a massage. I use Becca Baker in Tifton at Indulgence Massage Therapy. Some of you use Serenity Day Spa. Both are good. Massage increases the blood flow to the affected area and promotes healing. 
  
  
• Use heat. Heat can aggravate inflammation, but it also relaxes muscles and reduces spasms. Take a warm bath or apply a heat pack. Book a sauna session with Kensey. Two or three friends can share a sauna session and it might be just what you need!!
  
  
• Nutrition and supplements. You must give your body the building blocks it needs to repair itself. A good multi-vitamin, Omega 3's, protein, and amino acids, are essential. We carry a good line of quality products that all our coaches and most of our gym members use and have used for a while.  See me or Kensey about this. Of course, whole food nutrition is essential as well!!
  
  
• Take a pain reliever. Many over-the-counter products provide quick relief. Aspirin and ibuprofen are often recommended because they treat both pain and inflammation. If you use pain relieving creams, avoid tight bandages or heating pads to prevent skin irritation.

I'm proud of you for pushing so hard in your first couple of workouts. The day off should help tremendously. But don't let it go to waste. 

Put these practices into place to get this DOMS time over as soon as possible!!