Feeling Sore After Exercise? Here’s What Science Suggests Helps (and Doesn’t)

Have you started going to the gym again since COVID restrictions have eased? Or are you getting back into running, cycling or team sports?

As many of you have probably experienced, the inevitable muscle soreness that sets in after a break can be a arduous barrier to overcome.

Here’s what causes muscle pain and how to best deal with it.

What is muscle pain and why does it occur?

Some muscle soreness after a workout is normal. However, it can be debilitating and discourage you from continuing to exercise. The scientific term used to describe this pain is delayed onset muscle painor DOMS, which is the result of mechanical tearing of muscle fibers, often called “microtears.”

This type of damage causes swelling and inflammation of muscle fibers and the release of substances that sensitize the nerves in the muscles, which causes pain when the muscle contracts or stretches.

This pain usually peaks 24 to 72 hours after exercise. The type of exercise that causes the most muscle pain is “eccentric,” in which force is generated by a muscle as it lengthens—think walking downhill or the lowering phase of an arm curl.

There is some good news about this pain though. When a muscle cell recovers from this “micro-injury,” it becomes stronger and can produce that force again without the same damage occurring. So, while this strengthening process is initially painful, it is necessary for our body to adapt to a recent training regimen.

The inflammatory component of this process is indispensable for the strengthening and adaptation of muscle tissue, which is why repeated utilize of anti-inflammatory drugs is necessary to control the accompanying pain. may have a negative impact on the training effect.

Will recovery gadgets put me out of my misery? Not necessarily

Before we start thinking about recovery from exercise, the first thing you need to remember is to start slowly and gradually enhance the intensity. The body adapts to physical stress, so if it was minimal during lockdown, your muscles, tendons and joints will need time to adjust to resuming physical activity. And don’t forget to sultry up, increasing your heart rate and blood flow to your muscles before each session, even if it’s a affable football match!

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Read more: Are you going back to the gym? Here’s how to avoid injuries after coronavirus lockdown

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Even if you start slowly, you may still experience muscle pain and may want to know how to reduce it. There are a lot of recent gadgets and regenerative technologies out there that claim to aid. However, the verdict on some of these methods is still out.

Some studies show benefits. There have been analyses and reviews of some of the more common recovery strategies, including ice baths, massage, foam rollers AND compression clothing. These reviews tend to support their utilize as effective short-term exercise recovery strategies.

So if you have the time or money – go for it! Just make sure your ice baths aren’t too icy, somewhere around 10-15°C for ten minutes is probably okay.

And one more warning about ice baths: do not become addicted to them in the long run, especially if you are a strength athlete. New research has shown that These can have negative effects on muscles by impairing some of the repair and rebuilding processes following resistance training.

However, the effectiveness of other recovery strategies remains unclear. Techniques such as recovery boots or sleeves, float tanks AND cryotherapy chambers are recent to the recovery scene. While there have been some promising findings, more research is needed before we can make an precise judgment.

But all of these recovery gadgets seem to have one thing in common: they make you “feel” better. While studies don’t always show physical benefits from these techniques or gadgets, they often result in perceived reduced levels of muscle soreness, pain and fatigue.

Is this just a placebo effect? ​​Maybe, but the placebo effect still exists very mighty — so if you believe a product will aid you feel better, it probably will, at least on some level.

The “large stones” of economic recovery

Some of the above techniques can be classified as the “one percent” of recovery. However, to recover properly, we need to focus on the “large rocks” of recovery. These include: adequate amount of sleep AND optimal nutrition.

To sleep is one of the best recovery strategies we have because that is when most of the muscle repair and recovery occurs. Getting regular sleep and aiming for about eight hours of sleep a day it’s a good idea.

When it comes to nutrition, the exact strategy will vary from person to person and you should always seek the advice of a qualified professional, but remember the three Rs:

• replenishment (carbohydrate replenishment after exercise)

• rebuilding (protein consumption helps repair and rebuild muscles)

• stay hydrated (maintain adequate fluid intake, especially during the summer months!).

Enjoy your newfound freedom as you return to sports and exercise, but remember to focus on a ponderous return and ensure you’re getting a robust diet and sleep before you spend your hard-earned cash on hyped recovery tools you see athletes using on Instagram.