Why do muscles hurt after training? How to reduce muscle pain after exercise

Text: Tatyana Maratova

Muscle pain after training is a common occurrence, and you shouldn’t be afraid of it. However, you shouldn’t think that this is a sign of health either. Muscle pain after training usually indicates overexertion and can occur in both beginners and experienced athletes.

The main thing is rest

The right attitude towards muscle pain after workouts It will help, first of all, to get rid of discomfort, and of course, it will allow you to quickly return to your previous sports rhythm. If the pain does not go away for more than a week, this may already be a sign of injury; in this case, it is better to immediately consult a doctor rather than look for advice on sports forums on the Internet. If a little time has passed, then you can independently find a way to relieve muscle pain after training.

Obviously, after intense physical activity, the muscles need to rest. Rest is needed to give muscle fibers time to recover. While muscle pain does not go away after training, avoid re-straining it.

Massage helps restore blood flow and relax muscles. You can do the massage yourself, with your hands or with an electric massager. Although, of course, it will be better if you find time to make an appointment with a professional massage therapist.

How to reduce muscle pain after exercise: ibuprofen, heat and yoga

If muscle pain after training completely interferes with your life, you can take a painkiller. Simple, over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen can help. By the way, avoid taking too much ibuprofen as it can irritate the stomach lining.

Another simple way to help get rid of muscle pain after exercise is a hot shower or bath. Heat dilates blood vessels, restoring circulation, and relaxes muscles. A steam room in a spa will have the same effect. If you choose this option, be sure to drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.

Sometimes you can take a risk and start doing light stretching exercises. This could be yoga movements or swimming. The point is to prevent the muscles from getting hard, which can make them sore and hurt even more. Stretching exercises keep blood flowing to the muscles and relax them. The main thing is to avoid strenuous physical activity, such as strength training or weight training.

A balanced diet and exercise allow a person to make their body athletic and fit. However, you don’t always feel a surge of strength and lightness after class. Every athlete knows such an unpleasant phenomenon as muscle pain after training. How to get rid of such discomfort? What are its reasons?

Main sources of the problem

The following are known reasons why severe muscle pain may occur after exercise:

1. Accumulation of lactic acid. This is the most common reason. During exercise, lactic acid gradually accumulates in the muscles. It causes a rather unpleasant burning sensation. However, during physical activity, lactic acid spreads throughout the body through the bloodstream. But after exercise, it accumulates in muscle tissue and provokes unpleasant discomfort.
2. Microtrauma of muscle fibers. This pain does not disappear after 2-3 hours. On the contrary, it is intensifying. The pain can be especially noticeable the day after training. Microtraumas are based on strong physical exertion, which led to the slightest ruptures. Over time, they will heal and the discomfort will subside. Beginning athletes experience exactly this type of muscle pain after the first workout.
3. Serious injuries. We are talking about sprains. In such cases, the pain occurs extremely sharply. It is quite strong and appears at the moment of injury.
4. Muscle pathologies that are accompanied by myalgia. This is severe tension and pain in muscle tissue. Such ailments are myopathy and myositis. A characteristic feature of such manifestations is the occurrence of pain under any load. Sometimes unpleasant sensations can appear even in a state of calm.

Elimination of discomfort

Every athlete should know (since anyone can experience muscle pain after training) how to get rid of this unpleasant condition.

1. If the pain is caused by the accumulation of lactic acid, then effective treatment consists of small physical exercises. Such a load will be an excellent stimulator for the muscles and will significantly improve blood circulation. As a result, lactic acid will be washed out of tissues faster. For example, if you feel pain after a workout, then a regular walk or bike ride is perfect.
2. In case of serious injury, it is extremely dangerous to self-medicate. With such pathologies, the athlete needs immediate medical attention.
3. Water procedures. A relaxing hot bath will greatly ease your suffering. It will ensure vasodilation. As a result, blood flow will improve. A contrast shower is also useful.
4. Drink plenty of fluids. This measure improves kidney function. As a result, breakdown products, which include lactic acid, are removed from the body much faster.
5. Proper nutrition. increase discomfort. How to reduce muscle pain after exercise? It is recommended to provide the body with antioxidants that fight radicals. To do this, you should enrich your diet with herbs, citrus fruits, fruits, and vegetables.
6. Massage. The procedure will increase blood flow in muscle tissue and thereby help get rid of any discomfort. Rub the disturbing areas and pat them. You can use a special massager.
7. Sauna, bathhouse. Heat will greatly improve blood flow and help you relax.

Folk remedies

When faced with unpleasant discomfort, every athlete always thinks about how to relieve muscle pain after training? Folk remedies can help.

1. Badger fat. This component should be used to lubricate the areas of concern.
2. Cabbage leaf. Initially, it is recommended to wrinkle it a little. Then the leaf is applied to the painful area.
3. Pepper tincture. This component is intended for local use. It is recommended to lubricate painful areas with it.

Use of NSAIDs

Any athlete can experience muscle pain after exercise. How to get rid of it? Especially if the discomfort is quite strong?

You can use a drug that is part of the NSAID group. It will reduce pain and reduce inflammation in the damaged area.

The most commonly used medications are:

• "Nurofen";
• "Ibuprofen";
• "Aspirin".

However, you should not use these tools often. After all, they can have quite a negative effect on the stomach and liver. In addition, such medications will only temporarily reduce sensations, but will not provide healing. You should know that frequent use of NSAIDs can slow down the body's recovery processes.

Vitamin preparations

A variety of medications effectively help restore the human body. They are often used in sports practice. They allow you to replenish expended energy and support the body during intense physical activity.

A special place among medications is given to vitamin complexes. After all, a lack of essential substances leads not only to loss of performance, but also to increased pain. Therefore, it is recommended not only to properly balance your diet, but also to take multivitamins. So, how can you reduce muscle pain after exercise?

• "Aerovit";
• "Dekamevit";
• Vitamin E;
• "Undevit";
• Vitamin C;
• "Glutamevit";
• "Tetravit";
• Vitamin B.

Plastic preparations

This group of medications has a fairly beneficial effect on the athlete’s body. Sometimes a very obvious question arises: “If muscle pain appears after training, what should you do about it?” The doctor may recommend special medications that can significantly improve a person’s condition.

Plastic action medications provide the following effects:

• accelerate protein synthesis;
• stimulate the flow of biochemical processes;
• restore cell structure.

Thanks to these properties, the drugs help maintain high performance and prevent physical overexertion. In other words, such medications are often prescribed to athletes who are interested in the question: “If muscle pain occurs after training, how to get rid of it?”

List of plastic drugs:

• "Potassium orotate";
• "Riboxin";
• "Cocarboxylase";
• "Cobamamide";
• "Carnitine";
• "Lipocerebrin";
• "Lecithin-cerebro".

Energy drugs

Medicines belonging to this group accelerate the restoration of expended resources. They provide the body's resistance to conditions such as hypoxia. Medicines support the functioning of the myocardium, brain, and liver.

These drugs include:

• "Panangin";
• "Asparkam";
• "Calcium glycerophosphate";
• "Glutamic acid";
• "Calcium gluconate";
• "Methionine."

Adaptogen group

How to relieve muscle pain after exercise? Adaptogens provide a tonic effect on the body and increase resistance to intense physical activity. They are especially effective in conditions of sudden climate changes and hypoxia. However, such drugs have contraindications, so you should definitely consult a doctor about their use. In addition, these medications can be addictive.

Effective adaptogens are the following drugs:

• "Ginseng";
• "Eleutherococcus extract";
• "Chinese lemongrass";
• "Pantocrine";
• "Aralia Manchurian";
• "Sterculia platanofolia";
• "Radiola pink";
• "Tall enticement";
• "Leuzea sofloroides."

Sports creams, ointments, gels

Local medications are often used to restore the body after physical activity.

Post-workout muscle pain ointment provides:

• improvement of lymph and blood circulation;
• relaxing tissues and increasing their elasticity;
• restoration of the metabolic process;
• removal of metabolic products;
• relief from discomfort in ligaments, muscles, joints.

However, these drugs affect the body differently. Some cause tissue heating, others provide a cooling effect. For example, for acute injuries, warming medications are completely unsuitable. To eliminate swelling and inflammation, it is recommended to use a cooling ointment for muscle pain after exercise. The best drugs are Troxevasin and Venoruton.

Before using such medications, be sure to consult your doctor. It is important to remember that these remedies affect each person differently.

When explaining how to relieve muscle pain after exercise, most often the doctor prescribes the following topical medications:

• "Apisatron";
• "Virapip";
• "Troxevasin";
• "Viprosal";
• "Vipratox";
• "Gevkamen";
• Balm "Sanitas";
• Tiger ointment;
• "Richtofit-sport";
• "Gymnastogal";
• Heparin ointment;
• "Heparoid";
• "Efkamon";
• "Nicoflex";
• "Gevkamen";
• "Finalgon";
• "Venoruton";
• Turpentine ointment;
• "Menovazin".

Application of compresses

Pain that occurs after training can be eliminated in a simple way. Compresses are quite effective and easy to use.

However, you should first familiarize yourself with the basic rules:

1. Compresses can only be used in consultation with a doctor.
2. After injury, in case of acute pain, such treatment is not used for 2 days.
3. Apply compresses as follows. Take a gauze pad. It should completely cover the painful area. Wet it as directed. Apply ointment to the damaged area. Cover the top with a moistened napkin. Apply a layer of cotton wool. The use of plastic film is strictly contraindicated. Secure with a bandage (preferably not elastic). The bandage should not cause swelling or compress the tissue.

The following compresses are considered the most effective:

1. Bandage with Vaseline oil. Lightly moisten the cloth and apply it to the damaged area.
2. Compress with semi-alcoholic vaseline oil. The area is lubricated with oil, and the top is covered with a napkin soaked in vodka (be sure to be wrung out).
3. Compress with Vishnevsky ointment and alcohol. This is done by analogy with the method described above.

Remember that regular exercise, carefully planned by a trainer, will help you avoid severe pain.

13.12.2017 89790

Which is also called sore throat, is a completely natural phenomenon that does not require any special treatment. It usually appears about 12 hours after intense physical activity, sometimes earlier, sometimes later, for each individual. What are its causes, and how to get rid of it? Let's take a closer look.

The main causes of pain in the muscles

Previously, it was believed that the culprit was lactic acid, which is released in copious amounts in the muscles after any physical activity. This is a natural phenomenon, but the removal of lactic acid from tissues may be accompanied by some discomfort, aching limbs, and pain. Although today more and more researchers are inclined to believe that the main cause of pain is microtrauma in muscle tissue, and subsequent inflammation as a result of these injuries.

The more regular training you do, the less susceptible muscle fibers become to injury. They lengthen, become more elastic, and over time the pain may not be felt at all. At first, when an untrained person develops sore throat, it goes away on its own. But if the workout was too active and intense, the pain may last for several days.

It is very important to listen carefully to your sensations: too much pain in one specific area that does not go away for more than 3 days may indicate a muscle strain or even an injury to a joint, ligament, or tendon. It is also important to avoid overtraining and fully recover between classes. And in order to reduce muscle pain and alleviate your condition, we decided to tell you about some tricks that allow you to do this.

1. Get some sleep
   Sleep is the best secret of recovery, when the whole body rests, and important regeneration processes take place in every cell. The same applies to muscles - they heal precisely during sleep, when growth hormone is “active”. But you need to sleep fully - at least 7-8 hours a day (and you especially cannot neglect the number of hours of sleep immediately after training), and it is also advisable to go to bed before midnight.
2. Go to the bathhouse
   Bath procedures, as well as a visit to the sauna, can warm up your muscles very well. Metabolic processes in them (as well as the elimination of lactic acid, which causes discomfort) will accelerate, the pain will go away, and you will feel better. An excellent option for “home” use, if you can’t go to the bathhouse, is a hot bath. But it should last at least 20-30 minutes, and after it it’s good to alternate cold and hot showers, and finish with a cold one - this will relieve inflammation.


3. Go for a massage
   To help muscles recover faster, massage helps a lot. And not only a back massage, but a whole body massage. A good experienced massage therapist will give you a massage that will provoke the outflow of lymph from the limbs and large muscle groups working during any workout, and this will result in accelerating metabolic processes in muscle tissue, increasing their elasticity, and relieving pain, respectively.
4. Be sure to warm up and cool down
   Warming up allows you to warm up your muscles before the actual strength work, which will reduce the risk of injuries and sprains. And stretching afterwards is absolutely necessary like air - to increase the elasticity of the muscle, to relax it, to drain lactic acid and increase blood circulation. It’s good to attend a stretching class after strength training - it increases the flexibility of the whole body.
5. Make your workouts regular
   If you're just starting to train, don't push yourself too hard. Start with minimal weights or no weights at all at first. The load must be increased very slowly and gradually to avoid injury to joints and muscles. For the same reason, be sure to keep an eye on

Muscles may ache after exercise or other physical activity. Although muscle pain may get worse and prevent you from doing physical activity, the more exercise you do, the less sore your muscles will be over the following weeks. Use our tips to relieve muscle pain!

Steps

Proper handling of muscles during training

Warm up and begin your workout carefully. To keep your muscles flexible and avoid injury during intense exercise, you should start your workout gently to warm up your muscles and make them pliable. Don't jump into an intense workout routine right away.

Stretch properly. Stretching at the beginning and end of your workout will also help release lactic acid from your muscles. Waiting for hours after an intense workout to stretch is not a good idea. Stretch immediately after exercise that may cause pain to prevent soreness.

• Be sure to stretch after your warm-up as your muscles will be more pliable, meaning they are less likely to be damaged by stretching. Read on for tips on how to stretch properly to increase flexibility and reduce the risk of injury.

1. Drink fluids. Dehydration at the beginning of exercise or sports is dangerous not only because it can lead to dizziness and fainting, but also because it can cause muscle pain later. Proper fluid intake during intense exercise increases oxygen levels in the muscles, which gives the muscles more endurance and also helps them recover during exercise.

   Calming muscles after training

   1. Cool down. Ice water immediately after exercise is best for preventing muscle soreness. It reduces inflammation in the muscles and prevents pain from spreading through them. If you are a professional athlete or train at an elite gym, you should have access to an ice-cold bath to relieve muscle pain. If not, try one of the following strategies:

      Warm up. While ice should be the first step, after a few hours it's a good idea to apply heat to the target muscles and help them stay flexible rather than become stiff. Apply heat for about 20 minutes.

      Move. It can be tempting to completely relax your muscles during recovery, but research has shown that gentle activity that engages your muscles can shorten their recovery time. On the other hand, it's important to give your muscles time to recover, so don't overdo it.

      Get a massage. If you train to the point of exhaustion, small tears will form in the muscle tissue. The body's natural reaction to tears is inflammation. Massage helps reduce the production of cytokine proteins that are involved in the development of the inflammatory process. Massage also increases the number of mitochondria in the muscles, which increases the muscle's ability to extract oxygen.

      Buy a massage roller. This handheld device will help you give yourself a deep, soothing massage both before and after your workout. This will relax your muscles and prevent pain, and will also help soothe muscles that are already sore. This method is great for the muscles of the thighs and legs, but you can also use this method for the muscles of the back, chest and buttocks. Press the roller onto the painful muscle and rub it up and down. This action will help relieve tension and stress.

      Take painkillers. If you need immediate relief, take paracetamol or a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug such as ibuprofen, naproxen or aspirin.

      Learn when pain is normal and when it signals a problem. It's normal for your muscles to ache after an intense workout or after exercising muscle groups that you haven't exercised for a while. However, you should watch for signs that indicate a serious problem.

   Preventing muscle pain

   Make a proper diet and don't forget to drink fluids. If your muscles are sore from intense activities like weightlifting, it means they are rebuilding and need water and plenty of protein. Consume 1 gram of protein per day for every 0.5 kg of your body weight.

   Take vitamins, antioxidants, and other supplements. Muscles need certain vitamins and minerals to properly recover during exercise, so taking the right supplements will help prepare you for vigorous training.

   1. Try drinking tart cherry juice. Recently, tart cherry juice has become a very popular product due to its high content of antioxidants and other beneficial substances. In one study, researchers found that cherry juice relieved mild to moderate muscle pain.

      • You can find 100% tart cherry juice in most grocery stores or specialty health food stores. Look for juice that is not mixed with another juice (such as cherry-apple juice), as this drink usually contains minimal cherry juice. Also make sure that there is no added sugar or other ingredients in the juice.
      • Use tart cherry juice as a base for your post-workout smoothie, or drink it on its own. It is best to drink it immediately after taking it out of the refrigerator. You can also place a cup of tart cherry juice in the freezer for 45 minutes to create a delicious frozen cherry smoothie.

   Warnings

   • Be careful if you want to immerse your entire hand in a 19L bucket of water (as above). This can result in a rapid loss of body heat, which can negatively affect circulation. Do not do this if you have blood pressure or heart problems. Even if you are completely healthy, gently immerse your hand, centimeter by centimeter, starting with your fingertips, especially on a hot day. It will be better if you freeze the water in a popsicle mold and rub it over your hand (again, starting with the fingers), immediately drying and massaging (moving from the hand up to the torso). Do everything carefully so as not to hurt yourself or cause too much stress on your nerves.
   • Constantly cooling sore muscles is not very effective. It is usually recommended to cool your hand with ice for 15-20 minutes, then remove the ice for 15-20 minutes and repeat the procedure again. The fact is that the cooling effect of ice reaches its maximum after 15-20 minutes, and further exposure to ice will not cool the muscles any more. Also, prolonged cooling with ice can lead to frostbite, damage to soft tissue or skin.
   • Joint pain is a serious problem that can occur due to serious injury. Don't confuse muscle pain with joint pain. If the pain does not stop after several days of rest and applying all the procedures described in the article, you should consult a doctor.

After significant physical exertion, for example, training, carrying heavy loads, working in the country, etc., pain in muscles and joints may appear. This occurs either due to an increase in lactic acid levels in muscle tissue, or due to microtrauma to muscle fibers. The level of pain directly depends on both the magnitude and duration of physical activity and the degree of fitness of the person. What ways can you relieve pain?

Muscles hurt after training

How to reduce muscle pain after exercise without medication

The easiest and most affordable option to reduce pain after training is to take a warm bath. For greater effect, add sea salt to the water - from 100 to 200 grams. The water temperature should not exceed 40°C. The pain will quickly decrease. Along with water procedures, take strong black tea with sugar immediately after training.

An even more effective method is a contrast shower. Alternating exposure to cold and heat will help, firstly, reduce inflammation, and secondly, speed up blood circulation and reduce pain. Start with a cold shower, adjusting the water temperature within 10–15°C, the duration of the procedure is from 30 to 60 seconds. Then take a warm shower: temperature 37–40°C, duration – from 60 to 120 seconds. Repeat this procedure 3-4 times. The pain will either disappear altogether or, in extreme cases, become much weaker.

If you are unable to take a bath or shower, alternate applying ice packs and a hot heating pad to the sore areas. First apply cold (for about 10 minutes), then heat (for 20 minutes)

A fairly effective way to combat pain caused by physical activity is additional exercise. At first glance, this method may seem paradoxical, but it is very effective. For example, if your muscles are sore after working out, try working in your garden by digging. Just be sure to warm up your muscles first by doing a preliminary warm-up. Otherwise, instead of relieving the pain, it may only intensify.

In some cases, reflexology methods, such as acupuncture, will help. Such methods are very popular in Eastern medicine. But, of course, such a procedure should only be carried out by a qualified specialist.

Finally, an excellent and highly effective way to relieve muscle pain after heavy physical activity is massage.

During a massage session performed by an experienced specialist, especially when using warming ointments, gels or oils, blood flow into muscle tissue is activated, metabolism is improved, and spasm is relieved

In addition, this procedure relaxes and calms. In the vast majority of cases, after a good massage, even very severe pain ceases to bother you. You can do a light massage at home by lightly rubbing your skin.

What medications can be used to relieve muscle pain?

However, there are times when you cannot do without medication. For example, if it is not possible to get a massage or the pain is so severe that neither a hot bath nor a contrast shower brings noticeable relief. Then you have to resort to drug therapy.

There are many drugs that have a fairly effective analgesic effect.

Depending on the individual reaction of your body, you can take, for example, the following tablets:

• "Ibuprofen"
• "Ketorol"
• "Baralgin"
• "Sedalgin"
• "Maxigan"

It is better to take medications in combination with tablets that relieve muscle spasms, for example, No-shpa, Spazmalgon. Some people benefit from a simple and well-known medicine like aspirin.

Of course, it is better to use a drug that is familiar to you and will not lead to negative side effects. For example, the same aspirin cannot be used for stomach ulcers and in a number of other cases

In conclusion, it should be noted that it is best not to let things get to the point of severe pain after physical activity. To do this, you need to exercise regularly and keep your body in good shape. Such regular, reasonably dosed exercises are beneficial for the heart and all other organs. Then, even if you have to endure heavy and prolonged physical activity, the pain will be quite weak and tolerable. Or you will not experience any discomfort at all. Before you start training, you should warm up your muscles thoroughly. And then the pain after exercise will be minimal.