12 Ways To Relieve Sore Muscles

Muscle soreness can be common and painful, especially after a strenuous workout or physical activity. In this article, Ways To Relieve Sore Muscles, you’ll learn how to bring relief to your aching body. Muscle pain can be a real problem after a tough workout. I don’t know about you but I’m more sore on day two after strength training than the first day!

If you’re just starting out on your fitness journey, muscle pain can knock you and make you wish that you didn’t start working out to begin with. Never fear! If you incorporate a few of the ideas from this article into your self-care and workout routine, you will be able to relieve any sore muscles that comes your way. 

Here is a list of ideas to help ease muscle soreness:

Warm Up & Cooldown When You Workout 

One of ways to reduce sore muscles and prevent injuries is to warm up your body before you workout. This could be a light jog, stretches, just enough to get your heart rate up. This signals your body that it’s time to work! Cooldowns are just as important after a vigorous workout. Abruptly transitioning from pulling and pushing your muscles to nonmovement is a recipe for soreness and potential injuries. 

Foam Rolling

Foam rolling is an easy way to relieve sore muscles. Using a foam roller can help break up knots and adhesions in the muscles, which can help reduce soreness and improve flexibility. Just lay the roller on the ground and focus on one area of the body, like your leg. Slowly roll your leg on top of the foam roller paying particular attention to knots.

Stretch

Gentle stretching can help alleviate muscle stiffness and soreness by improving blood flow and promoting the release of tension in the muscles. Stretching is not only for before a workout but can be done all day long, especially during a long work day. Take scheduled breaks throughout the workday to stand up and move your body. The added benefits of stretching helps to reduce injuries and helps you improve your posture. 

Heat Therapy

Applying heat to sore muscles can increase blood flow and help relieve tense muscles. You can use a heating pad, warm compress, or take a warm bath or shower. The added benefits of heat therapy is improved range of motion, reducing inflammation, and relaxation of your muscles. 

Cold Therapy

Applying cold to sore muscles can help reduce inflammation and swelling. You can use an ice pack, cold compress, or take a cold bath or shower.You can take it one step further by incorporating ice baths into your routine.The potential benefits of ice bath therapy is it limits inflammatory response, helps the central nervous system, and trains the vagus nerve to help you respond to stressful situation more effectively. 

Massage

A professional massage or self-massage can help alleviate muscle soreness by improving blood flow, reducing tension, and promoting relaxation. Having regular massage therapy can also help with your flexibility and improve mobility. Regular massage also helps to improve your immune system, stimulating your lymphatic system and helps you sleep better. 

Stay Hydrated

Drinking plenty of water can help flush out toxins and prevent muscle cramps, which can lead to soreness. Carrying a water bottle and drinking throughout the day or having a goal to reach is a helpful way to keep water at the center of your day. There are even water bottles that have a schedule printed on the bottle that gives you a goal to drink each water.  

Get Enough Rest

Adequate rest is essential for muscle recovery. Make sure to get enough sleep and take time to rest your muscles in between workouts or physical activity. Sleep is essential for muscle repair, reduces inflammation, and reduces the risk of muscle damage.

Take Over-The-Counter Pain Relievers

If muscle soreness is severe, over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen can help reduce pain and inflammation. If you continue to have muscle pain over time it might be a good idea to see your doctor. There might be an underlying issue that is causing your muscle pain. 

Take Active Rest Days

One of the strategies that I learned has been to stay active on my rest days. Moving my body by stretching or going for a walk helps to reduce muscle pain and gives your body the time it needs to health, reduces lactic acid in your muscle,  and grows back stronger. Some of my favorite active rest day activities are to take an easy walk or yoga. 

Eat and Drinks Foods That Support Muscle Recovery

One of my favorite ways to help heal my muscles from a hard workout is to eat. Eating foods like cherries, eggs, dairy, and starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes, potatoes, and butternut squash. Pair your vegetables with a lean protein like salmon and chicken and you can eat your way to muscle growth. 

Listen To Your Body

Finally, it’s important to listen to your body and give yourself time to recover after physical activity. If muscle soreness persists or is accompanied by other symptoms, it’s a good idea to consult a healthcare professional. However, muscle soreness does come with the territory when you’re working out but if you take the time to take care of the body and treat it well it will be good for you. If your muscles are really fatigued listen to your body and don’t over push yourself or you might injure yourself. 

Recently we’ve been focusing on shoulders during our workout classes, and typically I love training my shoulders, however, my muscles were over fatigued and I made the decision to not push through the pain and took a rest day. My shoulders are pretty reliable so when I could barely get through my first two sets without going into failure. There is also a risk of overtraining your body like when I strained my calves and woke up the next morning and literally couldn’t walk or put my feet flat on the ground. So I learned my lessons after that!

If you enjoyed this article, or have an idea for a way to ease your muscle soreness, leave a comment in the comments, and you love this article How To Get The Best Workout At Arroyo Seco Rose Bowl Loop.