how to repair muscle soreness

Full Answer

How to help sore muscles get better?

To help relieve muscle soreness, try:

• Gentle stretching.
• Muscle massage.
• Rest.
• Ice to help reduce inflammation.
• Heat to help increase blood flow to your muscles. ...
• Over-the-counter (OTC) pain medicine, such as a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) like ibuprofen (brand name: Advil).

More items...

How can you make sore muscles stop hurting?

• Resting simply means taking a break from your normal activities. If your muscles are sore, take it easy for a few days and allow them to heal. ...
• Ice the sore area for 15 to 20 minutes at a time three times a day. ...
• Use a compression bandage to reduce swelling of the sore area. ...
• Elevate the sore area, if possible. ...

How to ease sore muscles after a hard workout?

These things may help ease some of the symptoms:

• rest
• ice packs
• painkillers
• massage

How to recover muscles faster?

The Top 5 Ways to Relieve Muscle Pains and Recover Faster

1. Sleeping. Sleeping is what we consider the most important part of recovery. ...
2. Stretching. When talking about stretching, it includes both static and dynamic stretching. ...
3. Foam Rolling. You’ve probably heard us talking about foam rolling for quite some time now, but it’s not without good reason.
4. L.I.S.S. or Low-Intensity Steady State. ...
5. Supplements. ...

How do you heal sore muscles fast?

To help relieve muscle soreness, try:Gentle stretching.Muscle massage.Rest.Ice to help reduce inflammation.Heat to help increase blood flow to your muscles. ... Over-the-counter (OTC) pain medicine, such as a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) like ibuprofen (brand name: Advil).More items...•

How long does a muscle sore take to heal?

Recovery time depends on the severity of the injury. For a mild strain, you may be able to return to normal activities within three to six weeks with basic home care. For more severe strains, recovery can take several months.

What removes muscle soreness?

You should opt for heat therapy immediately after you exercise. Applying heat immediately after exercising can reduce delayed onset muscle soreness. One 2013 study found that while both dry and moist heat helped with pain, moist heat was shown to offer even more pain reduction.

Is it OK to workout with sore muscles?

"Working out when sore is okay as long as it isn't affecting your movement to the point where it's causing you to compensate and do something in a way that's unsafe," says Dr. Hedt. "Muscle soreness can be a deterrent to exercising, but it's temporary and the more you exercise, the less you should feel it.

Should I skip a workout if I'm sore?

For those trying to get in shape or lose weight through exercise, there's no need to worry. If you're experiencing muscle soreness, you may need only two or three days of rest. Another option is to alternate your workouts to avoid overusing certain muscle groups.

Why am I so sore 2 days after working out?

Muscle soreness typically occurs if you do a new exercise to which you are not accustomed or if you do a familiar exercise too hard. This soreness typically begins within a few hours but peaks one to two days after exercise. This soreness is called delayed onset muscle soreness and may represent actual muscle damage.

How sore is too sore to workout?

How much pain is too much? If the pain you're experiencing prevents you from carrying out daily activities associated with living or working, then the exercise was too much. If the discomfort lasts for more than 72 hours, then the exercise was too much.

Do sore muscles mean growth?

Muscle soreness is related to muscle damage, which can promote, but is not required for, muscle growth. In a nutshell, unless your goal is to feel sore, then you don't need to be sore after every workout.

Does a hot bath help sore muscles?

A warm bath encourages the circulation of blood around your body. The increased blood flow provides your muscles with more oxygen and nutrients. This improves the elasticity of the connective tissues, releases muscles tightness, and relieves pain.

Is it normal to be sore 3 days after a workout?

"Typically, muscle soreness peaks around day three and starts diminishing afterwards. If your soreness persists beyond three days, it means you overdid it — you pushed your muscles a little too hard. But, prolonged muscle soreness can also be a sign of an injury," warns Murray.

Are Bodybuilders always sore?

Even Bodybuilders Get Them No one is immune to muscle soreness. Exercise neophytes and body builders alike experience delayed onset muscle soreness. "Anyone can get cramps or DOMS, from weekend warriors to elite athletes," says Torgan.

Should I stretch sore muscles?

Stretching aching muscles will boost blood flow and help breakdown the build-up of lactic acid. The key is that the stretches should be very gentle, to avoid inflicting further damage to the muscle groups.

Can a muscle strain heal in 5 days?

For most with grade I muscle strains, healing time takes about 2-4 weeks. You can typically expect a full recovery in about 2 months for those with a grade II strain. If you experience a grade III strain, healing time depends on the type of surgery you receive and could take anywhere from 6 to 9 months or longer.

How long does muscle take to heal after workout?

After a relatively light workout, your muscles may be able to recover in 24 hours, whereas a more challenging workout might take two to three days. Very intense workouts might take even longer.

How to relieve muscle soreness?

For acute muscle soreness, use a cold compress to take the edge off. If your muscle soreness isn’t more than 48 hours old, grab a cold compress and wrap it in a cloth. Rest it on the muscle for 10-20 minutes or so. The cold will numb your muscle and relieve any dull pain, but it will also reduce the inflammation that’s causing that sore feeling. [5]

How to treat sore muscles at home?

To treat sore muscles at home, try lightly stretching the muscles 2-3 times a day. If the soreness is a result of a recent injury, apply an ice pack to the muscles for 10-20 minutes every few hours.

How to get rid of sore muscles?

1. Reduce soreness before or after exercise by stretching your muscle out. If you do any exercise with your sore muscle, stretch for 10-15 minutes before and after your workout. You don’t need to do anything fancy, just use whatever positions or exercises you’d like to stretch the sore muscle out.

How long does it take for a sore muscle to heal?

It typically takes muscle fibers 48 hours to repair themselves, so take it easy and avoid pushing yourself until the soreness goes away. [2] You can normally treat a sore muscle at home, but if the pain gets worse, it’s unbearable, or you notice any abnormal signs, see a doctor.

How to reduce inflammation in muscles?

Switch your diet up to incorporate foods that fight sore muscles. There are a handful of dietary changes you can make to reduce your muscle inflammation. The impact may be minor right now, but if you’ve got a chronic condition that causes your muscles to become sore or you often find yourself sore for multiple days after you work out, this may make a huge impact! As a rule of thumb, anything unprocessed and natural will help. [27]

How to relax muscle after 2 days?

Use a heating pad to relax the muscle if it’s still sore after 2 days. If you’re going on day 3 of a sore muscle or you have a chronic condition that’s causing your muscle soreness, grab a heating pad. Prop yourself up in a comfortable position and turn the heating pad on after placing it directly on or under the muscle. Leave it on for 10-20 minutes based on your personal preference. The heat will increase the blood flow and reduce stiffness, which should help your muscle recover. [6]

How long can you use a cold compress?

You can still use a cold compress if your muscle has been sore for more than 48 hours, but it’s likely not going to bring as much relief as heat at that point.

How long after a workout does muscle soreness occur?

"The significant muscle soreness that typically occurs hours after activity, usually 24 to 48 hours after activity, is referred to as delayed onset muscle soreness. or DOMS," Christopher Hogrefe, MD, FACEP, ...

Why do runners need to cool down?

Spending some time cooling down makes your muscles recovery-ready. A 2018 study on active recovery found that runners who spent time at a 50% decrease in activity at the end of their workout (instead of resting completely) were able to go three times longer the second time they ran. The researchers believe it had to do with better blood flow, which reduced blood lactate (the metabolic byproduct that makes your muscles sore).

What are some examples of exercises that cause soreness?

You'll notice this type of soreness after more challenging or unfamiliar exercise. "Activities that involve muscle and tendon lengthening while a person simultaneously tries to contract the muscle, Squats and running downhill, are examples of such exercises," says Hogrefe.

What to eat after a workout?

And adding antioxidants to that meal improved the recovery from those workouts even more. So aim to load up on protein (think chicken or fish) and antioxidant-rich foods (think pomegranates and kale ) in the hours after a tough workout, and watch your recovery times drop.

Why do heating pads increase blood flow?

"The idea behind heating pads is that they increase blood flow because it is a vasodilator (opens up your blood vessels), and is thought that it could help flush some of the byproducts or inflammation related to muscle soreness, out of the muscles," says Lawton.

Does hitting the sack cause muscle soreness?

It sounds simple, but hitting the sack can often be exactly what your sore muscles need. The direct scientific link between sleep and post-exercise recovery remains somewhat fuzzy, although it could be strongly argued that that's because sleep involves a multitude of physiological functions that aren't always easy to clearly define and separate. We do know, however, that a lack of sleep can contribute to higher levels of inflammation. Inflammation may not be a factor in DOMs in particular, but it does contribute to some muscle soreness — and getting serious rest can help alleviate that.

Does compression gear help with soreness?

It's not just to show off all the work you've put in. A 2014 study found that compression gear reduced muscle soreness and made muscle recovery faster due to constricting your muscles and preventing fluid buildup post-workout while increasing blood flow. This helped remove an enzyme in your muscles called creatine kinase, which can cause ache.

How to reduce muscle soreness?

5 Ways to Reduce Muscle Soreness, STAT. 1. Eating Tart Cherries. The science: Research published in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports found that marathoners consuming tart cherry juice five days before, on the day of, and 48 hours following their races reduced muscle soreness.

What is the best way to relieve muscle soreness?

4. Foam Rolling. The science: Similar to massage, foam rolling is all about myofascial release, which relieves tension in the muscle’s connective tissue. And your trainer is right: Research has found that rolling out your muscles like dough can help reduce delayed onset muscle soreness.

How to keep DOMS at bay?

You don’t need to (and shouldn’t!) go heavy during every single workout for ultimate results. Aerobic exercise, like jogging or cycling as well as yoga, Pilates and other low-impact workouts are all great options for keeping DOMS at bay.

How long does it take for muscle soreness to peak?

It typically peaks around 24 to 48 hours after leaving the gym, explains exercise physiologist Matt Unthank, CSCS, director of training for Crossover Symmetry. “While the process is complicated and remains to be entirely understood, it is widely viewed as an inflammatory response due to a breakdown in muscles tissue.”

What is delayed onset muscle soreness?

Delayed onset muscle soreness, also known as DOMS, describes the muscular pain and stiffness that set in after a particularly intense workout. Twenty20

What are some pain relievers for athletes?

Epsom salts, cold compresses, ice baths — a lot of other pain-relieving techniques top the lists of weekend warriors and professional athletes alike. But not all are well-studied or have conclusive findings, Unthank says.

Does caffeine help with muscle soreness?

The science: Multiple studies show that pre-workout caffeine consumption can reduce subsequent muscle soreness and fatigue. In one study published in the Journal of Pain, the strategy scored exercisers a 48 percent drop in DOMS. Apart from generally making everything better, caffeine has analgesic (pain-killing properties), which is why it is commonly contained in over-the-counter pain medications.

How to help a sore muscle?

Massage sore muscles. Massaging promotes blood-flow to sore muscles, which brings oxygen to muscles trying to recover. Use your fingertips to lightly massage the areas that hurt–the massage may not feel good in the short-term, but it will help your muscles heal faster if you sit through the pain.

How to stop muscle soreness after exercise?

Ice prevents painful inflammation, and applying ice shortly after a work-out can slow down the inflammation process that causes muscle soreness. Wrap a bag of ice in a towel or t-shirt and apply to the affect muscles for 20 minutes.

How to get your heart rate up when you have a sore muscle?

While it is tempting to drop onto the couch, moving around slowly increases blood flow to sore muscles and accelerates the healing process. While you shouldn’t go exercise, get up and walk around or go for a light 10-15 minute jog to get your heart rate up and blood flowing.

What is the best way to ice multiple muscles at once?

Ice baths, found in most professional athletic training rooms, are a fantastic way to ice multiple muscles at once.

How to massage your own muscles?

Get a foam roller to massage your own muscles if you cannot get a friend to help. Simply use your body weight to roll the tube over the affected area.

What can help with recovery?

Pilates and yoga can help facilitate recovery and create a relaxed physiology.

What painkillers can I take for pain?

Take over-the-counter painkillers in moderation. Acetaminophen (Tylenol), or a NSAID (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug) like Advil, Motrin, or Aleve can ease discomfort in the short-term. However, using them frequently can interfere with your muscles' ability to heal itself. Only use pain-relief drugs rarely for the best results.

How to use ACV tonic?

How to use: Simply mix a teaspoon of ACV in a glass of water, add a drop of honey to dampen its sour taste, and consume this tonic. External use involves massaging water-diluted ACV onto the affected areas to bring down muscle inflammation and pain.

How to reduce stress in the body?

Reduce physical stress through relaxation techniques. You can try a number of relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing and mindful meditation exercises to release the stress building inside your body, which is often the source of muscle tension and pain. 5. Make yoga part of your routine.

How to reduce muscle pain from eccentric exercise?

7. Eat garlic. Garlic is known to exhibit anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties that can be traced back to its main compound allicin. Both these properties can help reduce muscle damage caused by eccentric exercise and the pain and inflammation that results thereafter.

What is the best hydrotherapy for muscle spasms?

The ideal form of hydrotherapy for relieving muscle pain is a whirlpool bath which combines the dual benefits of a deep-tissue massage and heat therapy, both of which help enhance blood flow throughout the body to relieve muscle spasms and pain.

What is muscle pain?

Final Word. Muscle pain is a common discomfort that afflicts almost everyone at one point or another. It can be the result of muscle tension, injury, or overuse, in which case it is limited to the affected area. However, muscle pain that can be felt all over the body is either a side effect of certain medication or symptomatic ...

How does massage help with muscle pain?

The gentle physical stimulation offered by massage therapy helps improve blood circulation in the targeted area , which brings more nutrition and oxygen to the affected muscles. The increased blood supply can, therefore, help your damaged or tired muscles heal faster and perform better. (11)

How to heal sore muscles?

Home Remedies for Muscle Pain. Antioxidant-rich foods can help counter the activity of free radicals, promote tissue repair , and thereby relieve muscle pain or soreness. (1) Here are some beneficial ingredients that can help your sore muscles heal faster. 1.

How to help muscles recover?

Despite what you may read on some fitness blogs, there’s no better way to help your muscles recover than by eating healthy foods and getting a good night’s sleep. Living an overall healthy lifestyle is the most important step you can take to maximize your muscle recovery. No recovery method can make up for poor nutrition and a lack of rest.

How to maximize muscle recovery?

Whether you’re training to stay in shape or are a competitive athlete, the best way to maximize your muscle recovery is with a healthy diet and a good night’s sleep. No other recovery techniques are going to be able to make up for bad habits in these two areas. Last medically reviewed on November 17, 2020.

How does sleep deprivation affect muscle recovery?

Research has found that sleep deprivation may impair muscle recovery by impairing the body’s inflammation reaction and the production of hormones that aid muscle growth. 10. Massage. Many athletes incorporate massage in their training to reduce muscle soreness. A 2020 review of studies.

Why is it important to recover after a workout?

doing exercises that involve many different muscle groups or a near max effort. It’s important to give your body time to recover fully after a workout. While you’re exercising, you create damage to your muscles. It’s only during the recovery period that your muscles can repair the tiny tears that form during exercise.

Why do we need to eat protein after exercise?

When you exercise, the proteins that make up your muscle fibers become damaged . Consuming protein after your workout can help give your body the raw material it needs to repair this muscle damage.

What is the best supplement for muscular strength?

Creatine is one of the most widely studied supplements. Research consistently shows it can help improve muscular strength when combined with resistance training.

Does cherry juice help with muscle soreness?

Research. Trusted Source. has found that drinking tart cherry juice after exercise may reduce inflammation, muscle damage, and muscle soreness from exercise. More research is needed to fully understand its effects, but many studies published to date look promising.