6 ways to recover from muscle soreness faster
Some people love the ache they get after an intense workout - it’s proof of the hard work they’ve put in, particularly on the second day! For most of us however, the quicker we can reduce the soreness the better so we can get straight back to the studio, running track or weights room sooner.
What is post-exercise muscle soreness?
Known as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS), the aching is caused by ‘micro-tears’ in muscle fibres. While this may sound like a painful side effect of exercise, it’s actually part of the natural process of muscle growth. Each tear we make is repaired with stronger, more effective fibres which allow us to better deal with similar stimuli in the future. In short: we get stronger. DOMS usually takes 12-24 hours to hit and can take up to 3 days to go away.
And let’s face it, no one wants to exercise to feel sore for the next three days, so this week we share 6 easy ways to recover from muscle soreness faster:
1. Drink plenty of water
Staying hydrated is of course key to nearly all of our bodily functions, including synthesising protein, a key process in muscle repair. Some studies have indicated dehydration may even cause muscle soreness, so be sure to drink plenty of water before, during and after your workouts. There are great apps out there that help you track how much water you consume - such as WaterLama - so you can make sure you are keeping on top of your hydration needs!
2. Protein up!
Following the micro-tears in the muscle fibres, your body needs to repair itself; so give it the fuel to do so, protein! Protein shakes are a great way to top up your protein intake and there are a number of vegan alternatives if you want to avoid dairy-based shakes. Not into protein powder? Greek yoghurt, peanut butter, eggs, cheese, nuts and tinned fish are all good sources of protein. Be sure to eat plenty of fats and carbs too, these will help provide your body with the energy it requires for muscle repair.
3. Stay active
The more you move, the less your muscles will ache. Staying active is not just a good recovery tip, it is great for everyday life as a sedentary lifestyle has been proven to cause a number of diseases. Avoid sitting still for too long to prevent your muscles seizing up: setting 30 minute reminders on your phone to get up and move about can really improve the health of your muscles.
4. Stretch
Stretching should be an integral part of every workout (we recommend dynamic stretching after your warm-up and static stretching at the end of your workout). While recovering from muscle soreness, try to stretch regularly through the day!
5. Apply pressure
Increase blood flow and muscle elasticity by applying pressure to affected areas with a foam roller or massage. If the area is quite painful try getting some oil or muscle balm and massage it slowly, this should help ease up the pain.
6. Rest
Exercising everyday without rest is counter-productive; it’s important to give your muscles time to recover, so take time off and get plenty of sleep – you’ll find you perform better when you return to the mat or gym than if you had just powered through!
That’s it! So hit the mat, spin-bike or bench-press hard, knowing you can recover that little bit faster and always listen to your body!