Reasons why muscles may ache after exercise and how to help. Why do muscles hurt after exercise? How to avoid muscle pain after exercise

Most often, muscle discomfort in the legs occurs in sports beginners or in athletes (aerobics, runners, bodybuilders, dancers) who haven't exercised for a long time or changed the training program. But why do even sports aces often experience muscle pain in the legs?

Most often, muscle discomfort in the legs appears in sports beginners or athletes.

There are several reasons that leg muscles hurt after exercise. What should you do to mitigate the effects of exercise on your legs and can you avoid discomfort after heavy or unusual exertion? Let's try to figure it out.

Causes of muscle pain

Muscle pain is an integral part of the athlete's recovery during the post-workout days. When performing intense physical exercises, changes occur in muscle fibers that manifest themselves in the form of painful sensations, scientifically called krepatura.

For experienced athletes, such pain is a criterion for the success of the training session. Many bodybuilders believe that if the muscles do not hurt after training, then the next time you need to do the exercises on your legs harder, otherwise there will be no muscle growth.

This is not entirely correct opinion, but DOMS is actually proof that the muscles worked well in the lesson, and the pain that arises after it is a natural physiological phenomenon.

Causes of Natural Muscle Pain

So, there are only three reasons for natural discomfort. in the muscles of the legs after exercise:

1. The action of lactic acid. If a burning sensation and painful sensations appear during a training session and immediately after it, then the reason is most likely precisely in the influence of lactic acid. It is released in muscle tissues as a result of natural chemical reactions occurring in them during active work, leads to acidification and provokes discomfort. Within an hour, lactic acid is completely removed from the muscles, so if pain appears a day or two after training, it is not caused by the action of lactic acid.
2. Delayed pain. She appears late: 8 to 48 hours after exercise. It is associated with micro-ruptures of muscle fibers during unusual or increased stress on the muscles, resulting in their edema caused by the influx of leukocytes and other substances that contribute to the restoration of injured tissues. This pain is a natural part of the muscle building process.
3. Full amplitude workouts. After doing deadlifts with straight legs or deep squats, painful sensations in the muscles of the legs cannot be avoided. This is due to the increased stretching of the muscle fibers, compared to performing exercises with incomplete amplitude. Before proceeding with such exercises, it is necessary to carry out deep stretching (stretching) for the legs.

For experienced athletes, such pain is a criterion for the success of the training.

The listed causes of muscle pain are considered normal, as they are caused by the natural reaction of the muscles to stress. Although painful sensations can be quite strong and sometimes cause inconvenience, over time they go away on their own, without requiring a change in the training program or medical intervention.

Causes of pathological pain in the muscles of the legs

But there are other reasons that leg muscles hurt after exercise. What if the pain occurs in regular athletes and is of high intensity? Most often it is caused by mistakes in the training process.

Therefore, first of all, you need to understand their reasons:

1. Overtraining. If between workouts there are periodic wandering pains in the muscle tissues of the legs, their constant weakness, cramps of the calf muscles - this is a symptom of overtraining. In this condition, the body does not have time to recover after intense exertion, resulting in a nitrogen imbalance in the body and depletion of the nervous system.
2. Muscle reactivity. Some professional athletes sometimes experience increased sensitivity of the nerve endings of muscle tissue due to constant exhausting training. At the same time, the balance of salts and fluid in the body changes, which leads to painful sensations.
3. Injury. After an incorrectly performed exercise or unsuccessful movement, a sharp pain in the muscles may appear. The injured area may swell and redden a little after a few hours, and the feeling of pain may increase, especially with movement.

Lactic acid is released into muscle tissue by natural chemical reactions and is often the main cause of muscle pain

Carefully! Acute pain can be a symptom of a sprain or tear of muscles and ligaments. It is necessary to immediately exclude all physical activity on the sore leg and contact a traumatologist to clarify the diagnosis.

Do I need to endure the muscle pain that appears and what can be done when the leg muscles are very sore after training?

How to get rid of muscle pain in the legs

In order not to look for methods of dealing with pain, it is much easier to prevent it. To do this, you need to listen to your body, choosing a feasible load, gradually increasing it. Healthy fatigue should be felt after exercise, and not feel a complete loss of strength.

It is important to give the body time to recover, periodically arrange rest days, and regularly change the training program.

Note! To prevent soreness in the muscles of the legs after intense exertion and to avoid injury, you should always do warming up exercises on your legs at the beginning of each workout.

After the lesson, stretching is required (cool down). Its role in the prevention of DOMS is enormous. Stretching speeds up the elimination of lactic acid and the supply of nutrients to damaged muscles, which allows muscle tissue to recover faster after heavy exercise.

Stretching speeds up the elimination of lactic acid and prevents the development of DOMS

If, despite the precautions, the leg muscles still hurt after a workout, what to do, experts in sports medicine advise.

To reduce the appearance of muscle pain they recommend the following methods:

1. It will help to avoid dyspnea hot tub which is best taken immediately after training. The sauna has a similar effect. Heat improves blood circulation in damaged muscle fibers to recover faster. Pain in your legs on post-workout days can help reduce alternating hot and cold water or swimming in the pool.
2. Massage- the most effective method of dealing with DOMS. With its help, you can reduce the tone of the muscles of the lower extremities, increase blood circulation and relieve muscle tension. During the massage session, endorphins, natural pain suppressors, are released. An experienced massage therapist will help you completely get rid of pain and get the maximum benefit from the procedure, but with the help of self-massage, you can significantly alleviate the condition.
3. New workout... If the pain is moderate, then the next day or every other day, you can do another workout, trying not to heavily load the sore legs, do fewer repetitions, be sure to focus on stretching.
4. Special ointments and creams... If the pain is very intense, you can use anti-inflammatory or warming ointments: Voltaren, Kapsikam, Diclofenac, Nise, Finalgel and others.
5. Drinking plenty of fluids... Water balance plays an important role in the rate of recovery of muscle fibers. Lack of water slows down the regeneration of muscle tissue and the elimination of toxic metabolic products that increase inflammation.

If the pain is very intense, anti-inflammatory or warming ointments can be used.

You can use all these methods to get rid of muscle pain, or choose one, but, as experts say, no need to endure pain... And if it does not stop within five days, there is a reason to be wary and consult a doctor.

So, if the leg muscles hurt a lot after training, what to do is now known. And what cannot be done?

What not to do for muscle pain

Important to remember! Dropsy usually occurs in beginners or experienced athletes when changing a training program. After a few workouts, the pain goes away and can only return with increasing loads.

If painful sensations in the legs become constant companions of training for a long time, one cannot but pay attention to it. Necessarily revise the training program, as the existing program may be too heavy, which can lead to muscle overtraining.

Massages and relaxing baths are the most effective methods for fighting dyspepsia.

Do not forget that trauma can be the cause of painful sensations in the muscles of the legs. Therefore, one should not be lighthearted about the severe pain that appeared during training.

An urgent need to consult a doctor and trainer if, along with pain, similar symptoms appear:

• temperature increase;
• tachycardia in the morning;
• general weakness;
• dizziness;
• nausea.

In no case should you continue training, overcoming acute pain! You must always take into account the capabilities of your body and never step over the line of loads permissible for it.

There is no need to be afraid of pain in the muscles of the legs after exercise. Most often, they are harmless and are a prerequisite for the growth of muscle tissue. But such pain cannot be made an end in itself, otherwise serious health problems cannot be avoided.

Take care of yourself and your health, dear girls and women! We hope this article was helpful to you.

In this video, the doctor talks about the causes of muscle pain:

In this video, the doctor explains the origin of muscle pain and tells how to get rid of it:

In our article we will talk about how:

• distinguish common post-workout leg pain, which is proof that you've worked hard, from traumatic pain
• overcome this temporary obstacle using proven methods and not “get out of the way” (especially important for beginners)
• adjust subsequent workouts in order to alleviate the load on the "affected" muscles

Known causes of pain

Why do my legs hurt after training and what to do? The causes of pain are fundamentally divided into 2 types.

1. Mechanical damage to muscle fibers

The most common explanation, both among athletes themselves and doctors in the field of traumatology, is that the pain that an athlete often experiences not immediately, but, as a rule, the next day after exercise, is a sensory manifestation of the smallest breaks in muscle fibers, visible only using a microscope. But it is thanks to these micro-tears that it hurts us to walk after class, or our arms do not unbend.

On the one hand, post-workout pain is proof of a great workout. On the other hand, a person who experiences it needs to learn a few simple rules to relieve it.

Note! The causes of pain in the calf muscles are different from the rest of the legs.

The human body is arranged in such a miraculous way that it responds with powerful mobilization to any, even more or less unusual, load. It is noted that the muscles healed after the resulting micro-ruptures are not the same, but renewed and more adapted to continue training. This is the main argument against the possible whisperings of our "ego" for a while to postpone or facilitate classes.

2. Poisoning by metabolic products

Another common explanation is toxicosis due to an excess of lactic acid. During physical activity, oxidation occurs in muscle fibers. As the degree of difficulty increases, the oxidation process becomes more intense as a natural reaction of the immune system.

Distinguishing "normal" post-workout leg pain from trauma symptom

Even before proceeding with any resuscitation measures, it is necessary to exclude the possibility of a real injury.

Common pain

1. Does not come immediately(do not confuse it with overwork and "aching in the muscles"), but as a rule, during the day. The peak of its intensity falls precisely on the interval of 24-72 hours. Surely, many of you had to face the next morning after class with the "impossibility" to straighten your leg or step on it - that is, some muscle stiffness and soreness with any contraction.
2. Disturbed for two to three days and gradually disappears. It does not interfere with the normal functionality of a particular muscle group, and you can walk, sit down, lie down and even perform a set of restorative exercises, although with some grimace on your face.
3. Controlled by a range of available means, while traumatic pain, or rather, the trauma itself, needs appropriate therapy - up to and including surgery.

Injury symptom

This can be a serious laceration or strain in the muscles above or below the knees, in the foot and foot, an injury to the hip joints, or even a fracture. Such pain can be felt either immediately or also within 24 hours after training. However, it is different from the first minutes:

1. Sharp character Most likely, it will be very painful for you to walk or even move your leg.
2. Localization (at the site of injury)
3. By depriving muscles of their ability to perform their normal functions
4. And also the fact that it does not pass, and sometimes even intensifies over two to three days when the need for medical intervention is already obvious
5. The impossibility of control using any of the methods below. On the contrary, it is a contraindication for their implementation.
6. Incompatibility with the continuation of the started training course (most likely, you will need treatment, and then a special recovery course)

Extra caution you need to show if your knees hurt. Learn about 8 causes of knee pain here.

Watch the video for more details:

How to get rid of sore legs - 10 ways

If the muscles of the legs hurt very badly after training, but the traumatic nature of the pain is excluded, the following tips will help remove severe leg muscle soreness and significantly alleviate the condition.

1. Get enough sleep. Healthy sleep promotes the speedy breakdown of chemical compounds that cause pain.
2. Maintain optimal intake of vitamins A, C and E. These elements are the most courageous samurai who protect the body from free radicals. Make sure you consume enough vegetable oils, fresh juices, and a variety of fruits and vegetables.
3. Drink one to two glasses of green tea throughout the day. Its bioflavonoids help to bind toxins and quickly cleanse the body.
4. Take a warm bath. The heat improves blood flow to the sore muscle. The general anesthetic effect of a warm bath is known for pain of any nature (due to vasodilatation and relaxation of the body) The bath will be great if the leg muscles are clogged
5. Massage lightly in areas of concentration of painful sensations. Massage promotes better movement of lymph in problem areas. How to relax leg muscles after exercise? Perform 1 session of simple self-massage.
6. Simultaneous massage and warmth effect can be achieved taking a warm shower, especially the bathroom with jacuzzi. Try to direct the stream of warm water to the sore muscles.
7. Add Epsom Salt to Your Bathroom(if not, then any sea salt will be a good substitute). Epsom salt contains magnesium, which is absorbed through the enlarged pores of the skin to promote muscle relaxation and relieve general stress.
8. Do some light aerobic sessions. All cardio workouts involve the legs. A 30-minute continuous movement, even if it is not even a very brisk walk, stimulates the movement of blood, and the timely supply of necessary substances to tissue cells, removal of toxins. In addition, there is a smooth awakening of the nervous system, and in fact it controls the recovery process. The last two measures we will present are especially suitable for weightlifters who regularly expose their muscles to new stress.
9. Use special foam rollers to massage painful areas of your feet. Do not roll quickly, gradually increasing the pressure on the roller. This is an excellent substitute for manual therapy, which gives even more fantastic effect and allows you to completely get rid of DOMS!
10. Take creatine monohydrate. This is a menabolite, which itself is contained in our body. However, with intense exertion, its increased doses can greatly help the muscles to cope with them as painlessly as possible. Its indisputable merit is the attraction of fluid to the cells, filling and retention of water in them, and, as one of the consequences, an increase in muscle strength. Taking creatine will help you recover faster, not only after training, but also between sets, and, as a result, relieve pain

Learn more from the video:

5 simple steps to prevent any kind of discomfort

As you know, it is better to prevent any disease than to treat it. Going on a fitness trip, it is necessary to observe a number of conditions due to which your body will notice the load no more than a floating boat - algae found downstream.

1. Always maintain an optimal amount of fluid in the body.

Lack of fluid leads to impaired blood circulation, as well as loss of tissue elasticity.

As a result, the process of oxygen purification from oxidation waste is delayed in the muscles, and intense intoxication occurs. In addition, the loss of elasticity leads to an increased risk of mechanical damage, in particular rupture.

On average, a person playing sports and weighing 70 kg, needs 2.5-2.8 liters of fluid per day.

This need increases in hot weather or in a stuffy room.

2. Avoid intense training immediately after illness

Moreover, do not exercise immediately after a viral or infectious one.

It is they who are accompanied by dehydration and subsequent intoxication.

Dehydrated tissues need both at least 7-10 days of restorative rest to return the previous functionality.

3. Maintain an optimal diet for your type of activity.

If this is a strength exercise, do not forget about the increased inclusion of protein in the diet. Special sports products can also help with this. Also, make sure that your diet does not contain foods or drinks that contribute to the body's slagging or dehydration. Maintain an optimal balance of complex carbohydrates, vitamins, proteins and vegetable fats to help the muscles adapt more easily to stress.

In the matter of an athlete's nutrition, not only the composition of the diet is taken into account, but also the amount, as well as the time of the meal. The generally accepted rule is 4-6 meals a day. At the same time, one third should be salads from fresh vegetables and fruits. This will help relieve and relieve muscle pain.

For normal recovery of leg muscles after exercise, it is important to "refresh" immediately after exercise. So, the next session with strength machines should be completed with a protein "snack" (a protein shake is very suitable in this case - its formula is designed so that the protein is instantly absorbed into the bloodstream, bypassing the long routes of digestion of ordinary food, and goes to the muscles.)

If you are doing cardio workouts, then although it is often recommended to do them on an empty stomach (especially for weight loss), I highly advise you to train yourself to keep our favorite apples near Moscow nearby. This fruit is endowed with many healing properties and at the same time will fill the body with liquid, carbohydrates and prevent excessive secretion of stomach acid. In addition, apple is a powerful antiseptic and detoxifier.

Also, after aerobic exercise it is important to restore the water-carbohydrate balance. Freshly squeezed juice, any fruit with a rich texture makes a great dessert after running, swimming or cycling.

4. Plan your main meals 2 hours before and after your workout.

The digestive process lasts an average of about two hours, and it is better to enter the gym with an empty stomach, although not being hungry. After the lesson, it is also advised to refrain from serious food for at least two hours, since for several hours after the lesson, an invisible process of absorbing stored fats is still going on to replenish energy loss. The liver plays a huge role in this work. Therefore, it is important to give this organ and the whole body its due recovery time and not burden with digestion.

By the way, it is the failure to comply with the last rule that often leads to disappointing weight gain, although many people come to the gym or to the pool for the opposite.

This is especially true for those who naturally have a good appetite, as well as adolescents. The body, under the influence of stress, sends signals to the brain, and a person can experience a "wolfish" appetite. However, such "hunger" is not a sign of an empty stomach, but only a sign of the beginning of recovery.

That is why it is important to "respond" in time with a portion protein or carbohydrates(protein shake, fruit or yogurt with nut additives), as well as a minimum of 250 ml of liquid - for the rapid transport of these elements by blood to the muscles.

If you follow the lead of the post-workout reflex, you can teach the stomach to absorb an unreasonably increased amount of food, not only immediately after training, but also in all other methods. In this case, the muscles will grow even less intensively than the surrounding fatty deposits, and the stomach will be more and more demanding. As a result, in a year or two, instead of an athletic physique, you can earn a diagnosis of obesity.

5. Increase your loads deliberately

Don't break records from the beginning. Make friends with your body! Give him the time he needs to adapt!

Say no to unnecessary breaks between sessions. This is especially important for beginners or transitioning to a new sport. The muscular apparatus unaccustomed to stress will quickly relax and it will be a shame if you have to start all over again. Well, severe muscle pain will be just an unpleasant bonus.

In conclusion, we reiterate that pain in the muscles of the legs after exercise is a normal part of the sports routine. If you follow at least a few of the 10 tips given, then recovery will come much faster and easier.

A beginner comes after training with a feeling of happiness associated with starting a new life in a beautiful and fit body. He feels satisfied with the work done and wants to return to the gym tomorrow, falling asleep with these thoughts.

But everything changes when a novice athlete wakes up and feels severe pain in the muscles trained the day before. Why muscles hurt after physical exertion - this and other questions will be discussed in the article.

Causes of muscle pain

To determine why muscles hurt, you need to get to the bottom of the causes of pain, of which there may be several. Let's present the main ones:

• Tear, muscle tear.
• Damage to the joint, connective tissue.
• Serious for the current level of training microtrauma.
• Exposure to lactic acid.

The first option is a sharp muscle pain during and immediately after training.

We refer the second option there, noting that for a combination of several reasons, joint pain can be mistaken for muscle pain. This paragraph also answers the question of why muscles hurt after running. The fact is that during running exercises, not only the muscles of the legs experience an increased load, but also the joints, which can also hurt.

The third and fourth causes of muscle pain are synonymous in a way. Where there are serious microtrauma, there is lactic acid. Muscle pain some time after the end of the workout (most often the next morning) is a clear sign of exposure to excessive microtrauma and lactic acid.

Many are interested in the question of why muscles hurt a day after training. This is due to the fact that the accumulation of lactic acid in muscle fibers occurs gradually. And when its greatest concentration is reached, the person experiences pain.

How to get rid of muscle pain

More often than not, beginners do absolutely nothing to prevent muscle soreness the next day. As a result, the next morning, even getting out of bed becomes a laborious task and the question arises why the muscles hurt after physical exertion and what to do with the pain.

This can be avoided by performing some activities immediately after training:

1. Stretching. To partially "drive away" lactic acid, you can try stretching right after exercise. It is worth devoting 5-10 minutes to a warm-up in order to feel like a full-fledged person the next day.
2. No rest! You should never rest immediately after training. If classes are held in the gym, then you need to walk for at least 20-30 minutes before getting into the car (minibus, bus) and going home. You can also run as an extra warm-up or remember your childhood by jumping rope for five minutes. If you train at home, the best solution is to take a short walk right after class. The body in the morning will say thank you for this half hour in the fresh air.
3. A hot bath is a way to relax by getting rid of lactic acid. Such a bath is often advised to use the day after exercise, when the physical condition is already deplorable. But prevention is better than cure. And more often than not, when it comes to the first workouts, the body itself asks to relax, and a hot bath is the best way to do this. An hour in a hot bath or steam bath can ease muscle pain and prevent soreness in the morning.

The next day…

Well, if the condition is already running and the next morning the question is tormented by the question of why the muscles hurt after training, what to do, then you need to try the following:

• Take a hot bath first.
• Then repeat yesterday's workout in a light mode, despite the present muscle pain. If the muscles are not stretched now, then they can hurt for another week. Yes, at first it will hurt, but after training you will feel relief, and the disturbing symptom will disappear after two or three days, and not in a week, as it happens, if you do nothing the next morning after class.
• Massage and special creams help to eliminate pain well.

Next time, it is advisable to do the exercises in a gentle mode, so as not to tear muscle tissue again. The number of such lightweight sessions is determined based on the physical condition of the athlete.

The main thing is not to be afraid of pain and not to overdo it.

Muscle pain is a natural occurrence for early workouts. Chances are, stretching, taking a bath, and walking around the gym immediately after training will still feel a bit sore the next morning. And the point here is not in lactic acid, from the effects of which you can quickly safely get rid of, but in muscle microtrauma, which turned out to be too serious for an untrained body. Do not be afraid of this. Muscle pain caused by microtrauma will go away without causing any harm to the body.

But to answer the question of why muscles hurt after physical exertion, you need to remember one more thing. In order to avoid the symptom of overtraining, you do not need to be too zealous in the first lessons. It is necessary to allow the body to get used to physical activity, to work on the exercise technique instead of storming the desired result. This advice will help you get rid of quickly or not at all muscle pain after the first workouts.

And it doesn't matter where the classes are held: at home or in the gym. For a body that has not experienced any significant stress for a long time, training is a serious challenge. This is why muscles hurt after exercise. You need to finish the exercises before you feel that there is no more strength for training.

At first, it is better not to train than to overtrain. This must be remembered.

When to sound the alarm

You need to start worrying in such cases:

• It is impossible to move any part of the body.
• The trained body part is swollen.
• Muscle pain does not subside for more than a week.

In other cases, we are talking about banal lactic acid and overtraining, which will not cause any harm.

If, nevertheless, there is some concern about the physical condition, then there is no need to postpone a visit to a traumatologist or sports doctor. After a thorough examination, specialists will give the necessary recommendations and advice.

Muscle pain with regular exercise

Everything mentioned above is dedicated to beginners. And this is not surprising, because it is those who exercise for less than three months that most often suffer from muscle pain. And for them, the question of why muscles hurt after exercise is especially relevant.

It is believed that the body of a person who has been practicing for years gets used to the stress, as a result of which serious muscle pain is impossible. Having learned about this, men and girls who have been training for several years begin to sound the alarm. But this is not necessary. People who regularly exercise their bodies can also have muscle soreness. Unaccustomed or overuse are two factors that can cause muscle pain even with long training history. The recommendations are the same: if the pain gradually subsides, there is no reason to worry. Otherwise, a doctor's consultation is indicated.

Do your muscles hurt after training? So, as they say, you did not try well! But seriously, muscle pain that appears 1-2 days after exercise is quite normal. Muscles worked - that means they should hurt. True, in the case when the pain causes significant discomfort, a more precise cause should be sought. How to relieve pain and protect yourself from it in the future?

• Causes of muscle pain
• 6 best quick ways to relieve muscle pain
• How to avoid muscle pain

Causes of muscle pain after exercise

There are many theories for the onset of muscle pain. We will highlight the main ones:

• The action of lactic acid. Accumulating rather quickly in muscle cells, it is a certain by-product of physiological processes. When it leaves the body, uncomfortable sensations arise, and with repeated workouts, this acid becomes more and more. This substance is washed out by the blood within 24 hours, and its accumulation in the muscles during exercise is absolutely safe.
• Delayed pain. It happens that muscle pain "covers" only on the 2-3rd day of classes. The reason is in microtrauma of muscle fibers. There is nothing to be afraid of: muscle injury provokes the body to activate the defenses and to increase the secretion of hormones to quickly get rid of toxins from the muscles and restore damage. After 3-4 workouts, the pain begins to subside. It is recommended to constantly change loads and intensity of training.
• Increased muscle reactivity. This case is due to an aggravation of the sensitivity of the nerve endings due to heavy muscle loads due to a change in the biological balance of fluid and salt. That is, imbalance. In addition to pain, this cause can also lead to cramps in the calf muscles. For prophylaxis, stretching "before and after" is recommended, as well as compensation for fluid deficiency right in the process of training.

• Overtraining. With a constant feeling of weakness in the muscles, severe pain and loss of strength, you can safely conclude that the body is exhausted - you have overtrained. In terms of biochemistry, this is due to nitrogen imbalance or the loss of more protein than you receive. Persistent symptoms lead to a decrease in immunity, to hormonal and menstrual irregularities, and even to infertility.
• Injury. In this case, the pain has an aching and chilling character, aggravated by sudden movements and with a load of any force. It is often accompanied by swelling at the site of injury, as well as a deterioration in general condition. The onset of pain is immediate, less often the next day.
• Full amplitude workouts(horizontal press with a barbell, deadlift on absolutely straight legs and deep squats, etc.). In addition to stretching the muscles, the fact of receiving a load in those areas of amplitude where it does not exist in ordinary life is also noted. Pain relief can be achieved through partial amplitude training.

6 best quick ways to get rid of muscle soreness after exercise

How can you relieve pain quickly? The best express methods are for your attention!

• Water procedures

Contrary to stereotypes, it is cold water that reduces muscle pain, but alternating cold and warm water will be most effective. This can be a contrast shower for 10 minutes, or a warm bath (for 20 minutes, with sea salt), followed by a cold shower or cold shower.

• Russian bath

One of the best ways to relieve pain is with a combination of low / high temperatures and an abundant drinking regime.

• Swimming in cold water

Regardless of the muscle group trained and the intensity of the exercise, swimming (especially regular swimming) for 15-20 minutes relieves pain more effectively than other methods. Many athletes with post-workout sore throats become big fans of swimming. Pain relief occurs by improving blood circulation and vasodilation.

• Massage

If there is no professional masseur nearby, then you can do it on your own. The most important thing is to warm up the muscles and puncture painful areas for blood to flow to them. You can use olive oil to warm up the muscles with the addition of 2-3 drops of essential oil (clary sage, lavender, marjoram). Also popular today are massage rollers (approx. - Pilates machines), which improve blood flow in the muscles and help reduce pain. The procedure with such a roller lasts about 15 minutes.

• Ointments and creams

An option for the laziest. Ointments from the pharmacy with herbs, essential oils and bile, balms or anti-inflammatory creams. Usually, such agents contain active ingredients or special substances for influencing pain receptors (voltaren, capsicam, etc.).

• Traffic

Yes exactly. Warm up immediately after training. The muscles have to work, especially the antagonist muscles. Does your back hurt? This means that you need to "pump" the pectoral muscles. Does your biceps hurt? Swing your triceps. Stretching before and after exercising reduces the risk of pain by 50%. In addition, warmed muscles reduce the risk of injury.

How to avoid muscle soreness after exercising in your next workouts?

So that muscle pains do not torment you after training, remember the main rules for their prevention:

• Proper nutrition

The amount of protein absorbed must match the amount consumed. It is also worth remembering that to restore the body, you need 2-4 g / per 1 kg of weight - carbohydrates (per day), about 2 g / per 1 kg of body weight - protein, as well as about 20% of the total number of calories as non-harmful fats. ...

• Water

Its amount per day depends on the weight. Calculation of the formula: human weight x 0.04 = amount of water / day. Due to the lack of water consumed, the body's ability to eliminate toxins is impaired, and the process of muscle recovery takes much longer and more difficult. Drink water!

• Cardio exercise

Recovery is accelerated by 3-4 cardio workouts per week. Supplemental oxygen and accelerated blood circulation contribute to the rapid elimination of lactic acid and directly toxins.

• After training - water treatments!

We alternate between cold and hot water in 3-5 cycles.

• Don't forget about massage

After training - independent (or ask someone to "stretch" the muscles), and once a month - professional.

• Additives

One of the most important are fatty acids (300 mg per 1 kg of body weight), which reduce the inflammatory process in the muscles and stimulate the immune system. We are looking for them in linseed oil and fish oil.

• Cycle your workouts

Alternate sessions with a high number of repetitions (from 10 to 15) and solid weight with sessions with a low number of repetitions of exercises (from 6 to 8) and low weight.

• Refrain from workouts that last more than 1 hour

The maximum training time is 45 minutes. After an hour of training, testosterone levels decrease and cortisol levels rise.

With a lack of it, the level of cortisol begins to go off-scale, as a result of which the recovery process is disrupted and the risk of injury increases. The optimal time for normal sleep is 8 hours.

• Supplemental antioxidant intake

It is necessary for the neutralization of decay products in the body. We are looking for antioxidants in retinol, carotenes, in ascorbic acid and tocopherol, in selenium, in succinic acid, as well as in flavonoids (blue cabbage and cherries, raisins, dark grapes).

• Drinking watermelon

One of the methods to quickly recover from exercise. Watermelon juice (only natural!) Relieves muscle pain, thanks to the amino acid in its composition (L-citrulline), which promotes the removal of lactic acid from the body. Drink this juice one hour before class and one hour after.

• Foods That May Ease Pain

In addition to watermelon juice, there are also black currants, blackberries with blueberries, cranberry and grape juices. The anthocyanins found in these foods can help reduce inflammation and pain levels. Peeled potatoes, cucumbers and figs with pomegranate, walnuts and parsley, ginger will also be useful for these purposes. Do not forget about decoctions from licorice (the most effective), from chamomile and linden, from wild rose or currant leaves, from the bark of white willow, bearberry or St. John's wort.

When is it worth contacting a specialist?

Joint and muscle pain should not be confused. Joint pain, as opposed to muscle pain, is a very serious problem that can lead to critical injuries. Remember, too, that severe muscle damage can result from chronic overuse. Therefore, the reason for going to the doctor is pain that lasts more than 72 hours.

What to do if muscles hurt after exercise? This question worries most of the gym goers, who are amateurs rather than professional athletes. Such people usually play sports for the sake of well-being and good looks. They do not need records, but it is important that the classes are comfortable and bring pleasure and moral relief.

What to do if your muscles hurt after a workout is always a topical question.

What a pleasure it is when, after intense workout, you can not straighten your arms or legs. It is believed that if muscles hurt after exercise is good, they also say that the main cause of pain is lactic acid in the muscles. Let's take a look at what actually happens to our body after an intense workout, and what causes the pain so annoying to us.

Muscle pain is not inherently an indicator of the effectiveness of a training session. The causes of muscle pain after exercise can vary. Let's take a look at them sequentially.

Muscle pain during and immediately after exercise

Muscle lactic acid is produced by the breakdown of glucose during intense strength training.

During intense strength training, you periodically feel a strong burning sensation in the loaded muscles. This usually happens at the end of the exercise, when you are working to the limit, trying to finish off the last few reps. The cause of this pain is precisely the lactic acid in the muscles, which was already mentioned earlier.

The fact is that during intense strength training, muscles require a lot of energy to get the job done. This energy is generated by the breakdown of glucose, which is stored in the muscles as glycogen molecules.

The breakdown of glucose can occur aerobically (in the presence of oxygen) or without it (anaerobic). During strength training, the muscle works so intensely that the blood does not have time to supply enough oxygen to it. Therefore, an anaerobic process of glucose breakdown occurs. This chemical reaction releases the energy the muscle needs. The breakdown product of glucose is the same lactic acid.

Lactic acid in the muscles accumulates during exercise, without having time to be washed out by the bloodstream, and begins to irritate the nerve endings. You feel an unpleasant burning sensation and pain. Typically, this pain lasts several hours after training. Then the blood flushes the lactic acid from the muscles, and the pain goes away.

How to relieve muscle pain after exercise? Everything is more or less simple here. You need to increase the blood flow in the muscle in any way. And for this, first of all, you need to relax it. Stretching, a warm shower, or a gentle massage is a good way to relax after a workout. You can also drink a couple of glasses of water to help flush lactic acid out of your body faster.

Muscle pain a day after exercise

Delayed or delayed muscle pain appears the day after exercise.

If the burning sensation in the muscles at the end of the workout is now clear, for many of us it remains a mystery why the muscles hurt a day after the workout. Delayed or, as it is also called, delayed pain appears a day after the end of the training. On the second day, as a rule, it intensifies even more, and then gradually fades away.

This pain is much more unpleasant and excruciating than post-workout pain. It prevents you from moving and discourages any urge to go back to training.

The reason for the occurrence of such pain is no longer lactic acid in the muscles, but microtrauma of muscle fibers, which are formed when performing exercises with a high load. Tiny micro tears form on muscle fibers that contract under stress. They do not cause us discomfort immediately after training, but after a day they start to get inflamed and then pain appears.

You should not be afraid of this inflammation, it is aseptic (without microbes) and is caused by the reaction of muscle tissue to overexertion. After a few more days, the inflammation subsides and the damaged tissue is scarred. The muscle increases in volume accordingly.

In order to reduce the pain symptom in case of delayed pain, you can use anti-inflammatory ointments - they are sold in any pharmacy. A small massage will also help - gently stretch the muscles, but without strong impact.

Strangely enough, physical activity will help speed up the healing of muscles. Exercise improves blood flow and speeds up metabolism, and therefore muscles recover faster. However, it is worth making a reservation here that the load should not be extreme and not the next day. Let yourself get in shape a little. And when asked what to do if your muscles hurt a lot after a workout, the best answer is to give your body a little rest. Otherwise, you risk getting overtrained.

Traumatic pain

If you are injured, chances are you will know right away. If muscles or ligaments are injured, the pain is sharp and sharp, it will not allow you to continue training at the same intensity.

If you suddenly realized that you were injured, or even just suspected that you were injured, immediately end the lesson. Do not under any circumstances continue to work through the pain. It is better not to rely on luck, but to see a doctor immediately.

Muscle pain after exercise - how to avoid and how to treat

We are used to associating muscle pain with overstrain. They put too much stress in the gym, ran out for the first time for a jog or came to aerobics, and just went ice skating or cycling after a long break. But it also happens that there was no strong load, on the contrary - you sit at the computer all day, peering intently at the monitor, and the next day, back muscles, and abs, and neck, and arms ache. The reason is in your stiff, immobile state, in which the usual muscle strain has occurred. If the pain persists for two to three days, this is a reason to see a doctor, you may have a disorder called fibromyalgia.

Muscle Pain During Exercise - How To Avoid?

In principle, minor pain during exercise is acceptable.

But remember - you need to train with pleasure, and not with tears in your eyes. An exception is made only for the abdominal muscles - it needs to be loaded precisely to the point of feeling "I can't take it anymore." All abdominal muscles are a volumetric area that requires a lot of work and good workout. It is also recommended to actively load the buttocks and thighs.

The ultimate load is not difficult to determine. When the body is getting to the limit, you feel vibration in the muscles, they seem to be filled with heat. Usually, this sensation occurs at 8-12 sets or after 30-40 seconds of intense strength work. The same sensations are typical for aerobic exercise. Stretching is recommended to help you recover faster and move on to the next exercise. But if there is a sharp pain, and the body refuses to obey, the training should be stopped - trust the instinct of self-preservation.

You should not exercise every time until muscle pain appears. Alternating hard workouts with light ones will give better results than pushing yourself to the limit. With increased physical exertion, not only the body gets tired, but also the nervous system, the body does not have time to recover. If you come to the next workout, and instead of pleasantly stretching the muscles, you feel a sharp pain - this means that the body is sending an alarm signal. Do not ignore it - as a result of overload, the structure of the muscles is disturbed, they become less elastic and serious injuries are possible. Training should be resumed only after full recovery.

Muscle pain after exercise - what to do?

The next morning after shock training, you can hardly get out of bed, your legs are wadded, your whole body hurts. A familiar state, isn't it? These are the so-called residual muscle pains that appear several hours after training and can increase for two to three days. What to do? In no case should you wait until "it will pass by itself"!

Here's how to relieve the suffering of your own body:

• During the recovery period, the most important thing is to properly relax the muscles. After loading, they shrink and become like stone. On the same day, it is advisable to have a relaxing massage, otherwise you will have difficulty moving around the next day. By the evening of the next day, it would be nice to supplement the recovery program with a sauna or steam bath. If the pain bothers you, rub with a warming cream.
• If there is no sauna or bath, take a warm relaxing bath. Be sure to add sea salt and essential oils - rose, lavender, mint, pine, tea tree, rosemary, juniper. Enough 3-5 drops per bath. Lie in warm water for 15-20 minutes - and you will feel like a completely different person!
• Drink plenty of fluids. Drink herbal teas with honey or green tea.

Don't try to exercise until muscle soreness develops. Muscles should only occasionally ache when changing the type of load. If you constantly put on a high load, you can very quickly find yourself at the limit of your body's capabilities.

Site Master and Fitness Trainer | more >>

Genus. 1984 Has been training since 1999. Has been training since 2007 .. CCM in powerlifting. Champion of Russia and South of Russia according to AWPC. Champion of Krasnodar Region according to IPF. 1 category in weightlifting. 2-time medalist of the Krasnodar Territory Championship in m / a. Author of over 700 articles on fitness and amateur athleticism. Author and co-author of 5 books.

So, in this article, I will introduce you to muscle pain. Or, to be more precise, about muscle pain after exercise. We will not consider infections, inflammations, etc. But we will consider muscle pain after exercise. Well, are you ready for PAIN?)) Let's go!

Causes of pain

So why do muscles hurt after some workouts and not after some? And why do they hurt at all?

Let's start from the very basics

Muscle pain after exercise occurs due to the fact that microtrauma occurs in the muscle tissue. These are such small tears in response to stress. Then these tears heal and the muscles increase in size. This is an absolutely normal physiological process.

But why, after some exercises, the muscles hurt, but after others they do not. Or, for example, during one workout, the muscles hurt, and after exactly the same workout, but after a week, they stopped hurting? The fact is that microtraumas in the muscles appear only in response to such a load to which the muscles are not yet accustomed. Have not adapted.

For example, you have always squatted 30 kg for 15 reps for 3 sets. And then suddenly they decided to push their strength and make 35 kg 3x15. Or 30 kg, but 4x15, or 3x20. In general, we increased the load. The muscles are not yet accustomed to such a load and as a result, micro-tears have appeared.

In general, only under the influence of a load, to which your muscles have not yet had time to adapt, micro tears and pain occur. Such microtrauma is the only cause of pain after exercise.

This is why the longer you exercise, the more difficult it is to make your muscles ache. Because they are getting more and more trained.

How to prevent muscle pain?

If you are going to work out shock, and you know that it is possible that the muscles will hurt, then:

1. Good .
2. Stretch your working muscles between sets.
3. At the end of the workout, do 1-2 sets of these muscles with warm-up weights (very light) and a lot of repetitions (about 20).
4. Stretch right after your workout.

In this case, the muscles will hurt less. But this does not mean that the effect of such training has decreased. Just at the moment of loading, your muscles were more elastic and less "torn". Therefore, there will be less pain. But it turns out that since the muscles were torn less, then the result will be lower? Is not it? Not this way. The fact is that pain is not the only criterion for muscle growth. Muscles can grow without pain. Watch the video at the end of this article.

How to get rid of muscle pain?

Well, what to do if the pain overtook you the next day? You cannot get rid of it. If the load is stressful, then there will be pain. But, you can make the pain go away faster:

1. Massage
2. Warm baths
3. Warming ointments (diprelif, capsicam, finalgon).
4. Stretch 2 times a day.

All of these funds increase blood flow to the muscles and due to this.

In general, how long can muscles hurt? My personal best is a week. In general, the pain usually begins the next day and lasts 2-3 days. In especially severe cases - up to 1 week. But this is no longer good. If the muscles hurt for more than 4 days, then you have overdone the load.

How to train if the muscles are still sore?

If your muscles hurt after the last workout, and in this workout you are pumping other muscle groups, then there is no problem at all. Train as usual. If, in any case, you need to train the same muscle group again, then this can be done, but with small weights. In this case, the training should be warm-up in nature.

In general, muscle pain

It is not an excuse to skip or reschedule a workout.

What does it mean if the muscles stopped hurting?

If you stop hurting, it means that you either stopped experiencing stress, or you are already trained enough and your muscles can grow without pain. If you are comfortable with the size of your muscles, then you can skip the steam. In this case, you do not need muscle pain.

But if you want to make some muscles bigger and stronger, but they never hurt again? This is either a signal that they do not grow due to insufficient load on them. Or, as I said above, you are already very experienced. In sufficiently trained athletes, muscles can grow without pain. This has been tested on many people and is shown in the video at the bottom of the article. But if you do not have several years of training behind you, then, most likely, just insufficient load.

Let me emphasize that the load should be one-time. That is, in one workout. For example, you can pump the same muscle group a little bit every day. Then the load per week will be very large, and the load per workout will be small.

In general, you need pain if you are not an experienced athlete and want to increase muscle volume. For weight loss or fat burning, pain is not important and does not play any role.

conclusions

1. Muscle pain occurs due to an unusually large load on them.

2. When you feel pain, it means that your muscles are injured by micro tears. They will overgrow in a few days, and you will become larger (subject to other conditions).

3. To reduce muscle soreness, stretch and massage regularly.

The end of each workout brings not only self-satisfaction, but also muscle soreness. It can be completely different. Both pleasant fatigue and aching pain can be felt, which prevents the muscle tissues from completely contracting. To understand why this happens, you need to get acquainted in more detail with how loads act on the muscles. By understanding the onset of pain after exercise, you can minimize and muffle this not always pleasant sensation.

Most often, beginners and athletes experience painful sensations after a long pause in training or changing from one program to another. Everyone wants not to suffer from aching pain, but this consequences can be avoided only when there is a clear idea of ​​why pain appears at all.

Pain is a reflection of the process by which muscle structures are destroyed. According to a study by Sterlig and Morozov, exercise shifts the myofibrils of muscle fibers, mitochondria break down, which provokes a rise in the level of leukocytes in the blood. A similar condition occurs with injuries, inflammations, infections.

As a result of the destruction of muscle tissue fibers, protein scraps of molecules are formed, and cells that digest damaged tissues, which are called phagocytes and lysosomes, are activated. They secrete foods that cause pain. When muscle fibers break down, they form satellites, which are cells that provoke the production of protein by tissues.

There is another fact that does not cause any doubts, which is that the painful sensations during bodybuilding are felt especially acutely only after the first workouts, and then, when they become regular, they are almost no longer felt. If there is a long pause in the classes, then they reappear.

When training is over, the body's production of protein accelerates, which leads to the accumulation of creatine phosphate in muscle tissues, an increase in the level and activation of glycolysis enzymes. This process becomes much more efficient over time, and, therefore, oxidation occurs, which is a source of energy for muscle contractions. The amount of exercise is the reason why it becomes almost impossible to deplete the power source of energy resources for muscles.

Thanks to regular training, the energy potential for the muscles increases, and, consequently, the performance indicators with strength. On the other hand, there is a decrease in applied stress and training impact. The opposite reaction is that the adaptation of the muscles is slowed down. This phenomenon is called the training plateau, when, in order to achieve a breakthrough, it is necessary to change the load and training factors, changing the splits, the time for rest between sets, the exercises performed using super sets, drops, and so on.

Types of muscle pain

There are several types of pain that occur after each workout.

Begins to feel in the muscles the morning after strength training. Muscles become stringy, wadded, swollen and full when any action is performed through the muscle group involved in training. A pleasant feeling of fatigue and almost imperceptible pain that gets worse if the muscles stretch or contract.

The pain continues for several days. This is evidence that microtraumas have appeared in the muscle tissues and the recovery process begins, accompanied by the formation of new structures.

Lagging

Appears two or three days after the end of the workout. If the muscles are stretched or contracted, then it becomes strong. It most often occurs after changes in the training program, a long break in classes, as well as for beginners.

Aching severe and persistent pain is an indication that the load is too excessive, the weights are taken too large. It is recommended to increase the load gradually. This allows the joints, muscles, ligaments, and the nervous central system to strengthen and get used to it.

When, before the next training, the muscles have not yet had time to fully recover, that is, they continue to hurt, a restorative exercise should be carried out. It is not necessary to change the exercises, but the weight is reduced by half - by 50 percent. If you do sets of 15-20 repetitions each, then the damaged muscle will receive a large amount of blood, which helps to improve circulation and supplies them with nutrients that contribute to recovery processes.

It can be chilling and acute, occurring both the next day and immediately after class. It does not allow you to do any exercises, since the pain is quite strong. Injuries, as a rule, happen when the weights are taken to the maximum limit, and the minimum time is devoted to warm-up.

Soreness in the ligaments or joints is not normal. Therefore, it is recommended that you completely stop doing the exercise until you can figure out the exact reason why the pain occurs. It may consist in the fact that the injury has not been completely cured, the execution technique is incorrect, the simulator is not configured for anthropometric personal parameters, and so on.

Another type of post-workout muscle pain is a burning sensation during the final repetitions of various exercises. This is the result of the oxidation of muscle tissue by lactic acid. It fills the muscle cells and prevents the nerve impulse from passing through, which causes a burning sensation.

This feeling is absolutely normal, it is the response of the body, which protects it from overload. The waste products of lactic acid are removed approximately 20 or maximum 30 minutes after the end of the training.

Training goals most often lead to the need to exercise to the burning sensation, that is, for lagging, slow, straight muscle groups.

Muscles ache after exercise - is this a good or bad sign?

Muscle pains are an optional sign of muscle mass gain, but they confirm that during the training, muscle structures are destroyed and microscopic injuries are formed, which means that the process of healing and the formation of new structural tissues begins.

The success of the training is not measured by pain. The absence of this feeling does not mean that the lesson was ineffective. Contreras and Schonfeld, the American researchers of this process, say that testing post-workout pain is not always a sign that muscles are growing.

The main goal of each training should be not getting a painful sensation, but the progression of the loads received. The effectiveness of the exercises is evidenced not by pain, but by an increase in the girth and volume of muscles, as well as a comparison of the physique before training and after training.

It is almost impossible not to feel muscle pain completely. As fitness increases, it becomes less pronounced. There are several important points that allow you to practice effectively, but feel extremely pleasant, but not aching or breaking pain:

1. Loads must progress... Thus, only a small amount of weight is added weekly to the weights. If you perform a bench press with a barbell, then the optimal addition will be from 2.5 to 5 kg every week. After increasing the weight, you should master the technique of execution, maintain a given number of sets and approaches, and then start adding weights.
2. The technique must be mastered perfectly. You can turn to the coach or someone knowledgeable. If this is not possible, then you can always find information on how to do this or that exercise.
3. Be sure to do a warm-up. It is an integral part of the beginning of training, includes a full range of movements for the whole body, as well as preparation for the upcoming training. If you do the bench press, then perform from 2 to 3 warm-up sets with low weights and a small number of repetitions. This will provide blood flow to the muscles and establish a connection with the nervous system.
4. Do not train when tired. A lot of work, a lack of sleep, a bad mood and the inability to eat well during the day - this is a good reason to give up training so as not to expose your body to additional stress.
5. Observe the drinking regime. During the lesson, you need to drink at least a liter of water. The daily intake of fluid is 0.04-0.05 * own weight. Thanks to water, the blood does not thicken, the delivery of oxygen and nutrients is accelerated, the passage of nerve impulses to the muscle tissues improves.
6. Try to sleep well. It is best to spend at least 8 hours of sleep.

To reduce pain, you need to resort to the following methods:

• Massage... It allows you to disperse the blood throughout the body, to ensure the flow of nutrients to the desired areas.
• A restorative occupation. This type of workout involves applying 50% of normal working weights with 15-20 repetitions per set, which gives blood flow to the muscles. They receive nutrients and recover faster. The point of such exercises is not only to reduce pain, but also to repeat the technique of movements, honing your skills.
• Hitch. Stretching the muscles increases blood flow, which increases and accelerates the process of removing damaged cells, and, consequently, reduces pain.
• Proper nutrition. The diet must contain a lot of protein, the amount of which ranges from 2 to 2.5 g per 1 kg of its own weight. BCAAs should be taken to prevent catabolism and get simple amino acids. This also applies to glutamine, which also strengthens the immune system, which helps to accelerate the full recovery of the body. Taking creatine can increase the endurance and strength of muscle tissues by increasing the concentration of creatine phosphate.
• Have a good rest... If there are pains that interfere with exercising, you should take a break for 2-5 days. This will allow you to fully recover and start exercising with renewed vigor.

Along with these methods, you can resort to hardening, visiting a bath, sauna, using a warming ointment, and so on. These methods lead to improved blood circulation in damaged structures, which allows the muscles to recover much faster.

Summarizing

Painful sensations after training are a sure sign that the muscles are aching, which means that microtraumas were received, which are evidence that the classes were effective. The main thing is to be able to distinguish between good and bad pain. They should not be afraid of it, but it is imperative to give the muscles rest and recovery. Otherwise, there will be no positive result from the training.

Novice supporters of healthy lifestyles after the first workout and experienced athletes who returned to fitness after a long break often complain of severe muscle pain. As a rule, the intensity of painful sensations is directly related to the level of physical activity. An unprepared body experiences tremendous stress, which results in pain syndrome. To overcome the discomfort after the first session, it is necessary to determine the root cause of its appearance.

Why fitness causes muscle pain

An unpleasant feeling may appear immediately after training or after a while. In any case, the main reason is fitness after a long absence of regular physical activity, however, experts differ on the physiological nature of this phenomenon. Painful sensations can be triggered by one or more factors, including:

• accumulation of lactic acid in muscle tissue;
• damage to connective tissues and / or muscles;
• microtrauma of muscle fibers.

To prevent various damage, it is necessary to properly structure classes. Fitness should begin with a 10-minute warm-up exercise based on warm-up exercises. At the main stage of the training, it is advisable to listen to the instructor's advice, choosing the right weight and number of repetitions.

It is almost impossible to avoid micro-injuries, as they are a natural part of building muscle mass. Fortunately, this pain is called delayed for a reason, because it appears a few days after training and disappears quickly enough. In other cases, certain remedies, including medications, will have to be used to get rid of the pain.

There is no universal recipe for muscle pain, because each athlete's body is unique, and the causes of discomfort can vary significantly. Experts advise listening to your feelings to determine the true nature of the pain. Muscle soreness can be accompanied by spasms, injuries, or cramps, and each case requires a different approach.

If discomfort is not a sign of serious injury, give your body adequate rest. It will take some time to relax and completely heal the muscles, during which it is better to give up intense physical activity. For several days, avoid any activity that could aggravate the condition. It is prohibited not only to exercise in the gym, but also to ordinary physical work, including moving heavy objects.

During rest, only low-intensity fitness, predominantly of an aerobic nature, is allowed. To get some exercise, you can take long walks, swim, or cycle. The only contraindication to cardio training is severe muscle pain in the lower body. If your legs hurt, stop doing aerobics for two days.

Try stretching fitness to reduce pain. During the lesson, use exclusively static positions, as complex dynamic stretching can aggravate the situation. Move with a small amplitude at first, increasing it as the condition alleviates. After training, gently massage your muscles to help them relax. If after stretching the painful sensations do not disappear, but only intensified, consult a doctor immediately to make sure that there is no injury.

Muscle discomfort usually signals inflammation, which can be treated with medication. If you need to quickly relieve pain, use over-the-counter medications and make sure you are not allergic to the ingredients. Ibuprofen, acetaminophen and aspirin, which can be purchased at any pharmacy, have good anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. For best results, they can be combined with various creams and ointments. Remember that medications take only 30-40 minutes to take effect, so be patient and do not exceed the dosage while trying to bring the long-awaited relief closer.

If you have not been able to reduce pain with medication, use folk recipes. They will also come in handy if the pharmacies are already closed, and the discomfort continues to annoy you. For emergency relief for damaged muscles, take edible olive oil and gently warm in your palms. Massage the painful area for about five minutes, but do not press too hard. The massage therapy can also be performed using an ice cube.

Advanced athletes use more complicated recipes, the ingredients for which are not available in every home. Try to find the one that suits you:

• a teaspoon of cucumber inflorescences and a glass of boiling water, brew for 6 hours;
• a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and a teaspoon of turpentine;
• five large sheets of burdock scalded with boiling water;
• a lotion of mashed potatoes, preferably still warm.

All of the listed funds, except for the infusion of cucumber flowers, must be evenly applied to the affected area of ​​the body, covered with a clean cloth or paper, and a woolen scarf must be tied on top. This will warm the affected area, enhancing the effect of the compress. As for the decoction of cucumber inflorescences, it is taken orally, one tablespoon 5 times a day.

Regular compresses provide a good result. Hot or cold depends on the situation. If pain is caused by a cramp or severe spasm, use a heating pad or hot bath. In the event of a sprain, an ice pack will come in handy and apply to the affected area for about 15 minutes. To consolidate the result, repeat the procedure 2-3 times a day, but stop immediately if the compress starts to make you unpleasant.