Some people find muscle soreness to be a positive sign, while others may not enjoy the feeling. It is important to decide whether or not you are comfortable with muscle soreness if you want to continue lifting weights.
Delayed-onset muscle soreness, also known as DOMS, is a common phenomenon between 24 to 48 hours after your intense workout. While we might not like that it happens, being sore is often the result.
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this, as everyone’s muscles respond differently after a workout. However, some common factors may contribute to muscle pain, including overuse (poor form or excessive repetitions), inflammation due to injuries or infection, and lack of rest. You can help ease muscle pain and improve your overall fitness level by addressing these factors through proper exercise techniques and nutrition advice.
There are several theories about why people experience pain after running. Some say that micro-tears cause pain in the muscle or a build-up of lactic acid.
While muscle soreness is part of lifting weights, here are seven science-backed strategies you can use to help with muscle soreness.
1.) Use a Foam Roller
Foam rollers are a popular way to reduce muscle soreness. Rolling on a foam roller helps relieve pain and inflammation and can help treat various types of injuries.
Foam rolling is a type of massage that uses pressure to break up the fibrous tissue in our muscles, which can help relieve tension and pain while potentially improving muscle tenderness.
Rolling out regularly can help increase mobility and range of motion, resulting in immediate relief.
2.) Drink Some Coffee
Drinking coffee in the morning can give you energy, but it can also help prevent muscle aches and pain.
Caffeine before workouts helps reduce muscle soreness in the 48-72-hour window, and you don’t even need that much caffeine to benefit.
Research has shown that caffeine can decrease DOMS up to 48% when taken at 5mg per 1kg of body weight. That is about a cup to a cup and a half of coffee for most people
3.) Try Fish Oil Supplements
Fish oil is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, such as EPA and DHA. These fats may benefit bodybuilders by reducing muscle soreness and less severe DOMS. They may also aid muscle strength and range of motion, though more research is needed.
4.) Get a Massage
Massage therapy is a standard treatment for pain relief and is effective at breaking up the fibrous tissue that causes us pain. This cellular level analgesia results in overall improved wellbeing.
Massage is an effective treatment for reducing DOMS. This pain relief can help reduce the intensity of muscle fatigue and soreness after strenuous activity.
5.) Stretch
Foam rollers are a popular way to reduce muscle soreness. Rolling on a foam roller helps relieve pain and inflammation and can help treat various types of injuries.
Foam rolling is a type of massage that uses pressure to break up the fibrous tissue in our muscles, which can help relieve tension and pain while potentially improving muscle tenderness.
Rolling out regularly can help increase mobility and range of motion, resulting in immediate relief.
6.) Stay Active
Staying active can help keep your blood pumping and give you the necessary nutrients.
Muscle soreness can be expected after exercise, but remaining active when sore will help ease the pain. If you’re feeling stuck in your current place, getting started on some small goals that will help you move forward might be helpful. Taking action and staying active will make the transition more bearable.
Motion is essential for keeping our bodies healthy. If we have pain in our quads, we must focus on moving our knee and hip joints. Although it will not feel great, sitting on the couch will worsen the pain, making movement essential for recovery.
Walking can increase your circulation and the production of endorphins, which may help mask the pain from exercise.
A 20-minute walk or slow jog can help relieve pain from a headache.
7.) Apply Ice (Depends)
Ice baths are not just for elite athletes. You can use ice packs to target specific muscles or take an ice bath if your whole body is sore.
When you injure your muscles, ice packs and ice baths can help to reduce inflammation and decrease the amount of blood flow to the muscle. This reduces the swelling and pain that this injury may cause.
Cold water immersion has been shown to reduce post-training muscle soreness and provide quicker perceived recovery times.
However, if you are looking to use an ice pack on your knees or shoulder after each workout, think again.
If you don’t have an initial inflammatory response, injuries don’t heal as well or as fast. This is because ice reduces swelling by limiting the arrival of immune cells, which can interfere with the core parts of healing.
