Ouch! Muscle soreness attack – Fitness

Do you have sore muscles? Yes, sore muscles are an unpleasant feeling that everyone knows. Sore muscles can be very uncomfortable and slow you down for days. But luckily there are a few things you can do to relieve the nasty feeling. But first we should understand what sore muscles actually are.

This is how the nasty feeling of sore muscles arises

What exactly is muscle soreness and how does it arise? Muscle soreness is caused by small tears in the muscle fibers that occur when the muscles are subjected to unusual strain. This irritates the muscle and causes pain and stiffness. The pain can occur up to 48 hours after training and can last up to a week.

Sore muscles due to muscle overload
Sore muscles due to muscle overload – © Dan Race/ Adobe Stock

Muscle soreness can occur particularly when doing sport with intensive training or new exercises. Or when you - not necessarily when doing sport - constantly and intensively strain new muscle groups that you don't use so much in everyday life. On the first long walks in spring, for example.

If you have sore muscles, you're probably familiar with the uncomfortable feeling of pain and stiffness in the affected muscles. During this time, it can be difficult to perform normal movements and you may even experience limitations in mobility. But don't worry, there are some things you can do to relieve muscle soreness and heal faster.

What helps with sore muscles?

One option is to stretch and massage your muscles. Stretching and massaging the affected muscle groups can improve blood circulation and reduce pain.

Another option is to exercise. Although it may sound contradictory, exercise can actually help relieve muscle soreness. Light exercise increases blood flow and oxygen to the muscles, which speeds up the healing process. E

Another option is to relax. Stress can make muscle soreness worse, so try to relax and de-stress. A massage or a warm bath can help. 

Natural home remedies can help relieve sore muscles:

  1. Stretching: Try some stretching exercises to loosen and relax the strained muscles.
  2. Heat: A warm shower or bath can also help relax muscles and reduce pain.
  3. Cooling: Wrap an ice pack or cold pack in a cloth and place it on the affected muscles to reduce inflammation and pain.
  4. Ginger: Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties and can help reduce muscle soreness. You can drink ginger tea or include fresh ginger in your meals.
  5. Turmeric: Turmeric contains curcumin, which has anti-inflammatory properties and can relieve pain. It can be used as a spice in meals or taken as a supplement.
  6. Massage: A gentle massage can help improve circulation and relieve tension and pain in the muscles.
  7. Increase your fluid intake: Drink plenty of water or herbal teas to hydrate your body and flush out waste.

Please note that it is always advisable to speak to a doctor before using these home remedies to make sure they are suitable for your specific situation. If the muscle soreness still persists or even gets worse, one should consult a doctor.

What do you have to pay attention to in advance to avoid muscle soreness?

To avoid muscle soreness, it's important to build up your workouts slowly and steadily. Start with a warm-up to warm up and stretch your muscles. Adding too much weight or reps too quickly can lead to strain and soreness. Also, make sure you allow enough time for rest and recovery between workouts. Your muscles need time to repair and grow.

A balanced diet with sufficient protein and carbohydrates can also help reduce muscle soreness. If you still get muscle soreness, you should not give up, but rather adapt your training and specifically stretch and massage the affected muscles.

So what have we learned? Muscle soreness is a sign that your muscles have been overworked and now need to recover.

It is important that you give your body time to recover and do not start training again the next day. If you overexert yourself during training, this can not only lead to sore muscles, but also to injuries. Be smart and listen to your body. If you are in pain, you should take a break and not torture yourself any further. 

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