If you have skipped classes in the gym due to muscle pain and soreness, trust me, nobody is framing you guilty.
Muscle soreness is the reason why we all dread leg day in the gym or any other day for that matter. Although it is probably a good sign. That means your muscles are getting bigger and stronger.
But sometimes, the pain gets too much to bear and makes you cry even.
Let’s face it. Muscle soreness is a natural phenomenon, but it is also a nuisance.
Your body hurts. Your movement is temporarily compromised. And, it puts you in a sour mood.
There is no way to avoid it (unless you are never going back to the gym), but there sure are ways to deal with it. Ever heard of massage guns for muscle recovery and pain relief?
Let’s dive deep into what causes muscle soreness and how to get rid of it.
Why Do Muscles Get Sore?
Sore muscles or delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is a common occurrence after a rigorous activity as it builds tension in your muscles.
“When muscles are required to work harder than they are used to or in a different way, it’s believed to cause microscopic damage to the muscle fibers, resulting in muscle soreness or stiffness.”
Usually, the soreness is realized 12 hours after the workout and goes away in a couple of days. During this time, you might feel pain and your mobility might be affected. You may want to pop a painkiller or soothe the pain with a balm, but luckily, there are natural and more effective ways to deal with muscle soreness.
How To Relieve Sore Muscles: 6 Quick Tips & Remedies
Pain is unavoidable. Suffering is not. Try out these tried and tested methods recommended by athletes and physiotherapists to relieve sore muscles after a workout before you rely on pain killers and balms for quick relief.
1. Rest
“Rest days are essential for recovery.”
We cannot stress enough how important it is to rest after a heavy workout. You worked hard in the gym tearing up those muscles. Now give your body ample time to begin muscle recovery and recharge your energy levels.
Generally, the soreness goes away after a day’s rest, but if it does not, this next remedy on the list is ought to heal your pain.
2. A Body Massager for a good kneading
A good massage is one of the oldest and most effective ways to soothe muscle pain after a workout. Not only does it heal your pain but it also improves your range of motion. A few gentle hand strokes and some kneading increase the blood flow in the affected region and make your pain go away. It works like magic every time!
But it requires dependency on another human, you must be thinking. Not if you have body massagers that mimic hand movements to give you the same touch of human fingers, only more effective.
A few body massagers, like Deepheal Pillow Massager and AirStream Leg Massager, also come with a heating option to loosen up the muscles and stimulate blood circulation.
3. Eat Well
Your gym trainer cannot emphasize enough to eat well after an intense workout. A healthy diet is crucial for weight and pain management. Consuming protein-rich foods like eggs, fish, chicken, lentils, or spinach will help your body power through soreness and bolster muscle recovery.
Not only should your meal be rich in protein, but it should have carbohydrates and fats to fuel your body and keep your joints mobilized. Make sure you get a healthy and balanced diet to fulfill your energy requirements.
4. Keep Moving
While rest is important for sore muscles post-workout, make sure you don’t turn into a sloth. All that laziness can hamper your hard work in the gym and slow down recovery. Take out some time on your rest day to do a little bit of stretching on your yoga mat.
The idea is to keep moving to direct the flow of blood to sore muscles for transporting oxygen and nutrients. Hence, indulge in low-effort activities, like yoga or swimming, to keep the blood pumping. Refrain from high resistance activities that rely on the same muscle groups that got sore from the intense workout before.
5. Use a Massage Gun
Four words for your sore muscles – Deep tissue vibration therapy.
What’s that?
It is a technique of transmitting powerful vibrations to the affected region with the help of a handheld device to increase blood flow and relieve pain and soreness. Many studies have shown its therapeutic benefits for muscle pain treatment.
No wonder athletes and gym trainers rely on massage guns for pain management. Highly effective and easy to use, these massage guns come in handy to treat thigh muscle pain and calf pain treatment.
6. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate
There is nothing water cannot fix. Drinking plenty of fluids is one of the best natural remedies for muscle pain and inflammation. Consume fresh fruit juices like pomegranate, beet, and watermelon. Protein shakes help in muscle building. Keep a protein shaker handy with you to stay hydrated throughout the day.
Next time you are in the gym, don’t be afraid to push your limits and bench a couple of extra sets. Sure there are no gains without pain. But at least these remedies for sore muscles after workout will help you dial down the pain and discomfort.
FAQs about Sore Muscles after Workout
Q. Should I work out with sore muscles?
A. One should refrain from a high-intensity workout in case of muscle soreness to allow the body to rest and recover. However, it is recommended to indulge in low-intensity workouts, like running and yoga, that does not put much strain on the same muscles that got sore in the first place. It will ensure continuous blood flow to the affected muscle groups to transport oxygen and nutrients.
Q. What to drink for sore muscles?
A. It is very crucial to keep yourself hydrated after an intense workout to flush the soreness out of your body. Drink plenty of water, have fresh fruit juice, and consume whey protein shakes.
Q. How to relieve sore muscles fast?
A. There is no quick way to relieve sore muscles as you should allow your body some time to recover. However, using massage guns or body massagers, especially for calves and leg muscle pain, can surely expedite the process of muscle recovery and ease your pain.
Q. How to relieve sore muscles in the thighs?
A. Deep tissue vibration therapy is the best and most effective way to relieve thigh muscle pain. Treat the affected area with Bolt Deep Tissue massage gun. Its soothing vibrations will stimulate blood flow in the region and heal the pain. The massage gun comes with various attachments to focus on specific muscle groups in your body.
Q. What helps sore muscles naturally?
A. A soothing massage is one of the best ways to help your sore muscles recover naturally. Investing in a nice body massager seems like a wise decision. Otherwise, get ample rest and consume a healthy diet for muscle recovery.
Q. How can I speed up muscle recovery?
A. Muscle soreness is common after intense workouts and physical activity. To help you with pain and discomfort, get a soothing body massage, eat well, and drink plenty of water.
Excellent article. Keep writing such kind of information on your site.
Greetings! Very useful advice within this article!
It is the little changes that produce the most important changes.
Thanks for sharing!
You’re so awesome! I don’t think I’ve read
anything like this before. So great to find someone with
genuine thoughts on this issue. Really.. thank you for starting this up.