What do you do about muscle soreness?

tabbyblack13

I've been doing a C25K program and my calf muscles are so sore and tight. I stretch before running and do a cool down after the run. I also drink a lot of water before and after my run.

To take care of the soreness after a run I lay down on the couch with a heating pad under my calves and use a muscle rub. The next day my muscles are still tight. I have plans In the next few weeks to go get a massage and just bought a foam ball and started using it yesterday. Is there something else I can do?

Edit: And I just saw I put it into the wrong section, sorry about that.

Edmond_Dantes

Just keep at it, it will only get better and less sore with time. Soon enough your calves won't be bothering you (but maybe your quads will, but that will improve too). NSAIDs like ibuprofen aren't bad. Massage may also help. But just keep at it!

PJPrimrose

What Edward said. I still get a bit sore but nothing that really bothers me anymore.

sheltol

A foam roller or rumble roller will work wonders. If you want to try supplements, In my opinion I do feel as though glutamine does reduce soreness. I've used it on and off and those times I run out and go without I feel like I do get slightly more sore. However, more times than not, your next workout will help reduce soreness more than all of the above. Just ease into it. Larry.

boomeyers

Foam roll, foam roll, foam roll! I don't know about the foam ball, but a foam roll, just a little bigger in circumference than a pool noodle, is key. Sit on the floor with your legs in front of you. Put the foam roll under one of your calves. Lift your opposite leg and cross it over the straight leg. Raise your torso up off the floor with your forearms and gently roll your calf over the foam roller moving it from side to side as you go. Google foam rolling for a better explanation. http://www.coreperformance.com/knowledge/training/foam-roll.html

frood

I've read things recently that say for pre-run, it's better to do dynamic stretches and things to actually warm you up (e.g. walking, swinging arms) and then do the static stretches at the end when your muscles are warm from the workout.

Just something to maybe look into.

sugarlemonpie

Hot baths really loosen up the muscles. If I am particularly sore, I soak in a bath before bed. Also helps me sleep better!

For a quick fix, massage with foam rolls or just your hands. Heat packs work but you need to get in there to manually loosen it up sometimes.

For prevention, try doing some walking before you stretch to warm up the muscles. That will help so you aren't stretching on cold muscles and putting strain on them before your workout.

jynxgirl

It will hurt less as your muscles get used to being worked hard. That.... or you just get used to your muscles hurting

PippiNe

If you know someone who has the P90X workout series, ask to borrow the Yoga X dvd. Personally, I hate doing yoga, but I have to admit, that workout soothed my aching muscles in a way no pill ever could! Before doing the yoga dvd, walking up and down stairs was painful. Sitting down was more like falling onto a chair. My abs ached when I coughed, laughed, or breathed.

After doing the workout, I felt instantly better. I could walk up and down the stairs without thinking "ouch" with every step. I could sit on a chair rather than fall into it. Everything that ached before was immediately improved.

Perhaps that yoga workout would do the same for the ache in your legs.

thavoice

I've been doing a C25K program and my calf muscles are so sore and tight. I stretch before running and do a cool down after the run. I also drink a lot of water before and after my run.

To take care of the soreness after a run I lay down on the couch with a heating pad under my calves and use a muscle rub. The next day my muscles are still tight. I have plans In the next few weeks to go get a massage and just bought a foam ball and started using it yesterday. Is there something else I can do?

Edit: And I just saw I put it into the wrong section, sorry about that.

Keep at it.
I am very familiar with the program and helped teach it a couple of years.
It will take a couple weeks before you wont be getting very sore after a run. Assuming you werent a runner if you are doing this program. It WILL get better. You are doing what you need to do, but let me also add in one other thing. I am not a huge pre-post workout drink/food type of thing but studies have shown that a simple glass of chocolate milk has the perfect blend of fats and proteins for after workouts and are much better, and cheaper, than those big name brand things you hear about.

Treat yourself after a C25k program to a glass of nice choc milk!!!!

tabbyblack13

I would love to be able to take a hot bath but I live In a single wide trailer with a small water heater. My bath tub doesn't even get full.:sad: . I've been thinking about yoga so I will be looking to go on line and see if there are any good videos on YouTube. I need to switch it up for my workouts anyways.

The foam ball I have is from pro-tec athletics and it's called "the orb". It has a textured surface like the foam rollers with smaller nubs. It's only 5.5 inches in diameter so the size is really nice to hide from the cats.

BekaBooluvsu

I have 4 herniated discs and I take a calcium, magnesium & zinc supplement to help with soreness as well as use my Thumper® hand held massager. I also have the larger professional version as well! They are a little pricey but top quality ahs last a lifetime. My grandmother has had her's for 20 years.

I also like to take a hot Epsom salt bath. It helps immensely. I use all these methods because sometimes I can barely stand up let alone walk.

votkuhr

I deal with muscle soreness by moaning and groaning a lot. :laugh:

Also best to keep at it! When I first started out my strength training plan, I was hurting everywhere on the first week. Magically disappeared on the 2nd week!

h7463

Hi there! I've had my share of sports mishaps and mis-steps, and this is some personal experience. To treat soreness, you have to understand what happens when you work out. Generally, when we exercise, we cause tears in muscle tissue. They are an intentionally inflicted inflammation, and the muscle tissue is stimulated to repair itself, get stronger, will improve endurance, and, in case of weight training, will grow. (Usually, we are trying to help the process along with proper supplementation and rest days...) Inflammations do not respond well to heat treatment. Try to exchange the heat pad for cold wraps, or medicated creams that cool the area. It has also been my experience, that NSAIDs sometimes will not be beneficial, considering that they confuse the body's natural response to our workout inflammations. There can be delays in the healing process, and because the medication will seep through the whole body, other areas, that would usually heal on their own in due (training) process, will be held back. Overall training progress could be compromised.
When I have problems like prolonged soreness, and when I can be sure that it's not a serious injury, I usually treat myself to some extra glutamine and creatine in my post-workout shakes, keep the area cool, and rested, and my body well hydrated. Only in cases of annoying pain I resort to some Tylenol.
Never ever underestimate pain or soreness, though! Rather than risking a serious injury and be out for months, take your rest days and let it heal. Reconditioning is easier and faster that rehabilitation after injury!
Get well soon!