When you're sore...

rwalden628

Ok... what do you guys do when you hit it too hard and now your calves are cramped up so bad you can't walk?

I did a new a couple of new workout moves on Monday and it's Wednesday and my calves are so cramped up and sore that I can't walk without pain. I hate to miss another workout (missed Tuesday) but I also don't want to risk injury.

Any ideas or opinions out there?

rwalden628

Ok... what do you guys do when you hit it too hard and now your calves are cramped up so bad you can't walk?

I did a new a couple of new workout moves on Monday and it's Wednesday and my calves are so cramped up and sore that I can't walk without pain. I hate to miss another workout (missed Tuesday) but I also don't want to risk injury.

Any ideas or opinions out there?

Tiddle

if you have access to a hot tub or sauna, stretching out in the heat helps!

clk238

i have no real solution to this, but more of another question. I almost always am slightly sore after workouts, as I'm always trying to "push myself" it's never too bad just feels like i need to stretch, etc. it's become a situation where if i'm not a little sore i don't feel like i worked hard enough. is this ok? what is "sore" am i gaining more muscle/enurance, etc, or just tearing my muscles up?

fyi, when i'm really sore I do hot yoga. it gives me a little bit of a workout while helping me limber up/stretch out. I skip the poses that hurt wherever's sore..

NinjaPrincess

Drink a lot of water to help clear out the lactic acid, maybe try rolling them gently with a rolling pin (or something similar) to also help with this. In future you will need to make sure you are drinking enough water to prevent this, as well as build up slowly. Cardio after strength will help get the blood flowing and has shown to decrease lactic acid buildup. For now, I would probably rest, or explore doing some abs, upper body work. Light activity such as walking would be ok if its not too painful, as increasing the blood flow will also help your body clear the acid build up that is causing you pain.

9726172000

I agree with Tiddle, stretching and even a hot bath with epson salt will help. I had made my hip area sore not to long ago and for me that;s not good because I unload a lot of boxes(I am a stocker) off of pallets. Also sometimes when you go to bed put a pillow under your calfs sometimes a soft area for them to lay on will also help. Take aleave for the soreness. Also what will help is something like ben gay and maybe alternate cold pack with some heat on the area. It sounds like your muscles are in flamed and they are retaining some water to help repair themselves. If it isn't better in a few days you should go and see the Dr.
Hope you start to feel better real soon.

DeeDeeLHF

agreed that stretching and heat are the best ways to deal with soreness. It is the presence of lactic acid in the muscle that is causing the soreness and if you stretch or do things to increase circulation you will release that lactic acid.

A couple of tips. First warm ups and cool downs are very important in exercising. When you warm up you decrease your chances of injury, when you cool down you will not have the build up. Also, breath deeply when exercising. If you are too out of breath, slow down. Aerobic exercise means with oxygen, anearobic means without and it is when there is not enough O2 that the body builds up lactic acid.

Drink plenty of water and if you have no other health issues a dose of ibuprofin (Advil, Motrin) will help decrease inflammation and get you back in the game.

Repeating the same exercise that caused the soreness but with a less intensity should help.

As I write this, I see that others have written about the same thing. Hope it all helps.

mdimarco929

more protein + more water=less soreness and faster recovery

mnichol

Potassium deficiency can cause muscle cramps as well, try dried apricots or maybe a supplement.

brocktaylor87

Water+protein+potassium+a little ibuprofen

kristinlough

Water, potassium, ibuprofen and (and this is the kicker) Granny Smith Apples. It's AMAZING how they help. I poopooed them for years. Then I had one after a really hard ride (horses). :noway: WOAH. The soreness is GONE!!