Muscle Relaxant

moriaht

I hiked up a huge mountain this weekend and now I can barely walk my legs hurt so bad!! Will taking an over the counter muscle relaxant be okay? I don't want to slow the process of healing down, but I really want to get back to the gym ASAP..

MoreBean13

I hiked up a huge mountain this weekend and now I can barely walk my legs hurt so bad!! Will taking an over the counter muscle relaxant be okay? I don't want to slow the process of healing down, but I really want to get back to the gym ASAP..

What medication are you talking about? I wasn't aware that there were OTC muscle relaxers? Try an NSAID- advil, tylenol, aspirin, aleve- and some icy hot, and make sure to get a good amount of protein and water.

californiagirl1950

A hot bath in epsom salts is good too.

malabaugh

Try a foam roller. I bought mine at Target for about $15. It was the best piece of exercise gear I have bought yet! Rolling out sore muscles hurts like heck when you are doing it, but the end result is amazing.

GypsyPirate

Arnica pellets will have you moving easily again within a day. Hyland's or Boiron are two of my favorites brands of them, should be able to pick them up in a drug store, if not Whole Foods would have them for sure. There is also a topical Arnica Gel that will be very helpful. Although the hot bath with epsom salts will feel really good also. And, no, a homeopathic remedy will not interfere with your weight loss.

xarge

Muscle relaxants are used against spasms, take a mild anti inflammatory if you have to but I wouldn't take a relaxant.

A group in 2001, however, using eccentric contractions in human subjects to induce muscle damage, showed that post-exercise NSAID use drastically reduced the increase in protein synthesis normally seen in response to muscle damage. This study is relevant to real workouts because the researchers used a model for muscle damage that is very similar to what what happens during a normal weight training workout and the doses of NSAIDs used in the study were normal therapeutic doses, not unlike those that most people would take for a headache or after a tough workout for soreness.(3) The results of this study were that, in the untreated subjects, post-exercise muscle protein synthesis (24 hours post-workout) increased in upwards of 76%, while subjects that received either acetaminophen or ibuprofen saw no significant increase at all. The implications of this study are huge; if you are into taking a few Advil after a tough workout to alleviate soreness, think again; you may be severely hindering your progress.

rward007

I do elliptical on the days after I run, which helps. I also used ibuprofen and ice. I want to get a foam roller for recovery from strength training, but I find that eating right, getting plenty of rest, and moving a little the next day does wonders.

sjohnny

I want more information about over the counter muscle relaxers.

Debutante55

A muscle relaxant is not what you need. As others have posted, muscle relaxants can be helpful in cases of acute or chronic back spasms and similar conditions, but not for post-exertion symptoms.

Here in Canada, methocarbamol is a common OTC muscle relaxant that is usually combined with an anti-inflammatory agent such as acetaminophen (Tylenol). Robaxacet® contains this combination. Robaxacet Platinum® is a combination of methocarbamol and ibuprofen (ibuprofen is the active ingredient in Advil, Motrin, etc.)

The only OTC product for post-workout pain that I use and have great faith in is Voltaren Emulgel. It's a cream you rub on the affected area and it works fast and well. The active ingredient is an NSAID called diclofenac and because you apply it on the skin (rather than taking it as a pill) it is extremely safe.

Another thing I would suggest, as others have recommended, is soaking in a COLD bath with Epsom salts.... pretty miserable but effective! Good luck.

ZugTheMegasaurus

A basic OTC anti-inflammatory/pain reliever is probably a good bet. I also notice that sometimes when I really overdo a workout and get pain like that, my muscles will swell (visibly); in that case, I find that an OTC diruretic will help a lot with the pain and stiffness.