Suggestions for Muscle Pain Relief?

knk1553

Keep moving, do a light workout today, helps move the lactic acid out of your muscles. Heat (moist heat works best, so if you can't do a bath or shower, make sure you put a moist towel down underneat the heating pad that you're using) STRETCH, I've started adding in about an hour of deep stretching/yoga once a week and its worked wonders for my soreness. Also a recovery formula post workout (protein shake) works wonders to help with muscle soreness. An OTC anti-inflammatory can also help with pain relief as well.

LauraSS

For myself Epsom Salt and Baking Soda, a cup of each in a warm bath to detox the body from the lactic acid and Arnica, which is all natural and used by mountaineers for muscle soreness. It works amazing both in a rub on gel and better with the pellets. It is made by Boiron. Definitely do a very light workout today to help release some of that lactic acid.

Fozzi43

I like Epsom salts..really helps me, otherwise gentle stretching helps too


That's a lot of push ups!!!!

IslandRider

Capsacin cream works really well, but if you use it be sure not to get in a hot tub or a hot shower.

poeco76

Massage - Then do a few more push ups!
Keep up the great work!
Let me know when you can do 1000
(More, It's called - hair of the dog that bit you!)

Yikes! I will be ecstatic to do 1,000 push ups. :O)

poeco76

Wait......450 real push ups?

{giggle} Yes, 450 "real" push ups. That's the only way they let us do them in kickboxing, so I've been in training. I didn't think I would get to that many reps (and probably shouldn't have), but I was pretty excited. :O)

ilovedeadlifts

Anti inflammatories are always my last option for pain relief.


contrast showers (60 seconds hot 60 seconds cold)
epsom salt baths
liniments (tiger balm, icy hot, equiblock)
foam rolling
active recovery work. walking, light excercise.

after all 5 of those, if I'm still dying and need to feel better to train, then I'll consider NSAIDS.

heybales

Thanks for the suggestions! I definitely appreciate it. I have plans to still workout today (so, no whimpering here!), but I just wasn't sure if there was something specifically I could do to help alleviate some of the pain. I appreciate all of your thoughts - it's very helpful. :O)

Those are microtears from the heavy load you put on the muscles.

Sore means they are repairing still, getting stronger so if you do that again, you can do more.

Don't ruin the repair, or you just wasted the effort.

Anything should be gentle cardio just to help blood flow and get rid of waste products. It's not lactic acid, old understanding, that was gotten rid of yesterday within probably 5 min of the workout.

But don't work it out hard and press through it, you won't get the repair you could get.

You should see muscle swelling too as water is normally retained to assist with repair. And don't weigh yourself until the soreness is gone.

It's called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, DOMS. Just let the body repair.

poeco76

Thanks for the suggestions! I definitely appreciate it. I have plans to still workout today (so, no whimpering here!), but I just wasn't sure if there was something specifically I could do to help alleviate some of the pain. I appreciate all of your thoughts - it's very helpful. :O)

Those are microtears from the heavy load you put on the muscles.

Sore means they are repairing still, getting stronger so if you do that again, you can do more.

Don't ruin the repair, or you just wasted the effort.

Anything should be gentle cardio just to help blood flow and get rid of waste products. It's not lactic acid, old understanding, that was gotten rid of yesterday within probably 5 min of the workout.

But don't work it out hard and press through it, you won't get the repair you could get.

You should see muscle swelling too as water is normally retained to assist with repair. And don't weigh yourself until the soreness is gone.

It's called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, DOMS. Just let the body repair.

Good to know. I have always heard that it was lactic acid as well, so it's interesting to know that the lactic acid is gone pretty quickly. I did do a decent cardio workout this morning, but tried to refrain from a lot of upper body intensity... so, it sounds like that's probably what was best. Thank you! :O)

MemphisKitten

You need to remove the lactic acid that is built up in your muscles by flushing it out. . . drink LOTS of water. Also, after a workout like that you need to stretch all the muscles you worked for at least 10-20 minutes, minimum. Do some light walking, warm up your body, and stretch out 2-3 times throughout the day and repeat tomorrow because it will probably be worse then. Us Pole dancers get unique muscle soreness because of all the small muscles we use, and I like taking hot epsom salt baths before stretching to warm up, then using a foam roller, and follow with using a heating pad in bed on days that I am super sore. Here is a link for a foam roller if you don't know what it is: http://www.power-systems.com/t-foamrollers.aspx?gclid=CM27hICayrMCFSmCQgodgxAAmA :flowerforyou:

daj150

Per my sports medicine doctors, ibuprofen is great for lowering inflammation. However, he recommends Aleve. Also, Yoga is supposed to be the "natural" solution. I start Yoga tonight so I have no idea on that one. However, taking a day or two off after straining your muscles too much and drinking lots of fluids is always a sure-fire solution.

heybales

You need to remove the lactic acid that is built up in your muscles by flushing it out. . . drink LOTS of water.

Just some general knowledge for those that think lactic acid remains in the muscle and that somehow drinking water would flush it out. Lactic acid is actually used as energy source while it's there. Extreme use just causes more than what can be used until it reaches critical point.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=why-does-lactic-acid-buil

Contrary to popular opinion, lactate or, as it is often called, lactic acid buildup is not responsible for the muscle soreness felt in the days following strenuous exercise. Rather, the production of lactate and other metabolites during extreme exertion results in the burning sensation often felt in active muscles, though which exact metabolites are involved remains unclear. This often painful sensation also gets us to stop overworking the body, thus forcing a recovery period in which the body clears the lactate and other metabolites.

Researchers who have examined lactate levels right after exercise found little correlation with the level of muscle soreness felt a few days later. This delayed-onset muscle soreness, or DOMS as it is called by exercise physiologists, is characterized by sometimes severe muscle tenderness as well as loss of strength and range of motion, usually reaching a peak 24 to 72 hours after the extreme exercise event.

knightreader

how much epsom salt do i put in my bath water? help a guy out, please!

Whisper236

Wow, that's amazing! I usually do a lot of stretching, heated rice packs, walking around, and an Advil if I still have pain.

knightreader

i need someone to respond...how much epsom salt do i put in my bath? thanks.

poeco76

i need someone to respond...how much epsom salt do i put in my bath? thanks.

I've never tried them, but according to this article, 1-2 cups in a bathtub should do the trick. http://saveyourself.ca/articles/reality-checks/epsom-salts.php The author claims that epsom salts don't actually do anything, but if others have found relief, perhaps it would be worth a try?

knightreader

great, thanks. i gotta try something and have read several times on here that this works for people.

LauraSS

I use 1 cup of Epsom Salts and 1 cup of Baking Soda mixed in the bathsoak for 20 minutes. For me, even if others think it is an old wives tale, it works every time.

knightreader

my bath last night really helped. felt better immediately and helped me get thru the day today. i was even able to hit the elliptical today. thanks for everyone's advice. i am a believer!