My Wife and Constant Soreness

impromark
impromark Posts: 119 Member
edited February 24 in Getting Started
My wife was very active when younger, but more often lately it's been very difficult to start any kind of exercise routine for her. When she starts something new now, the soreness is tough to get over now versus a decade ago - it's still around for two or more days and is making it tough to keep it up. Has anyone been through similar troubles, and what have you done besides simply pushing through it? We've tried this, but the pain is outweighing the desire to continue...

Mark

Replies

  • Ysmir
    Ysmir Posts: 828 Member
    My wife was very active when younger, but more often lately it's been very difficult to start any kind of exercise routine for her. When she starts something new now, the soreness is tough to get over now versus a decade ago - it's still around for two or more days and is making it tough to keep it up. Has anyone been through similar troubles, and what have you done besides simply pushing through it? We've tried this, but the pain is outweighing the desire to continue...

    Mark
    There is a fine line between soreness and actual pain. She should be certain that she hasn't injured herself. If it's just soreness from using muscles that have been dormant for a long time, my advice is to go slow at first. The body adapts quickly, there is no need to injure herself in order to progress. Also, (for me at least) upping my protein intake helped me to recover faster. Make sure she is taking full on recovery days, don't work out on days when her body is healing. The body needs that recovery time in order to adapt and get stronger. Just my 2 pennies.
  • kirkor
    kirkor Posts: 2,530 Member
    Google "active recovery" and "DOMS" ... she's just going to have to accept the fact that she will be slightly uncomfortable as she gets the kinks worked out in her body. Sometimes people who haven't worked out in a while confuse soreness with pain.
  • perseverance14
    perseverance14 Posts: 1,363 Member
    More protein helps me to recover faster too.
  • gailmelanie
    gailmelanie Posts: 210 Member
    There is another possibility: Fibromyalgia. Google that and see if it fits. Even if it does, continued movement is necessary, but gradually increase intensity. Whether fibromyalgia is a problem or not, it never does any real good to try to jump, literally, into an intense exercise regime. That will always lead to soreness, and could lead to injury.
  • mfp2014mfp
    mfp2014mfp Posts: 689 Member
    Epsom salts bath every night, It works wonders for me, I love the stuff. If she uses any kind of oil for her skin pop that in too just for silky smooth skin :flowerforyou:
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,588 MFP Moderator
    She may be starting out too hard for her current fitness level. It might be worth backing off some and working her way up to more intensity if it means she will stick with it.

    Sometimes an easy workout will help you recover because it warms the muscles up a bit and stretches them out. If I do something I have not done in a while I try to plan on doing an easy exercise the following day working the same muscles and it has helped me in the past. Unfortunatly if you do not just make yourself keep working out then you fall into the endless cycle of being sore and not conditioning yourself enough to stop from becoming sore.
  • moij0
    moij0 Posts: 87
    vaseline or baby oil???? stretch more before and after :)
  • jstout365
    jstout365 Posts: 1,686 Member
    I agree with trying to set up active recovery days and ensuring her nutritional needs are being met. I recover better with additional exercise, hydration, and a balanced diet. DOMS can linger for days if I don't get enough fluids and eat like crap around a hard workout.

    I don't know what type of exercise she has started back into, but possibly find a program that starts slow and builds in difficulty over time. Adding in things like yoga and slow walks will help her improve flexibility and keep the muscles active in between harder workouts.
  • Mikkimeow
    Mikkimeow Posts: 1,282 Member
    Man, this is not what I thought it was going to be about. :grumble:
  • martinel2099
    martinel2099 Posts: 899 Member
    I agree with others here, maybe she needs to slow down a bit. I recently started deadlift and was able to lift the weight fine, but had a little back pain after. I decided to lower the weight just a tad to make sure I'm doing the form 100% correctly. The weight is still heavy but no more back pain. With a little more time I"ll increase the weight and work my way up.

    For me, being active and demonstrating excellent form are more important than how much I lift. I only raise the weight if I can lift the sets correctly and not feel pain after.
  • laurenawolf
    laurenawolf Posts: 262 Member
    Man, this is not what I thought it was going to be about. :grumble:

    Totally bummed too.
  • Kenazwa
    Kenazwa Posts: 278 Member
    Working beyond current fitness level can be dangerous! Some of us will merely get sore but recover, others can do the exact same things and end up in the hospital with rhabdomyolysis (muscle destruction that damages the kidneys). I would suggest that your wife start very slow with light weights and very gradually build up both time and weight.

    I started off exercising vigorously for 45-60 minutes after a long time of being mostly sedentary, and it made me sick. I didn't end up in the hospital, but I was sick like I had the flu. It happened several times, then I learned to start with a light to moderate 20-minute workout followed by about 10 minutes of stretching. Now I can do the 45-60 workout that I wanted in the beginning, but it took 4-6 weeks.

    Above all, it's important that your wife not give up! The results will be worth it.
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    At least 3 times a week I get up very early before going to the pool and do 45 minutes of stretching. Now ---I have OA but it helps to limber up before a workout. That way when I get to the pool I'm ready to go, with just 2 warmup laps. Also, as others have mentioned, have a rest day inbetween workouts. Some soreness is normal at first, but it passes in a week unless you're really overdoing it.
  • CCSavage88
    CCSavage88 Posts: 191
    I would see a doctor if this is more then just being sore from working out, nerve issues cause joint pain and muscle pain.
  • Jerrypeoples
    Jerrypeoples Posts: 1,541 Member
    Man, this is not what I thought it was going to be about. :grumble:

    Totally bummed too.

    seriously
  • dschassie
    dschassie Posts: 192 Member
    Man, this is not what I thought it was going to be about. :grumble:

    Totally bummed too.

    seriously

    And this is why I am friends with you guys on MFP, Mikki and Jerry...
  • paygep
    paygep Posts: 401 Member
    Ibuprofen! And keep at it!
  • cheripugh1
    cheripugh1 Posts: 357 Member
    My wife was very active when younger, but more often lately it's been very difficult to start any kind of exercise routine for her. When she starts something new now, the soreness is tough to get over now versus a decade ago - it's still around for two or more days and is making it tough to keep it up. Has anyone been through similar troubles, and what have you done besides simply pushing through it? We've tried this, but the pain is outweighing the desire to continue...

    Mark

    Long story short... besides my obesity I have other unique issues that cause horrible pain when I workout... I found the way to fix this... WATER, workout in the pool! seriously, swim laps, do jumping jacks, knee lifts, buy water weights to use too, heck I even jog for minimum of 30 minutes in the water and have no pain afterwards! I now can workout on dry land a bit, I think soon I will be able to do it all the time. So if you don't have a pool see if you can join the YMCA, if not there must be a lake or river with 'pool' area that you can use, you just need it to cover her knees, no higher than her waist for most of it.
  • galprincess
    galprincess Posts: 683 Member
    Im 29 and im the opposite I find it easier now than when I was 19 I was lazy then but my advice is a good warm up and cool down and to keep hydrated and a good amount of protein
  • DeltaZero
    DeltaZero Posts: 1,197 Member
    muhfeeds.
  • BamaBreezeNSaltAire
    BamaBreezeNSaltAire Posts: 966 Member
    Man, this is not what I thought it was going to be about. :grumble:

    Totally bummed too.

    I'd be lying if I said my mind hadn't run straight off a cliff...
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
    I expected something way different.

    I'm in my 30s now and I think I get more sore now than I did when I was in my 20s but if I'm consistent with an exercise program, don't increase intensity too drastically from workout to workout and don't take overly long breaks, I don't experience it.
  • bbb84
    bbb84 Posts: 418 Member
    Man, this is not what I thought it was going to be about. :grumble:

    Totally bummed too.

    I'd be lying if I said my mind hadn't run straight off a cliff...

    Perv's the whole lot of us... lol... In all seriousness though , she has to want it. There's feeling uncomfortable and omg i tore a muscle. No pain no gain (or loss). Good luck
  • vballstlgirl
    vballstlgirl Posts: 24 Member
    Hey there! Yep, not the comment I was expecting either.....However, regular massages helped me (if you can afford it) or you could help her out. Icy hot, tiger balm are also great options to help relieve soreness. What I normally do is after a tough work out where I know I am going to be sore the next day is to take a hot shower (or get in the hot tub) and then put on icy hot/tiger balm before bed. Ususally the next day, I may be a little sore, but nothing like I would have been had I not done the above. Good luck!
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