outch I hurt

zoombie_bear
zoombie_bear Posts: 963 Member
edited September 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
How do you relax bruised muscle from a too intense work out? I'm on day 3, and it hurts real bad...
It's my calf muscle, terrible to go up and down stairs, thus after a karate/kickboxing class.

I did pre- post streathes
help

Replies

  • haylayne81
    haylayne81 Posts: 56
    Having the same problem, except it's my thighs!!!! I am doing P90X and the plyometrics KILLED me! I'm miserable.
  • NoExcuseTina
    NoExcuseTina Posts: 506 Member
    I like to get in a hot tub...or just a hot bath...and I take ibuprofen...and keep working out!
  • david081
    david081 Posts: 489 Member
    Doing too much too soon is usually the reason, take a rest day, and hot baths are good. Once your body adapts, the pains will ease. If very overweight then doctors advice should be sought on what is the right approach to exercising...
  • etherah
    etherah Posts: 83 Member
    As much as it might hurt, I find the best remedy for sore muscles is to continue to work out each day afterward....maybe not quite as hard though. Definitely don't weight train the same muscles right away, but maybe a little cardio will help. Once you get warmed up, it's not so bad.
  • audjrey
    audjrey Posts: 360 Member
    Take a half a teaspoon of magnesium powder in the morning and another at night with a half a glass of water or juice. You might even want to throw in a tablespoon of glutamine too.

    Up your protein for the next two days to 1.5 grams per pound of body weight.

    Gently massage.

    A warm bath filled with a combination of epsom, sea, and tibetan sea salts. All add magnesium to the muscles.
  • Fattack
    Fattack Posts: 666 Member
    Also suffering from the results of strength training on a weak leg (physio-prescribed exercises) so I did a bit of research on this.

    Firstly... contrary to the poster above me, do NOT keep working out if you are anything more than *a little* sore. You need to rest those muscles for 24 hours (possibly 72 if it's a major muscle group - e.g. quads) - muscles grow when they are resting, not when you are exercising and you run the risk of injuring yourself if you don't give them repair time. If you're only a little sore, then you're probably safe for a lighter bout of exercise :) Alternatively, work a different muscle group! This is why lifters usually focus on different groups each session.

    Ibuprofen will stop the swelling (but be careful when returning to your workout that you're actually not in pain anymore from being healed, not from ibuprofen!) and relieve your pain a little, but heat treatments (heat pads, warm baths with Radox or Epsom Salts, jacuzzi bath if you have one) and LIGHT stretching are really recommended.

    As your muscles build up strength, they won't hurt as much. After my first pilates session I could barely sit up the next day from working my abs, now I'm pretty much fine the next day :)

    Hope we're all feeling better soon!
  • RNewton4269
    RNewton4269 Posts: 663 Member
    I do easy work outs to stretch the hurting muscles most of the time. Hot showers and ibuprofen works wonders too!
  • DoReMiFaSoLaTiDo
    DoReMiFaSoLaTiDo Posts: 296
    As much as it might hurt, I find the best remedy for sore muscles is to continue to work out each day afterward....maybe not quite as hard though. Once you get warmed up, it's not so bad.


    AGREED!!!


    Up your protein for the next two days to 1.5 grams per pound of body weight.

    Gently massage.

    A warm bath filled with a combination of epsom, sea,

    this is pretty much what I do.... within an hour of working out, I drink a glass of almond milk with protein powder added
  • koosdel
    koosdel Posts: 3,317 Member
    What they said.

    And a deep massage. Use whatever lotion you have, lube that calve up and put your thumbs into it. I mean, really press into it and drive your thumbs back and forth the length of the calve. When it quits hurting, stretch it out really good, do a few calve raises and toe touches.
  • Erica9903
    Erica9903 Posts: 156
    I stretch really good and generally take a nice long hot bath or get in the sauna. My local YMCA has one and it really helps!!! Hope your muscles heal soon!
  • gunny34
    gunny34 Posts: 68
    P90X is kickin my butt.. every muscle I have is screaming.. Feels bad but at least I know I've worked them out...I slow down for a little bit. I have a BAD habit of over doing it then it becomes an injury. NOT GOOD. So I would advise you to continue to at least stretch, but maybe slow it down until they start to feel better. :O)
  • Contrary03
    Contrary03 Posts: 289 Member
    I tried a new routine a few days ago and my leg muscles were in so much pain and could barely sit down for that matter. I rested for a couple days and got back at it today. Much better!
  • Fattack
    Fattack Posts: 666 Member
    Thanks to everybody who posted about increasing protein - I didn't know that could help! And thank you Maryanne, it's good to know that the second workout was much better - I worked out on Saturday, could barely sit yesterday, and today am still really quite sore! Going to give it a go again tomorrow!
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