Teach me!

LabRat529
LabRat529 Posts: 1,323 Member
edited November 8 in Fitness and Exercise
Soooo. I'm curious.

When you lift weights, you can get temporary swelling in muscles, right? I'm only familiar with swelling as it relates to injury/disease, and I'm a bit rusty 'cause I'm neuro and not other stuff. Anyway, with injury, the reason for the swelling is that the blood vessels around the site of injury become more permeable so that macrophages and other immune cells can move into the damaged tissue and remove any dead/dying cells and/or bacteria or invading 'not-self' proteins. Fluid naturally comes with those macrophages and immune cells.

What I'm wondering is... does the swelling after weight lifting have a purpose? And is it necessary for strengthening muscle?

I'm just being a nerd and I want to know, 'cause I'm tired of reading about androgen receptor modulators.

Replies

  • ElPumaMex
    ElPumaMex Posts: 367 Member
    I have the perfect group in MFP for you to join:

    Cap's Scientific Support Group
    For folks interested in developing a better scientific understanding of the human body, engaging in Q&A and discussion with a biology prof, and giving/receiving support in weathering science courses. Knowledge has no substitute!

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/241-cap-s-scientific-support-group
  • down_ell_beez
    down_ell_beez Posts: 23 Member
    I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure the swell is from your muscles retaining water while they rebuild themselves. When you lift you are basically tearing you muscles up so that they can rebuild themselves bigger.
  • LabRat529
    LabRat529 Posts: 1,323 Member
    I have the perfect group in MFP for you to join:

    Cap's Scientific Support Group
    For folks interested in developing a better scientific understanding of the human body, engaging in Q&A and discussion with a biology prof, and giving/receiving support in weathering science courses. Knowledge has no substitute!

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/241-cap-s-scientific-support-group

    I actually am part of that group too! This might have been better placed there. Hmm... oh well... it's here now. Maybe I'll make a post there too linking to this one.
  • ElPumaMex
    ElPumaMex Posts: 367 Member
    I have the perfect group in MFP for you to join:

    Cap's Scientific Support Group
    For folks interested in developing a better scientific understanding of the human body, engaging in Q&A and discussion with a biology prof, and giving/receiving support in weathering science courses. Knowledge has no substitute!

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/241-cap-s-scientific-support-group

    I actually am part of that group too! This might have been better placed there. Hmm... oh well... it's here now. Maybe I'll make a post there too linking to this one.

    LOL

    I am no expert, but from what I understand from weight lifting, you are actually "ripping" away your muscle fibers.
    So the body must "repair" the damaged fibers, and one way to do this is probably a similar mechanism of what you describe.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure the swell is from your muscles retaining water while they rebuild themselves. When you lift you are basically tearing you muscles up so that they can rebuild themselves bigger.

    That's my (admittedly unscientific) understanding as well. The surrounding water helps with healing.
  • LabRat529
    LabRat529 Posts: 1,323 Member
    I'm no expert, but I'm pretty sure the swell is from your muscles retaining water while they rebuild themselves. When you lift you are basically tearing you muscles up so that they can rebuild themselves bigger.

    That's my (admittedly unscientific) understanding as well. The surrounding water helps with healing.

    That sounds pretty reasonable, and actually, the more I think about it, the more I realize I'm missing something that should have been obvious from the beginning. The fluid that causes the swelling comes from the blood and it's going to bring nutrients from the blood to the muscle tissue, including proteins, which obviously will be needed to repair the muscle tissue.
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