How To Prevent Muscle Soreness During Workout Routines

W orking on your physical health is an excellent form of self-care. However, a lot of things can prevent you from consistently following a workout routine. One of the most common causes of giving up is sore muscles – an irritating side effect of exercising. So here are some ways to prevent muscle soreness when working out so you can, regardless of your weight goals, follow a proper routine to achieve your desired results.

Before getting into the remedies, we’ll first understand the problem.

What Causes Muscle Soreness?

Exercising can cause inflammation in your muscles which leads to soreness. When you work out, your muscle fibers tear down and build themselves up again. The soreness usually sets in a few hours after you’ve exercised and lasts for about 1 or 2 days. This is typically known as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS).

Why does DOMS occur?

Anyone who exercises is at risk of experiencing DOMS. It doesn’t matter if you’re a trained professional or a first timer. Delayed soreness tends to occur:

• If you’re exercising for the first time
• If you’re continuously working out without enough rest breaks
• If you’re adding a new exercise to your routine
• If you’re increasing the difficulty of your exercise by using heavier weights, doing more repetitions, etc.

Dealing with Muscle Soreness

Mentality

It’s important to remind yourself that muscle soreness isn’t a negative occurrence. When your muscle fibers build up after a workout program, they are much larger and stronger than before. Your body is rebuilding stronger muscles to prepare you to deal with more physical stress than before.

Focusing on the idea that soreness is an indication of improvement will help you to mentally power through the pain and irritation. That being said, you can always take measures to ensure that the pain remains physically bearable as well.

Bananas

Bananas are one of the most beneficial foods to have after an exercise routine. They contain proteins and fibers which help you recover the energy you spent during the workout. In addition, they also contain glycogen which boosts the repair of damaged muscles.

Studies have also shown that nutrients in bananas also limit the activity of a specific enzyme. This helps to reduce inflammation.

Light Workout

Another way to soothe your aching muscles is to do some light exercises like stretching, yoga, or even walking. The idea is to keep your muscles in motion. The small movements will alleviate the pain much faster.

Ice Packs and Ice baths

Using an ice pack or sitting in an ice bath is an excellent way to treat sore muscles. Even though a warm bath will also ease the pain, ice treatment is more beneficial. On top of easing the discomfort, ice decreases the inflammation and swelling in the muscles as well.

Rest over Burnout

Alongside everything else mentioned before, it’s crucial to take enough rest to allow your muscles to properly recover. In an attempt to get faster results, people often push themselves farther than their body is prepared to go. This can be detrimental to your goals.

Muscle recovery takes time and it’s important to allow yourself to take as much time as you need in order to avoid any serious injuries.

Keeping Things in Check

Even though it’s an indication of your muscles getting stronger, not all levels of soreness are a good sign. If the level falls in any of the following scenarios, it is highly advised that you discontinue your current routine and consult a professional:

• The discomfort is so unbearable that it prevents you from doing everyday tasks such as walking around or carrying some light weight.
• The soreness occurs during the workout. This indicates that your body isn’t prepared for the current exercise. You should either remove it from your routine or lessen the intensity (less weight, fewer repetitions)
• The soreness lasts longer than 3 days (72 hours).
• Severe swelling in the joints that hinders movement and range of motion.

If left unchecked, prolonged soreness and inflammation may damage your kidneys and cause you to become very ill. Immediately seek medical guidance in such circumstances.

Before giving up on your fitness goals, try to implement these methods to prevent muscle soreness during workout routines. You’ll find that the strain becomes easier to bear and it’s favorable for your body in the long run.

• This post is tagged in:

• workout routines
• muscle soreness
• exercise pain