It is not unusual to feel pain in your muscles after a workout. Muscle soreness after a workout is
often called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness or DOMS and is a side effect of stress put on
muscles after exercise. It is a completely normal reaction to exercise. Muscle soreness is a sign that your workout was successful and that you are getting stronger. When you stress your muscles with exercise, the muscle fibres break down. As fibres repair themselves, they become larger and stronger. DOMS usually begins within 6-8 hours after exercise and can last 24-48 hours after exercise. There are ways to ease some of the post work-out muscle soreness.
Hydrate
Our bodies are made of 60% water so it should be no surprise that hydration is a key component
to recovery. To flush damaged muscles out, you need fluid. Ideally, drink 8 ounces of water
every 15-30 minutes of exercise. A tip as to how much water you require for your workout
recovery: step on a scale before and after your workout. Did you lose weight? Drink 8 ounces
of water for every pound lost.
Balanced Diet
A balanced diet is key to any person who exercises or is working out on a consistent basis.
Fruits and vegetables not only provide nutrients for our body, they can also help hydrate our
bodies during recovery. Carbohydrates are a great source of food for our bodies and they can
help restore glycogen levels. Proteins help with the repair of muscles.
Warm Up
Take a few minutes to stretch out your muscles before exercise with some stretching exercises
followed by a light aerobic activity such as a slow jog or a brisk walk. This helps increase the
blood flow to the muscles.
Massage
Massaging a sore muscle helps decrease the tightness. It also increases blood flow to the
muscles and helps push out pooled fluid out of the muscles and helps speed recovery.
Cool Down
One of the most ideal ways to cool down is to reverse the order of your warm up. At the end of
your workout, slow down your workout rather than stopping cold turkey, ie. end your run with a
slow jog or a brisk walk. This helps with the blood flow to the area and pushes pooled fluid out
of the body.
If you have been injured or trying to recover from an injury, call the Durham Orthopedic &
Sports Injury Clinic at 905-428-7800 to start your physiotherapy or massage therapy treatment
and get on the road to recovery today.
