Let’s set one thing straight first: there’s no getting around muscle soreness after a workout. Post-workout muscle soreness is a natural process. However, even though it is inevitable, there are some things you do can do to reduce some of the pain. This way, you can get back up on your feet the next day and kill it in your workout. If you want to reduce the amount of pain you experience after your workouts, here are some effective ways on how to deal with muscle soreness.
Do a Proper Warm-UpRoutine
The best way to keep muscle soreness to a minimum is to incorporate an effective warm-up routine in your workout plan. Warming up before your workout will stretch your muscles nicely and minimize the chances of injury. As a result, your muscles won’t hurt as much as they would if you didn’t warm up.
Keep Yourself Hydrated
An effective way to reduce the severity of muscle soreness is to keep yourself hydrated during and after your workout. Hydration will flush out some of the waste products in your body, ease muscle inflammation, and ensure that your muscles receive the necessary nutrients.
Apply Heat to Your Sore Muscles
You can relieve pain in your muscles by applying heat soon after your workout. You can do this by taking a hot shower after exercising or applying warm damp towels on the muscles you just exercised. While it’s important to warm up before your workout, it’s equally important to warm down after you’re done. This will go a long way in keeping you fit in the long run.
Use a Cold Compress for the Pain
You can use a cold compress to alleviate some of the pain from the muscle soreness. To make an effective cold compress, fill a bowl of water and put in about 7 to 10 small ice cubes in the bowl. Once the water is cold, submerge a small towel in water. Keep the towel in the water for about 30 seconds so that it becomes cold. After that, remove the compress from the bowl, squeeze it so that it’s only damp, and then apply it to the affected area. Make sure to soak the compress in the water when you feel a change in the temperature of the towel. Repeat this process for about 10 minutes for the best results.
Massage Your Muscles with a Foam Roll
Consider using a foam roll to massage your muscles yourself. This will reduce some of the soreness in them. A foam roll can also help improve muscle flexibility and reduce muscle fatigue.
Last Few Words
Muscle soreness can become a hindrance to your workout plan if you don’t manage it effectively. However, the good news is that muscle soreness does reduce as you progress in your exercise schedule. And you can also use any of the aforementioned tips on how to deal with muscle soreness effectively.