Don’t you just hate it when your body aches all over the place after an intense workout? As per the survey of Rebel, 97% of people experience muscle soreness after exercising.
The in-house physical therapist of Rebel, Josh Manoharan, said that feeling sore after a workout is a sign you’ve used your muscles beyond how you normally would on a regular basis. This can actually be a good sign as this means you’ve challenged your body enough.
Muscle soreness usually lasts for two to five days after a workout. However, there are ways to ease them up a bit so you don’t have to endure so much pain all the time.
- Sleep well. It sounds simple enough, but this is actually the most important ‘tool’ for recovery. Getting about 7 to 9 hours of sleep on a consistent basis is one of the surest ways to give your body the rest it needs.
- Warm up and cool down properly. Warming up before your actual workout helps prepare the body for exercise. Meanwhile, cooling down helps relax your body, and eases your body into its normal state.
- Hydrate and eat sufficiently. Dehydration can aggregate the muscle and joint pain, slow down the healing process, and even risk you of getting injured. It’s important you fuel your body with the right mix of protein and carbohydrates it needs.
- Take cold baths or showers. A great way to soothe your body is by taking a good cold bath. This can help relax and even repair muscles after strenuous exercise.
- Move and practice constantly. The more often you exercise, the more your body gets used to the intense physical activity. This deters your muscles from getting sore the next time around.
As much as it’s important to exercise regularly, it’s also vital that you take a break. After all, life is about finding balance.
