Sore muscles not only hurt, but they also keep us from continuing our sports program. Because before you know it, the motivation is gone. Sore muscles are microscopic tears in muscle tissue that occur when we overuse muscles during exercise. This sounds like a painful and unhealthy thing, but it is perfectly normal and even necessary for the muscle to grow at all. Without muscle soreness, no muscle growth one would now conclude.
But isn't muscle soreness just part of it? It does not have to be! With these simple but effective tips, sore muscles can be prevented, but also actively alleviated. We show even the most diligent athletes how to shorten the regeneration phase and alleviate sore muscles!
Tip 1: Moderate exercise
If you want to counteract sore muscles, you should ensure that you continue to exercise moderately even if your muscles are very sore. So, after the workout, don't immediately lie down on the couch and just don't move, but take short and leisurely walks, a quiet round on the treadmill or a few stretching exercises. This stimulates the metabolism and promotes regeneration, which is faster and more effective.
Tip 2: Magnesium
Our body needs magnesium for a variety of processes and for physical functions. Magnesium is also very beneficial for the muscles. These are actively supported by the supply of magnesium to heal. The muscle tissue grows back together, the nerve and muscle cells stabilize and heal. By the way, this does not only apply to the time during muscle soreness, but also helps to prevent it.
Tip 3: Light massages
If the muscle or you suffer from muscle soreness, it can be helpful to massage it gently and with less pressure than usual. If you don't have a partner or masseur at hand, you can also do a small self-massage using a fascia roller. Again, approach slowly and carefully and do not strain the muscle too much.
Tip 4: Heat
If a muscle is injured, as is the case with sore muscles, it can help to treat it with heat. Either this can be done with a red-light lamp, in the sauna or in the bathtub. This has an antispasmodic and relaxing effect. This supports the healing process, and the muscle fibers can grow together again more quickly.
Citation
- Kapfinger: Muskelaufbau- Tipps gegen Muskelkater - Soforthilfe & Vorbeugung. In: FitnessFirst (Abgerufen am 23.05.22) https://www.fitnessfirst.de/magazin/training/muskelaufbau/muskelkater.
- Fiersbach (19.05.2018): Die 7 besten Tipps gegen Muskelkater. In: Rocka Nutrition (Abgerufen am 23.05.22) https://www.rockanutrition.de/blogs/blog/die-7-besten-tipps-gegen-muskelkater.