Have you ever experienced intense muscle pains after a workout? Well, if you have, you must be aware of how stressing this can be. Luckily, you can find an assortment of treatments after a workout to help manage the pain.
Medical treatments are one of the conventional plans that you can undertake to treat muscle pain after a workout. Working out for long hours can be straining for both your body and mind. Therefore taking some curative measure may help you.
Muscle pains
According to workout experts, Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) usually occurs between 24-48 hours after intense physical activities. The experts suggest that the condition is normal and should not be a cause for any alarm.
According to Rick Sharp, a professor of exercise physiology at Lowa State University, muscles usually experience intense physical stress every time we exercise. He further adds that muscle soreness can result from any intense physical activity that can cause tightness in muscles.
David O. Draper, a professor of sports medicine and athletic training at Brigham Young University in Provo states that DOMS results from physical exposure of the muscles to stress that it is not usually accustomed to. He adds that the pains usually occurs when the muscles are under eccentric or lengthening contractions — the muscles strains coupled with inflammation damages the muscle fibers, which results in muscle pains.
The experts also say that no individual is immune to muscle pains. According to the experts, bodybuilders and exercise neophytes alike also experience this kind of pain.
Injuries that occur after workouts
Workout injuries can happen to any trainee irrelative of their field experience or fitness level. However, there are certain precautions that you can undertake to reduce your chances of getting hurt.
Common workout injuries
Besides the normal muscle pains, people usually hurt themselves in different ways when working out. Some of the common workout injuries include:
- Muscle Pulls
- Shoulder Injuries
- Knee Injuries
- Shin Splint
- Sprained Ankle
- Wrist Pains Or Dislocation
- Tendinitis
Precautions to avoid workout injuries
The rules to minimize workout injuries are quite simple. In most cases, these injuries affect people suffering from poor health or who are older to carry out some exercise routines. It is therefore important to ensure that you are in good shape before undertaking any exercise.
Women over the age of 55 should also consult with their health care professionals before they start on a workout program. The same applies to men over the age of 45. Consulting the health care professionals helps them to ascertain whether they are healthy enough to undertake a specific workout program. People with special medical conditions should also consult their health professionals before joining these programs.
In addition, simple routine practices such as having a rest time and post-workout recovery plans help in reducing workout injuries and incidents.
Treatment types
Although workout pain usually diminishes on its own, sometimes it can be too intense or unbearable. In such cases, seeking conventional treatment options can be ideal.
Here are some of the treatment options that you can consider;
1. Jump in an ice bath
Most colleges and professional sports teams’ locker rooms have ice baths. After a workout, you can soak yourself in these ice baths. According to 17 clinical trials carried out by researchers from the University of Ulster In Northern Ireland, ice baths were proven to be of great help in reducing muscle sores and subsequently muscle pain.
2. Heating up later in the day
After an intense exercise session, applying heat on your body using a heating pad may help. Muscle pain is caused by muscle tightness and applying heat on your body boosts blood flow to the muscles hence speeding up the recovery process.
3. Change the workout
According to fitness experts, changing a particular exercise to another may help. For example, if push-ups prove too hard for you, then you should try something else like press-ups.
4. Self-Massage
According to Clayton, a fitness expert, massage is a viable treatment for worn-out muscles. She adds that our muscles become sore after intense workouts. Although it can still work, getting someone to massage us may not be as effective as they would not know the exact pressure to apply.
Thanks to a massage stick, one can be able to reach most parts of their bodies for a relaxing massage session!
5. Acupuncture
Acupuncture is one of the ancient treatment methods where sterile needles are inserted shallowly into the body. It is one of the major aspects of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The technique helps prevent and cure diseases as well as promoting longevity.
Acupuncture affects major systems of the body including the cardiac, endocrine, gastrointestinal, Immune and neurological systems. In the modern world, this method is effective in treating different medical conditions. It helps to reduce inflammation, promote body healing and relieve pain. However, this technique might have to be combined with other treatment methods for it to work well.
Please note that there are different types of acupuncture including medical acupuncture, traditional Chinese medicine, auricular acupuncture, community acupuncture, and five-element acupuncture. It is therefore crucial that you consult with your health care professional to guide you on the best program for you.
6. Therapy
Therapy also works great in relieving pain and discomfort from workouts. There are different therapy options that you can include in your post-workout treatment plan such as the craniosacral therapy for neck pain. Although this is great, the many options can at sometimes be overwhelming. It is therefore vital that you understand the various therapy options before deciding on the best one for you.
Craniosacral therapy or CST is a non-invasive healing technique that relies on gentle touches to try and boost our body’s own healing capabilities.
According to a publication by Upledger Institute, craniosacral therapy relies on touches of less than five grams to relax the restrictions in our craniosacral system. The therapy aims at improving or boosting the working of the central nervous system.
Experts argue that these light touches affect the circulation and pressure of the cerebrospinal fluid. According to most experts, craniosacral therapy can be used on its own or in combination with other forms of treatments and therapies.
Red Light Therapy is another great way to aid pain. Try red light therapy before or after a workout for best results.
Craniosacral therapy for neck works by minimizing muscle tensions, reducing intrafascial muscle cells and boosting the parasympathetic nervous system response. All these factors work together to ensure that your neck is in order after a tiring workout session.
One of the best things about therapy as a post-workout recovery plan is that, while some drugs may have side effects, therapy is safe and equally effective. Besides, the method also works as preventative as well as a treatment measure.
As you can see, there are various treatment options that you can consider after an intense workout. However, you should do your research well, understand your body and if necessary, seek advice from your doctor.
