When you give it all at the gym, you may find that your muscles start to really develop some soreness. While DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) is to be expected after a good workout, we're actually not talking about that. We're talking about that muscle soreness that sticks around for days and weeks, the one that never really seems to go away. Our tips for easing sore muscles will help you to take back control over your body and stop the never ending aches.
Generally, the soreness will go away in a few days if they're just sore from being used after a while. However, if you strain them, the pain could last for months. If you don't want to give up on your gym time, then try these tips to help you get the muscle aches taken care of and you feeling better quickly.
- Stretch before and after a workout. We know it's not always easy to find time to squeeze a workout in your day, let alone more time for stretching, but it is so important for your muscles. Before you workout, your muscles are cold, which can cause more injuries if you push them before they're warmed up. After a workout, if you don't stretch them out, your muscles will tighten up, which is where some of the soreness comes in as they aren't stretched properly and feel tight and ache.
- Get a massage. In the name of self-care, get a massage to keep your muscles loose and comfortable. This is a must if you generally are under a lot of stress or you push your body in those gym sessions. A massage will help loosen those muscles and get blood flowing.
- Ice. If you feel pain while working out or can tell that you pulled something, put ice on it right away to help reduce inflammation. If you have a swollen muscle, ice it for 20 minutes at a time to help reduce the inflammation.
- Heat. Only use heat if it's been a few days since an injury, otherwise heat could cause more issues rather than help. However, after a few days, heat can help increase blood flow to your muscles. You can sit with a heating pad or you can take a warm bath or shower.
- Epsom salt bath. This is a great way to soak your muscles and help ease the pain, while also adding in some heat. Make sure you soak in warm water, not hot, and soak for at least 15 minutes to really let the salts ease the aches.
We hope that these tips to ease sore muscles will help you to stay in the gym, looking fierce and sexy each day.
