Muscles ache after exercise: why, what to do and how to relieve pain * Crossfit

A healthy lifestyle and sports are attracting an increasing number of modern people. And this is not surprising, because everyone wants to have a toned body and look beautiful at any age. In this regard, especially on the eve of summer, all gyms are actively stretching. But instead of biceps growing in front of our eyes, on the very first day of training, beginner athletes will have a not very pleasant surprise - severe muscle pain. Why muscles hurt after training and what to do about it - we will tell in this article.

Anyone who has visited the gym at least once in their life is familiar with the feeling when the morning after a workout meets us with stiffness and pain throughout the body. It seems that with the slightest movement, every muscle aches and pulls. Playing sports immediately ceases to seem so attractive.

Is it so good when muscles hurt after a workout? Many experienced athletes will answer in the affirmative, since muscle pain indicates that the process of loading them during exercise was not in vain. Although, in fact, there is no direct relationship between the results of training and the severity of muscle pain. Rather, it serves as a guide to the intensity of physical activity. If there is no pain at all, then it is quite possible that someone did not load their muscles enough and trained in incomplete strength.

Why do muscles hurt after exercise?

Muscle pain after exercise is called muscle soreness in sports circles. What causes it in those who first come to the gym, or in people who have taken a long break between physical activity?

Rationale by Otto Meyerhof

There is still no unequivocal and only correct answer. For a long time, it was believed that the pain that occurs during physical exertion in the muscles is caused by the formation of an excess of lactic acid, which does not break down completely with a lack of oxygen, which is used in large quantities by the muscles when the load on them increases. This theory is based on the work of the Nobel laureate in physiology and medicine Otto Meyerhof on the study of the relationship between oxygen consumption and the breakdown of lactic acid in muscles.

Research by Professor George Brooks

Further studies by another scientist - Professor of the Department of General Biology at the University of California, George Brooks - showed that the energy released during the metabolism of lactic acid in the form of ATP molecules is consumed by the muscles during their intensive work. Thus, lactic acid, on the contrary, is a source of energy for our muscles during increased physical activity and certainly cannot cause pain after increased physical activity. Moreover, this process is anaerobic, i.e. not requiring the presence of oxygen.

However, the original theory should not be completely discarded. When lactic acid breaks down, not only the energy so necessary for the active work of our muscles is formed, but also other decay products. Their excess can partially cause oxygen deficiency, which is spent on their breakdown by our body and, as a result, pain and burning sensation in the muscles that lack oxygen.

Damaged muscle theory

Another, more common theory, is that muscle pain after exercise is caused by traumatic muscle injury at the cellular level or even at the level of cellular organelles. Indeed, studies of muscle cells in a trained and untrained person have shown that in the latter, myofibrils (oblong muscle cells) have different lengths. Naturally, a beginner athlete is dominated by short cells, which are damaged during intense exertion. With regular exercise, these short muscle fibers are stretched and pain is reduced or reduced to a minimum.

This theory about the cause of muscle pain, especially in beginners or with a sharp increase in the intensity of the load, should not be discarded. After all, what is the muscle of the human musculoskeletal system directly? The muscle body itself, consisting of various muscle fibers, is attached with tendons to the human skeleton. And often it is in these places that sprains and other injuries occur with increased load.

When does the pain start?

As you may have noticed, muscle pain does not appear immediately. This can happen the next day or even the day after training. The logical question is, why is this happening? This feature is called delayed muscle soreness syndrome. And the answer to the question follows directly from the causes of pain.

With muscle damage at any level and the accumulation of any excess metabolic products, inflammatory processes occur. This is nothing more than a consequence of the body's struggle with the broken integrity of tissues and cells and an attempt to eliminate the substances that accompany it.

The body's immune cells secrete various substances that irritate the nerve endings in the muscles. Also, as a rule, the temperature rises in the injured and adjacent areas, which also causes discomfort. This pain continues depending on the magnitude of the loads and microtraumas received, as well as the degree of unpreparedness of the sports fan. It can last from a couple of days to a week.

How to get rid of pain?

How can you survive these unpleasant moments and make it easier for yourself to enter the further training process?

Qualitative warm-up and cool down

There are truly a great many ways. It must be firmly remembered that a high-quality, all-round warm-up before power load on the muscles is the key to a successful workout and a minimum of painful sensations after it. It is also good to do a little cool down after stressing the muscles, especially if it will consist of stretching exercises, which contributes to an additional, more gentle lengthening of muscle fibers and an even distribution of metabolic products formed during the work of our muscles.

Water procedures

A good remedy for muscle pain after exercise is water treatments. Moreover, all their types are good, in different combinations or alternations. It is very useful to take a cool shower or plunge into the pool immediately after training. Swimming is great for relaxing all muscle groups. Later, it is advisable to take a warm bath, which will cause vasodilation and the outflow of various metabolic products formed in the process of metabolism. A visit to a steam bath or sauna is a wonderful remedy, especially in combination with a cold shower or pool. In this case, we immediately get the full impact of contrasting temperature conditions.

Drinking plenty of fluids

It is imperative during and after training to consume a large amount of water or other fluids that remove metabolic products and toxins that appear during the work of the cells of the immune system. Decoctions of wild rose, chamomile, linden, blackcurrant leaves and other medicinal plants are very useful, which not only replenish the reserves of consumed fluid, but also relieve inflammation and perform the function of binding free radicals due to the content of antioxidants.

Proper nutrition

For the same purpose, it is necessary to organize the correct diet both before and after the increased load. Include in it products containing vitamins C, A, E, as well as flavonoids - compounds with the highest antioxidant activity. The latter are found in all fruits with blue and purple colors.

Vitamins of group A are found in vegetables and fruits of yellow, orange and red color. Undoubtedly, you need to increase your protein intake, which will help regenerate and build muscle mass and reduce pain after exercise.

Relaxing massage

A relaxing massage gives consistently great results, especially if the massage oil is enriched with essential oils that cause relaxation and reduce pain. If it is not possible to resort to the services of a professional massage therapist, then do not despair. Simply rub and knead the tense and painful areas of the muscles, alternating kneading with cold and hot compresses. The pain will certainly go away, even without medication.

Medication pain relief

Another way to relieve muscle pain after exercise is to use medication for pain relief. But do not use pain relievers unnecessarily, because painful sensations from tired muscles are natural in nature. They pass fairly quickly and are an indicator that you are developing your muscular system in a wider and deeper range than that which is responsible for the usual daily movements. But, as a last resort, if the pain in the muscles is unbearable, you can take "Ibuprofen" or its equivalent, although they can be replaced with herbal natural remedies. You can also use warming ointments at a certain stage, such as Voltaren and the like. When to see a doctor?

There are times that you should not engage in any self-medication, but it is better to immediately consult a doctor. Be sure to see a doctor if muscle pain is too sharp, lasts more than a week, or gets worse. After all, it is possible that you hurt yourself or sprained your ligaments during training and did not notice it right away. The increased temperature during the entire recovery process should also cause concern.

Should you continue to exercise if you have pain?

Do I need to continue training if the pain after the first training has not completely disappeared? Undoubtedly, because the sooner you accustom your muscles to new loads, the faster you will get into good physical shape and forget about severe muscle pain.

Just do not immediately increase the load, on the contrary, after the first workouts, it is better to choose such a schedule so that the muscles work half of their amplitude or load other muscle groups, antagonists of those that hurt.

And the last recommendation that will allow you to get the most out of exercise, relieve muscle pain and other discomfort. Exercise regularly, increase the load gradually, consult with a trainer or teacher, do not pursue quick achievements. Love your body, listen to your body - and it will certainly delight you with physical endurance, tirelessness, beauty and relief of trained muscles.