Picture this: You just got out of your hour-long, intense HIIT workout class, and you’re feeling on top of the world. You grab a green smoothie and head out to tackle the day ahead of you. When night comes, you fall asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow after a long, productive day. You wake up the next morning, ready to do it all over again until you get out of bed and realize you can barely walk.
Muscle soreness. The price you sometimes have to pay when you push yourself that extra mile during a workout. Not only is muscle soreness painful and annoying, but it also inhibits you from having a productive day and working out again. If you’re prone to muscle soreness after a workout, here are some remedies to relieve the pain so you can get on with your day:
Stretching
Stretching is so important before and after a workout and is too often overlooked. Take the time to properly stretch with both dynamic and static stretches to help prevent that post-workout ache.
Hydrate
Drinking enough water before, during, and after your workout is key to staying healthy and minimizing the chance of muscle soreness. Hydration prevents cramping and decreases inflammation after working out so you can feel your best days after you exercise.
Ice and Heat
Using both ice and heat are useful treatment methods when it comes to muscle soreness. Ice aids with pain levels while heat can help limit discomfort. If you’re feeling sore post-workout, grab an icepack and a heating pad and let them work their magic.
Active recovery
It sounds counterproductive, but some studies show that remaining active after a workout is the best way to treat muscle soreness. Just because you’re sore doesn’t mean you need to treat your day after a workout as a complete relax and rest day. Get yourself moving by going on a walk or doing light yoga so you can keep your muscles moving.
