The best way to get rid of muscle soreness, according to Patrick Walsh, physical therapist and owner and clinical director of Shift Integrative Medicine in New York City, is to prevent it from happening in the first place. “Always do some sort of warm-up,” he said. “In physical therapy or personal training, they call it movement prep, or pre-hab.” Instead of stretching — which can actually hinder your performance if you do static stretches pre-workout — prepare yourself mentally and physically for exercise. Go through movements similar to what you’ll be doing to get the right muscles firing properly. For example, if you’re about to play basketball, move laterally to get your legs and butt warmed up to the movement.
MORE: How to Relieve Sore Muscles After Working Out

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