Massage Guns, Therapy Balls And More For Post-Workout Sore Muscles
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Every year it seems like one of my New Year’s resolutions is to become more active and to maintain a solid workout routine. And every year I find myself doing an hour-long stint on an exercise bike wheeled in front of my television, only for the following day to be faced with wobbly legs and incredibly sore muscles that seem to say, “maybe exercise just isn’t for you.” Could muscle discomfort really be keeping me from achieving my recurring health goals?
Liz Bartucci, a New York-based licensed massage therapist and the regional manager of spa for Equinox, told me that muscle discomfort and fatigue can be a deterring factor for a lot of people returning to or starting out new fitness goals. She reminded us that it’s all a part of the process.
“Be prepared for the ‘burn.’ It’s not always an indication that you’ve gone too far, but that you have gone far enough for the body to have a response,” Bartucci said.
What exactly is happening when you experience this “burn” and more importantly, subsequent muscle soreness? Bob Schrupp, a physical therapist and one half of the physical therapy YouTube channel “Bob & Brad,” said that delayed onset muscle soreness is actually caused by micro-tears occurring in your muscles.
“When you perform a squat, your hamstrings are under stress and lengthening. Thus, you may develop some micro-tears in the hamstrings and your body may produce some inflammation in response,” Schrupp said.
Both Schrupp and Bartucci said that muscle recovery and repair is important for muscles to end up stronger in the long run. Schrupp explained that this recovery and repair process can be achieved in a variety of ways, while also helping to minimize that next-day discomfort.
Aside from drinking plenty of water, getting enough sleep and eating nutritiously, Schrupp recommended to “slowly ramp up your workouts, whether it be weights, running or swimming. Starting off slow and gradually increasing will give your muscles time to recover.” He also added that employing active recovery, which involves performing low-intensity exercise after a heavier workout, can also help manage muscle reparation.
Ryan Balmes, a board-certified orthopedist and Atlanta-based sports physical therapist, said getting back into your routine can also help that muscle fatigue.
“A good rule of thumb for exercising again is to give your body a day or two before you exercise again. You could do exercises within that window, but it would be best if it is at a much lower intensity,” he said.
Some people also swear by massage tools and other modalities to help ease the muscle aches.However, Balmes told us that even though there might not be a lot of research to support that using such tools speeds up recovery, they can certainly feel good and get you back to exercising.
Whichever the case may be, Schrupp says “the best time to apply these types of devices is right before bed. It will relax you, help with sleep and allow the muscles to recover all night long.”
If muscle soreness is holding you back or you just want a way to ease stress, improve circulation and target post-workout body stiffness, keep reading to see some expert-recommend products that may be able to help.
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This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.
