Muscle pain (ache) is a problem for every sport enthusiast and professional athlete. After exercise, the whole body muscle pain will not only make the body tired, but also affect the performance of the exercise. Therefore, it is very important to effectively relax the muscle pain, but what should I do? What can I do to improve the symptoms of muscle pain? This article will introduce 5 ways to help you relieve the discomfort of muscle pain and bid farewell to the trouble of muscle pain!
What cause the muscle pain?
There are many causes of muscle pain, including bad living habits (posture, diet), which require prolonged standing at work, sitting for a long time, psychological pressure, and diligent exercise, etc., which can all cause muscle pain. This is also one of the signs that show the good and bad of the body.
According to different causes, muscle pain can be divided into two categories: acute muscle pain and delayed muscle pain. The causes of the two are introduced below.
1. Acute muscle pain
Acute muscle pain is muscle pain that occurs during or after exercise. It is mainly due to the fact that a large amount of lactic acid produced by metabolism during intense exercise cannot be eliminated smoothly in time, resulting in muscle fatigue and stiffness. Usually, it can be completely recovered after stopping exercise for a period of time.
2. Delayed muscle pain:
Delayed muscle pain is caused by subtle damage to muscle fibers or connective tissues. It is usually caused by muscle eccentric contraction exercise that causes muscle inflammation and a feeling of pain and stiffness. It is usually caused by the use of muscles that are not often trained during exercise, or It is caused by a sudden increase in the amount of exercise and exercise intensity, and the pain will last about 3 to 5 days.
When the body has muscle pain, it means that the muscle has achieved the effect of exercise. In the process of repairing the muscle damage, the body will become stronger, so there is no need to reject the symptoms of muscle pain too much. But for athletes or sports enthusiasts, muscle pain can affect sports performance. If frequent exercise is required, massage, ice or hot compresses should be used to accelerate the relief of muscle pain.
Five ways to relax muscles
1. Cold therapy, ice compress to relax muscles
Many people have questions about whether to apply ice or heat after exercise. The correct way is to apply ice to relax the symptoms and then apply heat to increase the ability of muscle recovery. Ice compresses after exercise can constrict blood vessels, slow down the symptoms of muscle swelling and inflammation, and speed up the repair of muscle tissue. Some athletes also use cold water therapy or freezing cabins to quickly recover muscle damage.
2. Muscle pain hot compress: accelerate blood circulation
Don’t apply hot compress at the beginning of muscle pain. Hot compress is suitable for use after the pain is slightly relaxed. It is recommended to start hot compress 1 to 2 days after exercise. It can dilate blood vessels and accelerate blood circulation to expel inflammatory substances and help muscle repair. In addition, hot compresses for muscle pain can also alleviate pain, just as women do for physical pain to relax the discomfort in the abdomen. As long as the hot compress can be attached to the muscles, the heat can be evenly distributed to the muscles!
Small Tips:It should be noted that whether it is hot compress or ice compress, use ice packs, hot water bottles, hot towels, it is recommended to wrap a towel on the outer layer to avoid direct contact with the skin and cause secondary damage, and pay attention to the time of hot and cold compresses for the muscles, not too long.
3. Aerobic exercise accelerates muscle recovery
Why should the body be moved when the muscles are already painful? If it is due to muscle pain, passively wait for the pain to end. It is less helpful to relax the muscle pain. It is recommended to engage in low-intensity aerobic exercise to help blood circulation. Accelerate blood flow throughout the muscles. Low-intensity aerobic exercise includes: jogging, cycling, regular swinging of arms and thighs. When the blood flow of the muscles increases, it can increase the oxygen content of muscle cells, accelerate the speed of muscle recovery, and effectively relax muscle pain.
4. Supplement the nutrients needed for muscle repair
If the body lacks protein, potassium and other nutrients that help muscle contraction and repair, it will increase the time for muscle repair. In addition, a more active way of recovery, supplementing enough water every day can also maintain the efficiency of the body’s metabolism and enhance the body’s self-repair function.
What to eat for muscle pain? Please refer to the following nutrition list:
Foods containing protein: eggs, chicken, beef
Foods high in potassium and zinc: amaranth, seaweed, black beans, cashew nuts
Dark green, yellow fruits and vegetables
Rich in vitamin C: Guava, Kiwi, Papaya
In addition, don’t forget to supplement carbohydrates, especially after exercise, choose whole-wheat toast instead of white toast with high sugar content, so that carbohydrates can replenish the fuel lost by muscles!
5. Deep tissue massage–By Fascia Massage Gun
Massage is the most direct way to relax muscle pain. It can soften tight muscle tissue and relieve the symptoms of pain. However, general massage can only have an effect on the surface muscles. If you want to accelerate the speed of deep muscle repair, you must rely on deep tissue massage. . In the past, deep tissue massage required masseurs and physical therapists, but now most people can perform deep tissue massage at home as long as they use a fascia gun.