We’ve all experienced muscle soreness, but WHY does it happen? When you know
where muscle aches come from, you can be better prepared to help avoid them in
the future.
Fatigue
Soreness during or right after an activity (like after the last rep with weights
or after a quick sprint up stairs) are usually due to a tired muscle. The
soreness should go away after a few minutes of rest. If it doesn’t, you may have
a more serious muscle injury.
Unusual Activity
Try something new your body isn’t used to yet? That could be why you’re in pain.
You may feel sore, swollen or less flexible anywhere from 12-24 hours (and even
up to 72 hours) afterward. The aches come from microscopic tears that help your
muscles gain strength as they heal.
Repetitive Activity
Let’s say you do the same thing over and over again, on a regular basis. Whether
it’s weightlifting, running or even working a machine, you could be limiting
your normal range of motion which can result in soreness.
How to treat muscle soreness
Take an over-the-counter pain reliever
R.I.C.E it (that’s rest, ice, compression and elevation)
Go on relative rest. That doesn’t mean staying in bed all day, but avoid
anything strenuous and keep stretching to avoid further injury.
How to prevent muscle aches
Stretch before and after exercise.
Do a few minutes of mild warm up and cool down (i.e., fast walking) before
and after vigorous exercise.
Increase your level of difficulty in small increments, not big leaps.
Drink lots of fluids before, during, and after exercise.
At work: vary your activities as much as possible, and try to stretch at
least once every hour.
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