Most of the time, working out results in muscle soreness. This occurs if you don’t include some stretching poses before and even after your workout. Another reason that causes your muscles to tear is pushing yourself too hard at the gym.
A lot of us have wondered what to do with sore muscles after a tough workout? Don’t worry; we have the right answers and methods for you. Stretching is one of these methods, along with yoga inspired poses and other remedies. So, if you want to learn how to help sore muscles, just read on.
Stretching
Does stretching help sore muscles, you might ask? Well, the experts recommend stretching before starting a workout to prevent muscle soreness. But this should be applied after your workout has ended as well. This helps you get the lactic acid out of your muscles and makes you feel good.
Stretching for sore legs can be quite difficult, but it’s important to do it in order to prevent any injury that can occur from doing your daily exercises. Even the best athletes must do them. Some of the best leg stretching moves include:
Calf Stretch
- Stay in front of a wall, a few centimeters away. Put the right leg in front of the other.
- Bend forward and put your hands on the wall, keeping your knee, heel, and head in a straight line.
- Push your heel and hold that pose for 10-20 seconds.
- Repeat the procedure with the left leg.
Quad Stretch
- Keep your back straight.
- Hold your left foot with your right hand and lift the foot slowly to your back.
- Hold the pose for 10-20 seconds.
- Repeat the procedure with the opposite leg and arm.
Thighs Stretch
Exercises that focus on this muscle are often recommended to strengthen the legs and tone them. If you ever wondered how to stretch thighs properly or how to relieve sore muscles in thighs, here is a simple exercise that may help you:
- Stand in a wide stance.
- Bend your left knee while you shift your entire body right until you feel a stretch in your right thigh.
- Hold the pose for 20-30 seconds.
- Repeat with the right leg.
Stretching for leg pain implies that you focus on these particular muscles. That’s because the muscles in your thighs are used for a lot of daily activities and exercises, so you should make sure to stretch them, as much as possible, after every workout.
If we’re talking about climbing stairs, running, playing tennis or just walking, these muscles are playing a significant role. Another way to relieve sore muscles in thighs would be the classic side lunges, along with the butterfly stretch.
Stretching to relieve other sore muscles will include:
Shoulders Stretch
Sitting in front of a computer all day with our head and neck in the same position for a long time will lead to sore shoulders.
- Keep your back straight and roll your shoulders in a circular movement (up, back and down).
- Repeat ten times.
- Change the direction by rolling up, front and down.
- Repeat ten times.
Back Pain Stretch
- Lie on your back.
- Try to put your legs up and bend them at 90 degrees.
- Hold your arms straight, near your body, with your palms up.
- Hold for five minutes.
Floor Stretches
Floor stretches represent another cure for sore muscles. These types of poses are recommended if you deal with sciatica pain, but they also work perfectly if you want to stretch your muscles in order to reduce soreness. Some of the most known exercises are:
- Bring your knee to the opposite shoulder: for this, you have to lie on your back and keep your legs extended. Bend your left leg across your body toward your right shoulder. Hold for 20-30 seconds. Switch legs and repeat the exercise.
- Standing hamstring stretch: Place one foot on a chair. Keep your toes and leg in a straight position. Bend your body forward so that you can touch your toes with your hands and hold for 20-30 seconds. Repeat on the other side.
Yoga for Sore Muscles
After a hard workout, sore muscles can leave you tensed and with an uncomfortable feeling. If you want to find out what to do for sore muscles, you should know that yoga poses can help you get rid of the pain you get after a hard workout.
Also, if you were asking how to soothe sore muscles, yoga is again the answer. Yoga is a spiritual, physical and mental discipline that includes meditation, breath control and requires you to use specific body postures. It is practiced to promote relaxation and health.
In order to reduce muscle soreness, try these yoga-inspired poses at home: Revolved Triangle, Downward Facing Dog, Standing Forward Fold.
If it’s the first time you make these moves, and you feel sore after yoga, you can try some of the following methods to relieve soreness.
Heat Therapy
So, are you wondering how to relieve body ache? Well, in order to relax your body, you can take a hot bath. Warm temperatures soothe sore muscles and help with the recovery. You can also apply heat directly to the area that’s troubling you.
Use Ice as a Treatment
What to do when your body is sore? Ice is an anti-inflammatory that can reduce muscle soreness. Just put a pack of ice on the areas that hurt and hold it for 10-15 minutes. If this method doesn’t help you in two days, you must consider consulting a doctor to find out if the problem is of other nature.
Active Recovery
The answer to “how to fix sore muscles?” is really simple. By using active recovery as a method, you should be able to get rid of muscle soreness by only doing the same activity that got you in this situation but at a lower intensity. That means you should only walk if you are sore after running or do some light cardio workouts for less than 30 minutes to relieve the pain.
Have a Massage
How to relieve body ache? Massage therapy is the perfect answer. Several studies suggest that only 10 minutes of deep tissue massage can help you reduce muscle soreness. Just enjoy the treat and relax your body.
As you can see, if you suffer from muscle soreness, there are plenty of methods you can use to relax and get rid of the pain. Just find the ones that work best for your needs and situation.