Do you hate leg workouts because they leave you with 2 days of pain? Then you know what delayed onset muscle soreness syndrome is like. Find out about scientific basis causes of pain and how to relieve this pain!

In this article we will talk about lactic acid: how it is formed, and what role it plays in delayed onset muscle soreness syndrome (delayed onset muscle soreness). I will explain what sore throat is, why it develops, and what science says about methods of dealing with pain.

For me personally, it doesn't matter how long ago I trained - my legs always kill me within two days after. This partly explains my dislike for this exercise, as strong as my love for working out in general. In general, a lucky few like to crawl out from under the squat rack completely exhausted and fight the onset of nausea until the start of the next set (which is inevitable if you do everything right).

I hate to admit it, but if I can find an excuse to “skip” a leg workout, I will skip it. I can’t say that I have very muscular legs and there is no need for training. I just don't like it. I don’t feel any “joyful anticipation” on leg training days.

Instead, I always try to find a way to turn a workout into a day. So I take a lot more weight and I feel much more confident. True, dial muscle mass I can no longer do this with this exercise. I know I have to suck it up and start squatting before I can get a little bigger.

I train each body part twice a week using a training rotation, but I only squat once a week. Therefore, if I skip a squat workout, I end up with two weeks without squats.

I can always find leg muscles that were previously dormant and will be included in the next squat workout; hence the pain for the next few days. These days, my daughter often thinks this is the perfect time to run and dive into my lap while I'm sitting on the couch. Sometimes it seems to me that she follows my training better than me and notices the smallest details. Either she loves me very much, or she is growing up to be a sadist and gets pleasure from causing me hellish pain.

Many people avoid squats only because they don’t know how to cope with pain the next day.

What is delayed onset muscle soreness syndrome?

Delayed onset muscle soreness (LDMS) syndrome is familiar to most of us who have been exercising for a period of time. Usually it overtakes us after a long break in training. It also happens when we start using new pieces of training equipment.

Any “new thing” that creates an unusual load on our body is useful, but it comes at a cost. We've all experienced muscle pain, but what causes it and how can we speed up recovery?

The term soreness describes the phenomenon of muscle pain that is felt within 12-48 hours after exercise, especially at the beginning of a new training program, after a change in the type of sports activity, or after a sharp increase in the duration or intensity of training. This pain subsides after a few days.

Symptoms can range from increased muscle sensitivity to severe, debilitating pain. Soreness is a normal response to an unusual load and part of the adaptation process in the body. The question is how does this pain develop?

Lactic Acid and Its Role in Post-Workout Muscle Soreness

Your body breaks down carbohydrates to synthesize them using the glycolytic system (ATP is the main source of energy for most cells). The energy generated is used mainly during moderate to high intensity exercise.

These processes are based on fast or slow glycolysis. In rapid glycolysis reactions, the salt of pyruvic acid (pyruvate) is converted into lactic acid.

The accumulation of lactic acid in muscles leads to increased acidity of muscle cells. Increased acidity, in turn, slows down the reactions of rapid glycolysis, as a result of which the body produces less energy and you begin to feel tired. It sounds counterproductive, but the accumulation of fatigue is a natural mechanism for protecting muscles from damage from overuse. In addition, lactic acid and other byproducts of glycolysis that accumulate around muscle fibers irritate the receptors and you begin to feel a burning sensation.

Until recently, lactic acid was considered the main culprit in causing muscle pain. However, recent studies do not directly confirm this fact. Lactic acid levels return to normal within a few hours after exercise, which does not explain the pain delayed for a day.

So what then causes pain if not lactic acid?

Scientists now believe that pain occurs as a result of swelling of muscle fibers caused by the influx of white blood cells, prostaglandins and other nutrients that are involved in “repairing” muscles after exercise. An unusually large load causes micro-tears in muscle fibers. Just don’t confuse micro-tears with real tendon ruptures. Microtrauma is a completely natural part of the muscle growth process.

Treatment of muscle pain after exercise

We have figured out the causes of pain, now let's see what can be done to treat it.

Painkiller

There are several recovery strategies designed to reduce muscle soreness and get the athlete back on his feet. as soon as possible. The effectiveness of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen, depends on the dose as well as the timing of the drug.

I have nothing against the use of NSAIDs in cases where the patient takes them occasionally to relieve symptoms, but I recommend using them only when other methods have failed. Excessive use of these medications can cause many problems that negate the benefits of their use. Keyword in relation to NSAIDs - this is TEMPORARY.

Massage

Massage has also shown some results in the fight against muscle pain. Its effectiveness has a lot to do with timing and technique. I like beneficial features massage, and I tell my patients that a course of massage in any case will bring enormous benefits to the health of the whole body.

IN scientific work published in the Journal of Athletic Training in 2003, ten healthy subjects (5 men, 5 women) with no strength training experience performed 10 sets of 6 repetitions to failure with both arms. One arm was massaged for 10 minutes 3 hours after the exercise; the second hand did not receive any influence. The results showed that massage was effective in relieving symptoms of muscle pain and reducing swelling by approximately 30%.

Hot bath with salt

A hot bath is great for relaxing muscles after a workout. And a hot bath with magnesium salts makes it even better. Magnesium penetrates the skin, soothing and repairing damaged muscles, and hot water enhances peripheral blood supply.

For the best effect, dissolve 250 g of salt in the bath and immerse yourself in the water for 30 minutes.

Post-workout nutrition

To recover, muscles need nutrients. This sounds obvious, but for some reason, many people neglect the most important meal of the day - post-workout. Make sure that within 30-40 minutes after training your body receives a portion of protein and high-quality carbohydrates. And it’s even better if you purchase a full-fledged one.

What does NOT help with muscle pain?

According to a study published by the Institute of Health and Sports Research, cryotherapy (ice application), pre-exercise stretching, homeopathy, ultrasound and electrical currents (muscle stimulation) did not have a positive effect on reducing muscle pain.

Conclusion

Your body is designed to adapt to any stress, so if you want to grow or be in in better shape, you should make changes to your training program periodically. This will help you avoid a training plateau and save you from monotony. Any significant changes to your workouts increase your risk of developing pain. When this happens, use the guidelines above and don't give your kids any reason to think it's "wrestling day."

Now, get up and go to training!

Surely everyone is familiar with muscle pain that occurs after some time in the muscle groups that we trained.
As you understand, muscle pain is the norm, another thing is that it is sometimes unpleasant and causes discomfort. How to remove it?

The task here is the following: in order to eliminate the feeling of “ache” and soreness in the muscles, they need to be relaxed, this can be achieved by the following actions:

• Warm-up
• Taking a warm bath
• Massage

Before training, take at least 5 minutes to warm up your muscles; in addition to reducing the likelihood of muscle pain, warming up will reduce the risk of injury.

If you cannot take a bath, a warm heating pad can help with muscle discomfort.

Sore muscles can also be massaged either with your hands or using special massagers.

Amino acid glutamine sold in stores sports nutrition And in the pharmacy it also helps very well, glutamine also minimizes the likelihood of colds.

More details about everything

No matter how trivial it may sound, the main rule of a good workout is muscle pain. If it is not there, the person did not put in much effort (although this is very debatable). It occurs spontaneously, after a day or two. Do not be afraid, because pain indicates that the muscles have worked. And you should only give pain relief or sound the alarm if swelling appears, the pain is severe and does not go away for a long time. This may indicate various injuries.

Each athlete puts forward his own theories about the appearance of muscle pain, the main ones are:

1. Lactic acid. During training, as a byproduct of physiological processes, acid accumulates in the muscles. This happens in a short period of time. Not being completely eliminated from the body naturally and accumulating, with repeated training it creates painful sensations. Once in the bloodstream, the acid is absorbed by the body within 24 hours. Over time, the processes return to normal and pain after physical activity leaves.

2. Pain “with delay”. The occurrence of discomfort after a few days is explained by microscopic damage to muscle fibers (febrile). But this is not scary and necessary, because such micro-tears, when restored, thicken and trigger the active production of hormones in the body. Thanks to this, the body heals itself. After a few days the pain will go away. To do this, it is recommended to alternate the load and set of exercises.

3. Muscles react incorrectly. Intense exercise leads to imbalance of salt and fluids in the tissues. And this, in turn, gives an impetus to the nerve endings to send incorrect impulses to the person’s brain, and he feels pain or cramps. Therefore, when training, do not forget to replenish your fluid balance - drink water and properly “warm up” your muscles before and after training.

4.More is not better. Muscle weakness, combined with soreness and fatigue, indicates that a person has overestimated his strength and simply overtrained. Lack of protein with strength exercises leads to a lack of nitrogen compounds in the body. If measures are not taken, the body will experience a disruption at the hormonal level, i.e. there will be overtraining.

5.Injuries. The pain tends to increase. Increases with load. Swelling is noticeable at the site of injury. Appears almost a few hours after exercise. If these symptoms are present, it is recommended to visit a traumatologist.

6. Incorrect technique (load distribution). If pain or weakness occurs in places where it is not present under normal conditions, it is worth reconsidering your exercise regimen.

What is the fastest way to get rid of pain?

Water
Although there is an opinion that cold water is contraindicated for such troubles, but this method is effective. So, how to relieve muscle pain and relax? A contrast shower for a few minutes or a warm bath with salt (sea salt) will help.

Bath
Temperature alternation and drinking plenty of fluids will help alleviate this problem.

Tempering up, or swimming in cold water
Regular exercise for a quarter of an hour will help you most effectively cope with muscle pain. Many athletes use it to relieve soreness. this method. It has a beneficial effect on blood circulation and dilates the walls of blood vessels.

Massage
Even if it is not possible to visit a professional, you can easily do it yourself. For example, how to relieve muscle pain in the legs? The secret is simple - knead and rub the muscles as intensely as possible to increase blood flow to them. For the procedure, it is better to use cosmetic oils with the addition of lavender or sage. As an alternative, a massage roller is suitable, which is used for a third of an hour.

Special products: ointments and creams
Ointments that relieve muscle pain are simple and affordable option. Pharmacies are full of offers: ointments with all kinds of extracts and additives. Capable of relieving pain and eliminating inflammation. Here, the main thing is to look at the composition; they are most effective with the addition of active substances in the form of voltaren or capsicam.

Movement
Despite the pain and overcoming it, only movement can finally win. You shouldn’t follow her lead and refuse to warm up. For example, how to relieve muscle pain in the back? More loads on thoracic region. Biceps? We focus on training the triceps. Proper stretching will help reduce pain by half and protect you from future injuries.

Prevention rules or how to protect yourself “for later”?

Proper nutrition
Try to eat foods containing protein. Its amount should not differ from that spent during training. But in addition, the food should be rich in fats (20% of daily norm), carbohydrates and proteins (50% and 30%).

Hydration
If you drink little, toxins will settle in the body, worsening its condition. And the recovery processes are long.

Cardio load
Cardio exercises (treadmill, stepper, just walking) contribute to muscle regeneration. They need at least 2-4 workouts per week. Saturating the blood with oxygen will help get rid of residual lactic acid and toxic compounds.

Supplements
Dietary supplements in the form of fish oil or linseed oil will help saturate the body with fatty acids and help get rid of inflammation; glutamine is also good in this regard.

Variety of workouts
Alternate exercises with light weights and short but varied exercises. Training should not be continuous for more than one hour. Take short breaks. After all, even after 45 minutes, the blood loses testosterone as much as possible, and cortisol, on the contrary, goes off scale.

Good dream
A person who has not had enough sleep has a high level of cortisol. Recovery of microtraumas occurs slowly, and the risk of getting new ones increases, thus overtraining is guaranteed. You need to sleep at least 6–8 hours.

Antioxidants
Intense training accelerates the breakdown process of many chemical elements that the body needs to eliminate. They are rich in antioxidants: retinol, carotene, known from childhood - ascorbic acid, grapes (including raisins), cabbage and cherries.

Visit doctor
If the pain does not go away within three days, you should visit a doctor. To determine the cause of pain, which may be serious injury or joint pain. this will be necessary.

The nature of muscle pain is varied. Some causes require treatment, while others go away on their own. Pathological disorders will be identified by a doctor.

Causes of muscle pain after exercise

Benign pain in the leg muscles after exercise is called sore throat, and muscle tissue disease is called myalgia. The second is accompanied by an inflammatory process, and ignoring it can lead to atrophy.

Pain activators:

1. Increased concentration of lactic acid released during sports, which causes discomfort and a feeling of heaviness.
2. Small tears in muscle fibers, resulting in acute pain.
3. Severe injuries, such as sprains or muscle tears, begin to hurt immediately.
4. Pathological phenomena are accompanied by myalgia.

The soreness that appears as a result of training disappears within 2-3 days.

Physiological

Such pain can occur due to many factors: physical activity, bruises.

There are a number of reasons that may cause discomfort:

1. Staying in an incorrect position for a long time. The soft tissues do not receive enough blood, the pain goes away after blood circulation normalizes.
2. Uncomfortable shoes.
3. Overweight.
4. History of stroke and heart attack.

Characteristic features of physiological pain:

• tolerant and constant;
• may be accompanied by convulsions;
• It intensifies under load and subsides at rest.

Pathological

There are a number of ailments that require treatment. Myalgia is characteristic of diseases such as:

1. Fibromyalgia. Occurs in all leg muscles and is accompanied by dull, chaotic pain.
2. Cramps. They may occur due to a deficiency of calcium, magnesium and potassium in the body, due to dehydration. First of all, the calf muscles are affected by convulsive syndrome. They manifest themselves as sudden muscle contractions and “rolling” algia.
3. Myositis. Occurs as a complication due to viral disease or a significant increase in loads on the legs. Accompanied by dull, increasing pain in the muscles of the lower leg below the knee.
4. Osteomyelitis. When the bone becomes infected, a soft tissue abscess begins. Characterized by unbearable pain syndrome.
5. Neuralgia. Occurs when there is severe compression of the nerves. When nerve endings are pinched, piercing, shooting pain appears. Sharp, impulsive sensations occur with certain movements. The quadriceps femoris is most susceptible to pathology.
6. Intervertebral hernia. Sharp pain pierces from the waist to the thigh, then numbness occurs in the entire leg or part of it.

To localize and treat myalgia, you need to consult a specialist: phlebologist, traumatologist, orthopedist, surgeon or neurologist. First of all, it is necessary to protect the patient from factors life-threatening and health: neoplasms, thrombophlebitis, thrombosis, etc.

Characteristics and localization of leg pain

According to the nature of sensations, sources of pain are divided into groups:

1. Articular – for pathologies leading to changes and destruction of cartilage.

Signs of such pain:

• localized in the joint area and adjacent muscles of the limb;
• increases with load on the legs;
• accompanied by contracture;
• occurs gradually.

1. Bone – for leg injuries, chronic pathologies or old injuries. The intensity is affected by the type and location of the lesion.

Signs of this pain:

• located at the site of bone injury;
• can be given to neighboring areas;
• in case of a fracture, it is accompanied by subcutaneous or open bleeding;
• limitation or complete loss of limb mobility.

In addition to bruises, discomfort is caused by bone diseases (osteoporosis, leukemia, etc.).

1. Neurological – as a result of osteochondrosis, spinal hernia, etc. Due to pinched nerve endings, pain is felt, radiating to the muscles, joints and skin.

Signs of neuralgia:

• pain in the lower back and sacrum;
• high intensity of sensations does not change with immobilization;
• Limbs may begin to become “numb” and have convulsions.

Causes: pinched or pathological nerve endings, lumbar hernia.

1. Vascular. Pain due to disorders in the vascular system has the following character:

• discomfort under the knee joint;
• increases with any load on the legs;
• appears at night;
• provokes varicose veins, swelling;
• occurs due to limb dystrophy;
• possible convulsions when moving;
• increases as a result of long-term load;
• decreases with elevation of the limb;
• “cold foot” syndrome appears.

Elimination of discomfort

You can remove unpleasant sensations through physical exercise, medications and home remedies, massage, and water treatments. But in no case should you prescribe treatment on your own in case of severe injury.

Folk remedies

You can reduce the pain that occurs after heavy exertion by using alternative medicine recipes.

The following will help to relax the muscle and reduce sensations:

• local application of badger fat;
• rubbing with pepper tincture;
• applying cabbage leaf.

Use of NSAIDs

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs - Ibuprofen, Diclofenac, Celecoxib - must be taken with caution and not abused, because they slow down the body's recovery processes. Tablets help achieve only a temporary positive effect, so they cannot be used for full treatment. The use of NSAIDs negatively affects the gastrointestinal tract and liver.

Vitamin preparations

In combination with drug pain relief, multivitamins - Vitrum, Alphabet, Multi-Tabs - have a beneficial effect. They allow you to speed up recovery processes in the body. To maintain performance, it is also recommended to maintain proper nutrition.

Plastic preparations

These funds have a positive effect on the athlete’s condition: they promote protein synthesis, accelerate biochemical processes, and replenish cell structure. The action of the medications in question - Riboxin, Carinitin, Lipocerebrin - is aimed at preserving energy.

Energy drugs

Products such as Methionine, Asparkam, and glutamic acid help restore expended resources. They contribute to the body's resistance to oxygen deficiency.

Adaptogen group

These are pantocrine, ginseng, eleutherococcus. Effective in conditions of hypoxia, increase tone, increase resistance under high loads.

When taken, these drugs are addictive, so you should consult a specialist.

Sports creams, ointments, gels

Topical preparations help activate blood circulation, relieve tone and tension, and reduce pain in joints and muscles.

The use of one or another type of ointment is determined by the nature of the damage and sensations. In case of injuries, cooling gels are suitable - Troxevasin, Efkamon, Gevkamen. They are used to relieve swelling and muscle discomfort after exercise. Another group of products - Nicoflex, Capsicam - is used to warm up the area affected by sprains. Sometimes trainees use them to prepare muscles for stress. When choosing a drug, you should consult your doctor.

Application of compresses

This pain reliever has a good effect, but it can only be used 2-3 days after a serious injury. A fairly common mistake is using a polyethylene gasket. The compress is made from a cloth moistened with the drug, spread over the entire affected area, lined with compress paper and cotton wool, and then secured with a bandage. The bandage should not be tight so as not to crush the limb.

Classic foot massage

Circular movements will help increase blood circulation and reduce pain. You can warm up your muscles using ointments. Various massagers are effective in distributing accumulated lactic acid.

How to get rid of soreness in the legs

Out of habit, you may experience soreness after training. The following will help relieve discomfort, warm up and develop muscle fibers:

• physical exercise: warming up and then stretching the muscles;
• warm bath;
• massage;
• as a last resort - medications.

You should not resort to painkillers for the slightest reason. Exercises have the most beneficial and effective effect.

Prevention of post-workout muscle pain

It is necessary to maintain stable loads, monitor your diet, sleep an average of 8 hours a day and drink plenty of fluids. Drinking plenty of fluids activates the kidneys, allowing lactic acid to leave the body faster. The right shoes will help distribute the load evenly.

Pain is a completely expected consequence physical exercise and increasing loads in sports activities. But pain in the muscles can also occur due to pathological disorders, so you should consult a doctor if unreasonable discomfort occurs.

What does a person who experiences long time didn’t play sports and finally spent the long-awaited 1.5 hours in the gym or fitness room again? Definitely a joy, because he again found the time and energy to attend training. However, this bright feeling is overshadowed by muscle pain. It can be different (tingling, burning) and cause discomfort to varying degrees. When does it occur, and how to get rid of it? We will try to give a detailed answer to each question.

Why do muscles hurt after training?

Probably, many have heard the phrase “If your muscles hurt while playing sports, that’s good, there’s nothing to be afraid of, you can continue training.” But no one specifies that a positive effect is observed with dosed loads. Moreover, severe pain is a sign that it is better to stop. Muscle fibers that have not been subjected to heavy physical activity for a long time experience great stress during the first workout. The human brain receives signals about this in the form of:

burning and tingling;

severe pain the next day;

unbearable pain directly during exercise.

Let’s take a closer look at what each of them can mean.

Tingling

When an athlete performs exercises to the limit of his capabilities, he feels tired and tingling in his muscles. It’s clear why fatigue appears, but tingling is a sign that there is an excess of lactic acid in the muscle tissue. What is it and why is there a lot of it? During exercise, muscle fibers require energy to cope with the increased load. It is formed when glucose (contained in the form of glucogen molecules) is broken down and lactic acid is formed, which is gradually washed out by the blood. This chemical process can occur in two ways:

with the help of oxygen (aerobic);

without oxygen (anaerobic).

The first goes almost unnoticed, while the second causes discomfort and makes you think. When an excessive load is created, the muscles have to produce energy in large quantities, along with it too much lactic acid is formed, and the blood simply does not have time to “deliver” oxygen and “wash out” everything unnecessary. The accumulated acid irritates the nerve endings, and the person experiences a tingling sensation. It persists for several hours after completing a set of exercises, then goes away.

Severe pain the next day

It often happens that an athlete, unexpectedly for himself, the next day after training in the gym cannot move freely, his whole body seems to be constrained. Scientists call this phenomenon delayed, or belated, pain. It is many times stronger than what appears during exercise or immediately after it. It intensifies on the second day, and then disappears, without the help of special medications. The reason for its occurrence is microtrauma of muscle fibers. The ruptures do not begin to become inflamed immediately, but after a few hours. That is why it is called belated. There is no need to panic; although there is an inflammatory process, there is no risk of infection: germs will not get into these wounds. When muscle tissue is restored, a scar remains on it, due to which the fibers increase in volume.

Unbearable pain

Sharp, sharp pain which a trainee feels when working, for example, with sports equipment, may indicate more serious damage. In this case, you should not risk your health and practice while gritting your teeth. The only right decision is to stop training and consult a doctor, because pain that hinders movement may indicate a muscle sprain or tear, dislocation or fracture. None of the above contributes to the rapid gain of muscle mass, but can cause harm and negate the efforts made. Instead of the expected positive result, the athlete will receive sick leave for at least several days.

Pain in leg muscles

Depending on what sport the athlete is involved in, the load falls more heavily not only on the biceps or deltoids, but also on the legs. For those who are interested athletics, is especially difficult, because he needs not only endurance, but also fairly strong lower limbs. Footballers and basketball players often experience cramps in their leg muscles during training. If they hurt and don’t allow you to take even one step, what kind of jogging, what kind of activities can we talk about?!

Beautiful legs are not only a distinctive characteristic of every athlete, but also the dream of every girl. In an effort to achieve this goal, they create a load on the hips and calves, and “pump” the buttocks. However, it often happens that instead of the desired beauty, ladies get one big problem called “myoclonus”, spasm calf muscles. It is often mistakenly called cramps (men also suffer from this fate). Why do they arise?

In women, leg cramps at night often occur due to varicose veins of the lower extremities. If they cramp in cold water, doctors explain this by the narrowing of blood vessels under the influence of low temperatures. In some cases, myoclononia becomes a symptom of spinal disease and low calcium levels in the blood.

Let's leave aside diseases that lead to cramps in different parts of the human body, and focus on the spasms that occur during and after training. The reasons for their appearance are as follows:

lack of calcium and potassium (during intense physical activity, it is “washed out” with sweat);

poor warm-up;

Pleasant fatigue after performing a set of leg exercises is not scary and even useful. However, not everyone can stop in time, and overtraining leads to spasm of the thigh and calf muscles. This unbearable, crippling pain makes itself felt often at night. It is possible and necessary to fight it. We'll tell you how to do this later.

How to relieve muscle pain after training?

If you want to “create” a beautiful body and not acquire a bunch of diseases, we advise you to learn how to properly and effectively remove pain after sports and prevent its occurrence during the next one.

To help cope with pain:

cold and hot shower;

swimming in cold water;

bath (sauna);

• anti-inflammatory creams;

  movement.

Contrary to popular belief, it is not warm water, but cold water that reduces pain. A good option is a contrast shower (you need to take it for 10 minutes) or alternating douses cold water and a warm bath with sea ​​salt, in which experts advise lying down for at least 20 minutes. A favorite pastime for athletes who often experience soreness after training is swimming in cold water. You need to perform this “exercise” regularly for 15-20 minutes. As a result, blood circulation will improve, which means that lactic acid will be “washed out” faster.

Muscles that have been tense for some time due to excessive stress need to be relaxed. And a bath (sauna) and massage will help with this. Russian bath - good way alternate low and high temperatures, supplementing it with plenty of drink. Massage can be done immediately after a spasm (tingling). Massage tense muscles yourself every day, and visit a professional massage therapist once a week. During this procedure, it is important to warm up the muscle fibers and “flex” them well. For this purpose, use olive oil. You will not harm yourself in any way if you add a few drops to it essential oil, for example, lavender. Note that its aroma often helps get rid of headaches.

For those who have neither the strength nor the desire to use the methods described above, we recommend using ointments and creams. They have a warming effect and have an anti-inflammatory effect. It is not difficult to purchase them - they are freely available in almost every pharmacy.

There is one more piece of advice: move. At the beginning of your workout, do a warm-up and then a cool-down. Warm up well before starting a set of exercises: this will reduce the risk of pain by 50%. If you feel pain, but do not want to skip a workout, pay attention to the antagonist muscles. So, if your back hurts, do exercises for your chest muscles; if your biceps hurt, “pump up” your triceps.

To prevent unpleasant sensations from appearing during the following workouts:

eat right;

consume enough water;

do cardio exercises;

during exercise, alternate difficult exercises with easy ones;

do not exercise for more than 45 minutes;

sleep at least 8 hours a day;

don’t forget about a contrast shower after visiting the gym;

remember the massage.

Let's consider these points in more detail.

Watch your diet. If you're serious about building muscle, consume proteins, fats, and carbohydrates in required quantities. In addition to them, drink watermelon juice an hour before training and an hour after it (it is better if it is natural), it helps reduce pain. How? It contains an amino acid that helps eliminate lactic acid. If desired, it can be replaced with cranberry or grape juice, which have the same effect.

Water is a source of strength and health. It is especially necessary for those who play sports. How much you should drink depends on the number of pounds lost. When performing exercises, profuse sweating occurs. Lack of water leads to dehydration, plus lactic acid is less easily washed out of muscle tissue. Drinking plenty of fluids throughout the day and small amounts during training is an urgent need for every athlete. Listen to the advice of the trainer, he will tell you when and how much input is required. You can calculate your norm using the following formula: weight x 0.04 = the amount of fluid that the body requires.

Cardio exercises should be performed 3-4 times a week. They help the body recover faster, blood circulates better, and metabolism improves.

Dose your loads while working out in the gym. The ideal option is to alternate complex exercises with simple ones, a large number of repetitions and heavy weight with small values.

If you overdid it in training and feel severe pain in the muscles, stop exercising altogether for a few days (let your body recover) or exercise for no more than 45 minutes.

Sleep will also help you recover. You need to devote at least 8 hours to it every day. What happens if you don't follow this rule? The level of cortisol, which is called the stress hormone, will increase. It provokes loss of muscle tissue and increase in fat tissue. As a result, the risk of injury increases.

Excessive stress can cause not only muscle pain, but also joint pain. The latter is dangerous and should not be ignored. Such an irresponsible attitude towards your health can play a cruel joke on you. It would be a good idea to consult a doctor. If the pain is unbearable, an x-ray will probably be needed. This will help determine if there is a fracture. For mild sprains, an elastic bandage or taping will help. The stronger the damage, the longer you should not put any weight on the injured limb. But you need to train it every day, performing simple smooth movements. Damaged muscle fibers need to be stretched (but not torn again), so they will recover faster. If doctors diagnose a fracture or torn ligament, a cast and/or surgery will be required.

So, an athlete may experience pain during training. It varies depending on the degree of damage: a slight burning or tingling sensation, pain that appears after a few hours and lasts no longer than two days, and severe unbearable pain. In each of these cases, separate rules must be observed. In addition, a number of measures are taken to prevent the occurrence of unpleasant symptoms.

In terms of your post-workout diet, close attention should be paid to maintaining protein and water intake. Please note that muscle recovery requires about 2 g of protein per 1 kg of weight. On average, after an hour-long workout, a person loses up to two liters of fluid. Sufficient water consumption (2-3 liters) helps avoid dehydration. Researchers from the University of Georgia found that drinking coffee an hour before exercise reduces the intensity of post-exercise myalgia (soreness). In addition, the following help relieve muscle pain:

• cherry juice – contains antioxidants, anthocyanins, which reduce inflammation in tissues;
• fish fat(fish) – rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which accelerate the healing of muscle microdamage after intense training;
• fresh vegetables of red, orange and purple flowers– are a source of antioxidants, minerals, help the body neutralize harmful products decay;
• watermelon juice – contains arginine, which helps normalize blood circulation;
• black currant – due to the presence of flavonoids in the composition, it reduces the severity of signs of oxidative stress.

Warm or cold

Athletes often resort to using ice to relieve muscle pain after exercise. Scientific evidence refutes the effectiveness of this method. Randomized studies have not revealed any positive effects from the use of ice compresses or baths. Remember to use heat to relieve muscle soreness after exercise. In this sense, useful:

• Sauna, bathhouse. Under influence high temperatures blood circulation improves, speed increases metabolic processes, which promotes active removal of lactic acid and reduction of muscle pain. The time spent in the steam room should not exceed 20 minutes. After a sauna or bath, you should drink a glass of water.
• Warm bath. A decrease in pain intensity after a hard workout occurs due to vasodilation, normalization of blood circulation, and muscle relaxation. You can achieve this effect by spending 15–20 minutes in the bath.
• Cold and hot shower. The procedure begins with a pleasant body treatment warm water. Then the temperature gradually increases. Staying under a hot shower lasts 1–2 minutes. Then the cold water suddenly turns on. You should stand under it for no more than 20 seconds. After the specified time has elapsed, the hot water is turned on again. The procedure is repeated 2-3 times.

Medications

Canadian scientists have found that menthol ointment for muscle pain after exercise is more effective than an ice compress. Post-exertional myalgia can be eliminated using warming patches. Dry heat helps reduce post-workout pain and maintain muscle strength and activity. In addition, the following are recommended as first aid: medications:

Compresses

You can use this kind of remedy to relieve muscle pain after exercise only with the consent of your doctor. In case of acute inflammation, compresses cannot be used. Remember, it is strictly forbidden to put polyethylene over the bandage. Experts recommend limiting yourself to compression paper or cotton wool. The bandage should not compress the tissue or cause swelling. Muscle pain after training is eliminated:

• Potato compress. Boil a few tubers and mash them to a puree. Place the resulting mass on the sore spot. Place thick paper or several layers of fabric on top of the potatoes and insulate with a woolen scarf. Leave the compress for an hour. Repeat the procedure twice a day until the pain goes away.
• Burdock compress. Scald five large leaves of this plant with boiling water, then fold them together and fix them on the affected area. Cover the top soft cloth and insulate with a woolen scarf or scarf. Keep the compress to relieve muscle pain for about an hour. Carry out the procedure three times a day until the negative sensations disappear.
• Apple cider vinegar compress for muscle pain. Mix 1 tbsp. l. vinegar with a little turpentine. Apply the prepared mixture to the sore areas and apply a warm bandage on top. Leave the compress on overnight. Carry out treatment until the muscle condition improves, which is expressed in the absence of pain.