Working out can result in muscle soreness. While muscle soreness may sound simple enough, it can actually occur for a variety of reasons. Typically, muscle soreness is the result of lactic acid that builds up in the muscles during a workout. If you fail to stretch properly before and after a workout, this lactic acid stays in the muscles and, soon after, causes muscle soreness. You also feel muscle soreness because, during a workout, you are actually causing your muscles to tear. As a result of these tears, you may experience muscle soreness.
Why Muscle Soreness OccursThough muscle soreness is typical for people that work out, there are some simple reasons to explain why it occurs to some people and not others. For starters, muscle soreness frequently inflicts you if you start working out for the first time or the first time in a long time. Because your body is not used to working out and your muscles are not necessarily prepared for it, you are likely to experience some muscle soreness. The good thing is that, over time, your muscles will get used to you working out and they won't be sore all the time anymore.
If you push yourself particularly hard at the gym, there's still a chance that you will experience muscle soreness. But for the most part, you can work on your muscle without experiencing muscle soreness by making a schedule for going to the gym and sticking to it.
Treating Muscle SorenessIf you are experiencing muscle soreness, your muscles probably feel incredibly tight and even painful to the touch. There are some simple remedies you can use to make them feel better, though. If you feel muscle soreness immediately after a workout, it probably means that you didn't stretch enough. So stretch out your muscles to get some relief.
If you worked out yesterday and your muscles are sore, try using a heating pad or a hot shower to loosen up your muscles. From there, you can stretch them out once they are loose and get some relief. Otherwise, the best way to treat muscle soreness is to give your body the rest it needs and wait for the muscles to heal.
Stretching Properly to Prevent Muscle SorenessWhether you are new to working out or you've been doing it for years, you need to know that stretching is probably the single most important part of exercising. Stretching allows your body to release toxins from your muscles and also gets you prepared to work out. Try to stretch the area of your body that you plan to work for best results. For instance, if you are going on a nice long run, try to do calf stretches, hamstring stretches and quadriceps stretches before you start. You should also warm up your muscles with a brisk jog before you get started.
Muscle soreness can be prevented. You just need to follow the tips above to get it done. They will help you to avoid muscle soreness altogether and get you back into the gym more quickly than ever before.
