Have you just begun to exercise? This past week I started back again after a fall that literally, according to my chiropractor, caused whip lash. Talk about pain! Out of commission for 2 weeks.
Whether you just started exercising or are starting it up again, you may have noticed that you can feel some discomfort the first few weeks into your routine. It is not uncommon to feel aches. And those can get you down, procrastinating, or shortening your workout. But if you do get those aches and pains, there are some ways to alleviate them.
Have you heard the saying “No pain, no gain”? Or maybe, “You have to get sore, to soar”? Neither is always the best advice. If you ever feel pain after a workout, something is wrong. Start by investigating the soreness before it becomes pain. It could be a cramp, strain or sprain. But when an exercise movement causes pain, the first thing to do is to stop what you are doing. Best advice I ever got from a doctor.
Aches can be due to muscle soreness. If you wake the next day and you are sore in the muscles that were used in your previous workout, the body is responding to being used in a new way. But, even so you don’t have to suffer through the aches. And no using them as a reason to back off for days.
Alleviating the Pain
Here are some ways that you can get past the pain. If you haven’t heard of the R.I.C.E. method, here it is briefly.
– Rest If you feel discomfort or pain in your muscles or joints during or when performing activities after your workout, give your body a rest. It could be that you are just new to the routines, but also overuse of a muscle can lead to a weakness. If you are weight training, leave at least 48 hours between each muscle group to allow for muscle repair. Poor form can also be a cause of strain. One year I hired a personal trainer to help me be certain my form was correct. You likely can also find the same thing with an online video. But nothing beats someone in person.
– Ice Using ice packs on an area of soreness or injury can provide short-term relief from pain. Try a twenty-minute treatment. Then move around and see how you feel. There are all kind of ice pack shapes today to fit every limb, your back and even neck area.
– Compression This also alleviates some pain and can reduce swelling that is putting pressure on vital tissues in the area. For a sprain or strain, try using a compression bandage like an ACE to keep fluid from accumulating in the area from inflammation. Keep the bandage snug but not too tight to cut off the blood supply to the area.
– Elevation Another way to reduce or eliminate swelling is to elevate the hurt area. If it is a limb, use pillows or a stool. Try to raise the injury or ache above the level of the heart for best results.
Other than R.I.C.E. there are other ways to help aches and pains.
– Sit in a bath This was the only option I had one weekend when I wrenched my back trying to help my husband lift his luggage into our car because he just had surgery on his elbow. It was the longest 8 hour car drive I can remember. A warm water bath can help with swelling and also take the pressure off of an area from the buoyancy.
– Massage Loosening the muscles can stretch out any kinks that are leading to pain. It may take a deep tissue massage which can be slightly uncomfortable at first. I have one of those personal massagers that you can pick up in almost any pharmacy and it can be as deep as I can handle it.
– Stretch Gentle stretching can keep muscles supple when exercising. A good warm stretch can avoid some injuries. I do this on a daily basis whether I am working out or taking a break. Try a warm up move before and a cool down stretch after, any time you exercise.
These are a few ways to bounce back from aches and pains from exercise.
Tweet this: Self-care after a workout prevents energy drain from aches and pain.
Of course you may find you have to seek a doctor’s advice if the pain lasts for a week of more. But let’s go with self-management it to a degree first.
Even with jogging regularly for two years, I find that when I do another type of activity that I don’t do on a regular basis right now, I still get aches and pains. This has served as a reminder that even though I am physically active my exercise routine isn’t as balanced as it needs to be. I need incorporate more activities that target more groups of muscles.
Jeri balance is so important. I have also found that when I don’t have at least a minimum ache, it means that muscle is no longer working as hard. But rather than lift heavier or more, I change my routine to get some other muscles involved. Thanks!