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Finally, relief from muscle soreness!
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Relief from DOMS – another benefit of proper hydration!
It's easy to do it, or more appropriately, overdo it from time to time. When we finally do get to the gym, we "make up" for missed workouts. A tailgating party leads to game of touch. Halftime leads to a friendly but competitive game of one-on-one. Weekends warriors are notorious for having it – and it seems to get worse as we age. So what are we talking about, specifically? Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, or DOMS for short. It's that muscle pain and stiffness we experience within hours of exercise, lasting up to, in extreme cases, four days. So how can we avoid, or at least minimize it?
Drown it! Show it who's boss by drinking at least one ounce of water for every pound you weigh, the day of, and the day after, you exert yourself.
Freeze it! Ice (20 minutes on, 20 minutes off) or a brief cold shower on the affected area may not be pleasant, but it sure does work wonders to reduce the swelling present in the first day or so. Some experts suggest alternating cold with hot water in a post-workout shower works best. Always end with cold water.
Medicate it! Take the appropriate amount of anti-inflammatory medicine immediately. This will reduce swelling and pain in the affected area.
Supplement it! Some experts suggest taking a Calcium/Magnesium/Vitamin D supplement immediately following exercise, as muscle contractions and nerve impulses benefit from this combination.
Stretch it! Lightly, of course. Focus on the period of time following your training, when your muscles are naturally warm and flexible.
Apply one or more of these remedies the next time you think you've gone too far – you may just be able to skip the DOMS stage altogether!
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