If you lead an active lifestyle, there’s no doubt you may wake up in the morning feeling stiff and sore, and that pain can sometimes last throughout the day. And it’s not like you have to be a marathon runner to feel aches – even seemingly menial tasks like raking the leaves or moving furniture can put undue stress on the muscles and joints. The good news is that there are plenty of steps you can take to prevent sore muscles if you’re an active person.
What Causes Sore Muscles?
Sore muscles are caused by natural accumulation of lactic acid. Lactic acid is a normal byproduct of muscle metabolism, but when too much builds up within your muscles, it causes irritation and discomfort — otherwise referred to as soreness. But lactic acid isn’t the only cause of sore muscles. DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) occurs when a muscle swells because white blood cells and other nutrients flow to the damaged area to repair that muscle.
So what should you do if you’re experiencing short term or long term soreness?
Don’t Skip the Warm Up
A proper warm up is your best defense in preventing injury and soreness during and after physical activity. While static stretching won’t play a huge role in preventing sore muscles, active stretching will. Warm up with a light jog and dynamic exercises that include:
- Butt Kickers
- Kareoka
- Long & High Skips
- Lunge and Twist
- High Knees
- High Kicks
Eat for Recovery
You can never get enough healthy proteins, carbohydrates, and fats – all of which play necessary parts in repairing your sore muscles. Make sure you’re eating properly if you’re leading an active lifestyle. You should ingest food shortly after working out to replenish your system and fuel your muscles. Here are some foods to eat for recovery:
- Eggs
- Whey
- Chocolate Milk
- Bananas
- Avocado
- Greek Yogurt
- Grilled Chicken
- Asparagus
Ice/Heat When Appropriate
When your muscles are sore, they become inflamed, possibly leaving the affected area immobile. If you’re feeling sore after some activity, try icing your sore muscle. Cleveland Health medicine physician Anne Rex, DO advises, “Ice seems cold, mean and uncomfortable. Heat seems warm, comfy and cozy, but ice wins for acute pain, inflammation and swelling. Heat perpetuates the cycle of inflammation and can be harmful.” If you prefer heat, you may try to heat your muscles up before a workout and follow up with ice after.
Take Your Vitamins/Supplements
There are loads of supplements out there supporting sore muscles for an active lifestyle. Wapiti offers solutions in the form of Elk Velvet Antler & Natural Herbs. The supplement:
- Promotes Endurance
- Enhances Strength and Muscle Development
- Promotes Healthy Stress Level in Body
- Promotes Muscle Recovery
Helping those suffering from osteoarthritis, arthritis, joint pain, surgery recovery, lack of energy, and all around muscle soreness, these all-natural supplements will have you moving again. Elk Velvet Antler has been in use for over 2,000 years by Eastern cultures who have faithfully included it in their daily diets and as a natural remedy for countless ailments. Elk Velvet Antler is supported by the Food and Drug Administration as a daily supplement to provide support for optimized muscle function.
