If you haven’t started your workouts for the summer, it’s probably about that time. Ideally we want you to be exercising year-round but we also understand that winter hibernation can get in the way. Temperatures are heating up though and hanging out by the pool or beach is becoming more and more popular. Finding the motivation to get to the gym and break a sweat seems to be a struggle but the benefits of exercising is well worth it. If it has been a while since you’ve stepped into the gym or done a higher intensity workout than you have something to look forward to… Delayed onset muscle soreness or DOMS.
Some people love it and others despise it. The tight and achy muscles that develop a day or two after your workout and last for a few days can be a hindrance for your new workout routine. But delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) doesn’t need to put a stop to your workouts!
Before we get to some tools of how to prevent/ease DOMS, lets take a look at what DOMS actually is. Without getting too scientific, the soreness felt after doing a workout is due to the body’s repair process of the damaged muscles. Yes, I said damaged muscles. When we exercise, our muscles develop micro-tears within the muscle. You may think that is a bad thing but it is actually a great thing if your body is able to repair itself properly. This is how you become stronger! When you put stress on a muscle and it creates micro-tears, your body has the ability to repair that muscle in a way that will prepare it for that stress in the future. So the next time you try to lift that same weight, it gets easier!
So now that we know what happens with exercise, here are some tools to cut down the muscle soreness and also help prevent major soreness and injury during future workouts.
- Progress your exercise slowly – Don’t suddenly start working out like you did back in college if it has been a long time since you worked out. You’ll be in for a world of hurt if you do.
- Allow your muscle to adapt to the new stress – Make sure to give your body proper rest between the days of working out.
- Get adjusted by your Chiropractor – Chiropractors make sure that your body is functioning optimally so they will be able to see that your body is able to repair itself properly.
- Sleep! – Recovery happens best when you sleep. So make sure to let your body rebuild itself properly.
- Use a foam roller to relieve tight and achy muscles – Foam rollers help lengthen the muscle which increases overall flexibility.
Just remember, exercising more over time causes the muscle soreness to go away because the body gets used to the stresses that are put on it. This is a lot easier when you have a high functioning body so be sure to get your nervous system checked by your Chiropractor to ensure that your body is functioning optimally.
