Health Articles

Posted by Nicole on September 8

If you are tired of sore and achy muscles after you work out, you might be wondering if there is a way that you can reduce information after you exercise.

There are some things you can do to prevent post-workout inflammation in advance, as well as some ways you can reduce the soreness you feel after you finish exercising. Let’s take a look at some simple recommendations.

1. Rest the muscles you worked out.

You should not heavily work out the same muscles day after day. Muscles need to recover after a workout, so it is best to stagger exercises targeting different muscle groups on different days.

Just by planning your exercises in this fashion and following through, you should reduce the amount of post-workout inflammation you are dealing with. You should see better results from your efforts as well.

2. Don’t sit stationary too long.

WebMD says, “You may want to cling to the sofa while your muscles recover, but moving your body could make you feel better. The trick is to do something light and gentle.”

For example, you could just get up and go for a light walk. Or maybe you could go swimming or ride a bicycle.

3. Try ice.

Ice definitely can reduce inflammation in the moment, and may help keep pain at bay. But there is some debate as to whether it actually delays and hinders recovery, since inflammation is involved in healing.

The Washington Post says, “Ice baths are probably not a great idea after strength training if your goal is to get stronger, [physiologist Shona Halson] says. They’re also not the best approach if the athlete is in a building phase of training where the goal is supercompensation. But, in light of what’s currently known, athletes likely can benefit from icing or cold water immersion when they are seeking short-term recovery in between events and are not worried about long-term adaptations.”

4. Try a warm bath with Epsom salts.

Conversely, if cold is not your thing, you could try soaking in a warm bath with Epsom salts. The warmth will not reduce your inflammation, but the salts might help you feel better.

WebMD says, “In water, [the salts] break down into magnesium and sulfate. The theory is that when you soak in an Epsom salts bath, these get into your body through your skin. That hasn't been proven, but just soaking in warm water can help relax muscles and loosen stiff joints.”

5. Eat an anti-inflammatory diet.

Finally, try to eat an anti-inflammatory diet. That means, for starters, you should avoid foods that promote inflammation such as processed foods or those that are high in sugar or unhealthy oils.

Instead, you should favor foods like leafy green vegetables, nuts, tomatoes, fatty fish, olive oil and other healthy oils, and fruits.

There is no way to completely avoid inflammation after your workouts. It is a normal bodily process, and part of how your muscles heal and recover. But now you have some advice that might help you to reduce excess inflammation and improve your overall comfort after exercising.