any remedy for muscle soreness after workout???

hi everyone...

I worked out really good this monday and yesterday (weight lifting,  squats, etc...) and today my butt and lower back sore a lot... please any remedy you can suggest.... I already took 2 advils

Soreness is one of those things that you largely just gotta give it time. What you can do is stretch out your sore muscles, and if your sitting a lot, like at a desk job, just get up and walk around a little bit, that can kinda make it feel a little better.

Walking flushes out the soreness. What also works - very well - is to take an ice bath. If you live in the north near an ocean, I find taking a dip in the cold nearly-icy water works great. Otherwise, fill your bath with cold water and as much ice as you can, and get in for as long as you can stand it.

The ice bath causes your blood vessels to constrict, then when you get out of the ice bath, the blood vessels open up, flusing blood through the muscles. This works best immediately after a workout. When I've been able to do this I have had zero muscle soreness. Works great!!!

I would stay away from the advils - save that for when you have true pain from an injury, not just soreness. One, because it can cause stomach problems (I know this all too well... I attribute my heartburn troubles to too much ibuprofen). Two, because there is research showing that it delays healing and muscle repair.

Well jenmcc I learn something everyday. I didn't know ibuprofen did that. I just took two since I had a 2 week break from weights and I woke up sore this morning!

thanks for your advices... i try walking

I read too much... I saw that in a very recent study, I think just this past week or last week? I find it fascinating because when I had back problems I was taking so much ibuprofen all the time... so much (the maximum recommended on the label, day after day), I ruined by gut.... and yet, I never seemed to get healed!!

Ice is much better, and safer.

whoa, i think you're going too far on what the data actually says.

short term, NSAIDS may actually reduce acute loss of strength following a muscle workout (which would be good), but by suppressing natural inflammatory mechanisms, which are vital to recovery, thru inhibition of COX-II, taking them for longer may be counter-productive b/c the initial strengthening effect may be outweighed by the delay in muscle regeneration.  BUT, as long as they're not used for more than a couple days, there really won't be a difference - muscle recovery will be the same after a short period of time (prob less than a week; average no more than 2 if no re-injury).  the ramifications of all of this knowledge isn't entirely clear - drs in the know have basically been rx'g shorter courses of NSAIDS (a couple days) where possible, but are indeed still rx'g them.

anabolic steroids actually increase inflammation (anyone wanna fess up + let us know whether you've noticed your muscle injuries healing quicker since you started juicing?!!) 

the dangers of suppressing natural healing responses are much more important when there is an actual underlying injury (increasing evidence that they can delay the repair of bone, ligament, tendon injuries; note that they are still rx'd in spite of this.  also, they may still be useful adjuncts at the later stages of rehab).

i'd take advil for muscle aches if you want to w/o worrying too much about this (so many better things to worry about if you're a worrier).  b/c this sort of thing almost always goes away on its own w/o intervention, it's very hard to conduct outcome studies that would compare taking NSAIDS to not doing so.  NSAIDS have utility - they probably shouldn't be taken every day (though that's really an individualized assessment of risks + benefits).

the important thing is, if you do take an NSAID, don't take it right before your workout.  or, if you do take it then, remember that you're masking pain that you'd otherwise be feeling + are likely to further injure yourself (so don't push it just b/c your feeling good) 

if i'm gonna take an NSAID, though, i like to make it count - that means ketorolac.  screw you kidneys!  blood into water? fine by me! 

Thanks erinzz! I recall that study because I saw it right after a debate with some runners who were advocating taking ibu's prophylatically before each run... which essentially amounts to daily use.

Agree that occasional use isn't going to kill you, but you'd be surprised how many runners take these on a daily basis thinking it prevents soreness. NOT a good idea, IMO.

just wanted to update: i tend to think of opiates as pretty crappy meds for inflammatory pain (i'd take toradol or a cortico over morphine anyday), especially for those who are tolerant to their effects.  i generally don't worry that much about working out while on opiates for those who are tolerant (obviously the non-tolerant shouldn't be doing this), but recently changed my mind due to not waking up in time + having extreme soreness that i never would've experienced otherwise.  i'd still work out on an opiate before i'd work out on advil though, assuming that your only concern was injury due to not feeling the pain (rather than, oh, say, nodding out on the machines!). 

ok, that may not have come out right.  i'm kinda tired and loopy right now.  should you take an opiate if your muscles are sore so you can work out?  HELL NO!  why?  because if it works, you'll be in the same likely-to-injure yourself b/c you're not feeling the pain situation as you would be in with advil. 

my post was directed more to people who take opiates chronically, who think that their ability to feel muscle soreness isn't impaired.  this is a natural thing to think b/c you likely DO feel soreness (and every other sort of inflammatory pain - i think i would induce respiratory depression before i could find a dose of an opiate agonist that did a decent job on inflammatory pain now that i'm tolerant to the damn things) - my belief is that there is a certain, somewhat low threshold at which inflammatory pain IS suppressed by opiates even the tolerant.  it's a low threshold, but a lot of mild-to-moderate muscle soreness will be below it.  just my belief.  ; i need to go to bed

new to site but use hot cold method to ease soreness. After hard session stretch then cold shower dry off then hot bath followed by cold shower. Mad I Know but it works for me. I believe it helps to flush any toxins in the muscles throw encouraging the body to flush blood through the muscles then constricting flow etc.

I once read somewhere its just best to let the soreness take its course.  You body has reasons to be sore and swollen and try not to fight it.  Enjoy the pain a little....you worked hard to earn it.  Thats how I look at it.  Wear your muscle soreness liek a badge of honor and don't be a wuss....harsh I know.....I am feeling frisky this morning lol

well, agana, i'm conflicted.  on the one hand, soreness isn't pain (i joke about wanting an epidural after i do pullups because my back is so sore, but it's a joke because even the worst muscle soreness would only be a 2 or 3 out of 10 compared to real pain), of course your body has reasons to be sore - but in most situations where a person is experiencing pain, the body has reasons for it (of course, soreness may serve a positive function, unlike, for example, phantom limb pain) - does that mean interventions are never warranted?  a good reason to not take meds is that they can interfere will the healing process (as detailed above) and lead one to use the muscle as if it weren't sore, causing further injury.  as long as a person is willing to rest and doesn't mind the extra recovery time, i see no 'moral' reason (in the 'don't be a wuss' sense) not to allow people to do whatever the hell they want and respect that decision (i also think that people should be left the hell alone to take heroin, coke, etc. if they want to, so for consistency's sake, i don't see how i can deprive them of NSAIDS or opiates for mild muscle soreness if that's the choice they make).  also, people differ greatly in their pain thresholds - not just in "what they're willing to take", but in how painful they perceive similar stimuli to be, so it's not all wussiness. 

a hot bath with LOTS of Epson salt. The maganesium sulfate in them actually penitrates the skin and frees up toxins(lactic acid) numbs the nervous system and help loosen the muscles.

Sometimes the best was, is the old school way

You really shouldn't be painfully sore. That's a sign you overdid it.

Usually 20 minutes in the shower is enough for me to relive soreness.

massage, massage, massage! ;p

if you have the time, effort, and money, treat yourself to a massage.

if you dont, you can actually massage your own muscles. just do the basics and touch yourself (not in the sensual way) hehe

it works wonders for me :D

ken

I just started doing a "Boot Camp" workout I did it two days in a row and I couldn't even move last night I skipped my normal work out this morning. Just too sore. Giving myself a one day rest. I also found the last couple of days after doing this, I am a lot more hungry as well. I am having a hard time sticking to my 2100 calorie diet these last couple of days. I went over a little yesterday, but I also did take the bike out for a 45 min. fast ride as well. So maybe I am burning a little more off than I am used to by doing this "Boot Camp". I normally just do like elliptical/weights/abs or a combination of those 4/5 days a week. Is doing "Boot Camp" that much more intense, I know it feels like it.

Also how would you count that on your exercise tab? I marked it a calisthenics, but not sure if that is correct. I do it for about an hour. Warming up 5 mins before and 5 mins after, but doing the actual "Boot Camp" for an hour.

Stinky

 

Walking and stretching will help existing muscle soreness, as well as getting a good nights rest.  Try avoiding caffeine for a few days (to allow you to achieve a deep sleep) and getting a full 9 hours of sleep to allow your body to rebuild and repair itself.  Ice has always helped me too.  I try to keep a bottle of water in the freezer at all times to use on sore muscles, or a sore back, when needed.  Stay consistent with exercises, lifts, runs, or movements etc. to avoid future muscle soreness.

make sure you're fully hydrated after a hard work out ... eat healthy meal.

some prefer ice baths, i like hot showers when i'm sore...

ibuprofen has soothed my sore and aching muscles many a time, without any gut problems. i have found it helps me stay on track when i'm working hard toward a goal.

rest is an important part of the building process ... i've known people who exercised EVERY DAY, and they got injuries that sidelined them. if you ache terribly, give your body a day's rest, at least. listen to your body.

I agree with the epsom salt and hot bath. It helps me tremendously, and you can always take a quick cool shower if needed.

You are all the biggest group of idiots ive ever heard. First off ibprofen, advil, other NSAID's only inhibit muscle growth. Part of the process of muscle growth is the tearing, inflaming, and then repair. By you retards using ibuprofen you are cutting out the infamming portion and your muscles will not get larger. what you all need is anabolic steroids.