Why do we feel sore after a day of strenuous exercise?
When you work your muscles harder than you are used to, it is generally believed to cause microscopic damage to the tiny muscles fibres working so hard in your arms, legs, core or any other area that you are working out.
These tiny tears in the muscles fibre usually cause a delayed painful feeling knows as DOMS (delayed onset muscles soreness) which can take place 1-2 days after the strenuous exercise took place, and can last anywhere from 3-5 days depending on the severity. DOMS can additionally leave you feeling weaker in the affected muscles group or leave you completely unable to perform the exercise that caused the original soreness.
What is the best way to recover?
This, of course, depends on the severity of the damage, but instead looking for a quick fix solution, it is important to listen to what your body is communicating. Give your muscles time to rest and recover by keeping movement gentle and to a minimum for as long as the pain persists. As it begins to feel better, then gradually increase movement, adding in gentle stretching to keep the muscles active to prevent stiffness. Massage at this stage can help the recovery process in supporting the muscles moving again.
Book in to see our Remedial Massage Therapist Miriam at Mount Lawley Physiotherapy and Podiatry to help with the recovery process and get those muscles moving again!
