Are you suffering from muscle soreness? Are you hoping to quickly return to normal? While there’s no surefire way to eliminate muscle soreness, there are a variety of steps you can take to speed up the recovery process.
Here are a handful of things you can try:
· Stretch out first thing in the morning: Yes, you’ll be sore when you first get out of bed, but it’s better to stretch than to favor your muscles all day.
· Hydrate: Hydrating as you recover is critical, so get into the habit of drinking as much water as possible throughout the day.
· Apply ice: It’s best to do this early in the morning, such as with an ice pack or ice bath.
· Apply heat: As the day comes to an end, think about the best way to apply heat to your sore muscles. A heating pad, for example, is a quick and efficient way to deliver heat.
Along with the above, make sure you continue to use your sore muscles as they recover. It doesn’t always feel good, but it’s imperative to speeding up your recovery.
Jennifer Ferdinand, owner of Serendipity Wellness Studio in Burke, VA, has been practicing massage therapy and esthetics since 2006. She is nationally certified through NCBTMB, and licensed in Virginia for both Massage Therapy and Esthetics.