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Steel and Iron: What To Do After a Workout To Avoid Pain
Debra Murray
Nothing makes people dread exercise more than thinking about how sore they are going to be afterwards, especially if they have ever struggled with muscle or joint pain from an injury. Luckily, this pain can be avoided if the body is cared for properly after strength training or lifting weights. Read on to find out more about some ways to prevent pain after a workout.
Eat Right Away
Because there is so much emphasis on keeping calories down, many people don't realize that they have to eat more often to stay fit, especially before and after exercising. Carbohydrates are used by the body to provide energy, so choose a small snack that has complex carbohydrates to eat before you head to the gym. Then, pack some healthy snack bars that have a combination of complex carbohydrates and protein to help you refuel your body afterwards. To have the most benefit, a person shouldn't wait more than 45 minutes after a workout to eat. Those who are trying to lose weight can pick a low-calorie snack for this.
Drink Plenty of Water While You Work Out
Always bring a water bottle along with you when you head to the gym. Staying hydrated helps keep the muscles and joints lubricated and flexible, which prevents the likeliness of them getting injured. Water is also important to the brain. When a person becomes dehydrated, they lose their mental edge that keeps them sharp and focused on what they are doing. This impairs their ability to focus on their workout, so they may perform moves that could get them hurt.
Stretch Before and After Exercising
The importance of stretching before and after a workout routine of any type cannot be emphasized enough. Stretching beforehand prepares the muscles for the more intense movements that a person is about to perform and stretching afterwards helps relax the muscles, so the lactic acid is released. It also reduces inflammation and swelling.
Massage Your Muscles Afterwards
Nothing is more relaxing after a workout than a massage. It doesn't matter if you massage your own muscles and joints, or you have someone else do it for you. Either way, it calms the body, so stress hormones are lowered. Stress causes the muscles to tighten up, which makes someone more susceptible to pain. Massage also lowers lactic acid and inflammation. But since massaging with dry hands isn't easy, it helps to use products from Emu Therapy as a lubricant, such pure emu oil. Emu oil is a natural health anti-inflammatory for muscle pain that has been used for many years by aborigines in Australia.
Soak in a Hot Bath
Heat increases circulation that flushes away toxins that build up from strenuous workouts, so either soak in a hot tub of water or stand in the shower for a while after your workout. Spending time in the steam room will also help. Use a dry brush from the top of the body down to the feet before you get in though. This will help remove toxins faster.
References
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/healthy-eating-habits
http://livehealthy.chron.com/stretching-toxins-lactic-acid-muscles-7328.html
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