Accelerating Healing After Intense Exercise
It’s good to live an active lifestyle. The potential problem with being active is muscle aches and pain after an intense workout; or a need to heal and recover from those aches and pains. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to ease discomfort after a workout or exercise routine that’s a bit intense or invigorating.
Minimize Muscle Discomfort with Protein
Protein builds muscle. Ease post-workout discomfort by treating your muscle tissues to protein to encourage the healing of tissue damage. Protein is crucial for muscle repair and growth. Consuming protein-rich foods like lentils, chicken, fish, lean meats, and eggs post-workout can aid in tissue recovery. A healthy post-workout meal with protein can include:
Lentils
Skinless chicken
Lean meats
Fish
Eggs
Get Rehydrated
An intense workout requires a lot of energy your body gets from water. Accelerate healing after an intense workout by drinking more water. Water should also be consumed during your workout or exercise routine to maintain sufficient hydration. A general rule is, according to Healthline, 1.5 liters of water for every kg of water lost during exercise.
Apply Heat and Cold
Hot and cold applications help the body heal after exercise in different ways. Heat helps by promoting tissue healing. Cold helps by easing inflammation. Cold can be applied with ice packs or cooling gel. Heat is applied with a warming gel or a heating pad. Warm baths can also help.
Try Infrared Exercise
Infrared exercise, utilizing infrared heat technology, presents an innovative option for post-workout recovery. This technology penetrates deep into muscle tissues, promoting circulation and accelerating healing processes. By harnessing the therapeutic benefits of infrared heat, this approach can effectively alleviate muscle soreness and enhance recovery after intense exercise, providing a holistic and efficient solution for active individuals seeking expedited healing and rejuvenation.
Take a Break for a Few Days
Ease up on your workout routine for a few days or simply take a break. If you feel the need to exercise as you heal, consider gentle forms of exercise such as walking, swimming, or light jogging. Bike riding is beneficial, too, especially if you use a recumbent bike designed to ease tension.
Treat Yourself to a Massage
Massage therapy promotes healing by stimulating tissue healing. Massage therapy can include manual therapy done by hand or the use of specially designed tools. Massages can focus on soft tissues or deeper tissues, depending on what your pain points happen to be at the moment.
Use Compression Garments
Compression garments provide pressure in a gentle way throughout the day. The pressure helps promote healing as you move around.
Use Medication
Medication helps by easing pain and inflammation. Over-the-counter pain medication helps by making it easier to go about your daily routine. Simple remedies with medication include aspirin, Tylenol, Advil, and other OTC options. Check with your doctor if you need something a bit stronger. Also, avoid long-term reliance on medications. If your discomfort continues, let your doctor know so the actual source of your pain can be determined.
Consider Chiropractic Treatments
Chiropractic care works by promoting tissue healing through a variety of manipulations and therapies. It’s a very relaxing way to promote healing.
See What Your Doctor Has to Say
Finally, see what your doctor has to say if your aches and pains don’t subside after a few days. This is also an effective way to get back to your exercise routine as quickly and safely as possible. By incorporating these strategies into your post-workout routine, you can accelerate healing and minimize discomfort, allowing you to maintain an active lifestyle safely and effectively.
