3005: How to Help Sore Muscles by Eric Leija on Active Exercise Recovery

[00:00:00] Hey Spotify, it's damn soon just here to celebrate Tommy Hilfiger's Apex GP Collection. Angetrieben vom Nervenkitzel der Geschwindigkeit und der Kraft des außergewöhnlichen Styles vereint die Capture Collection von Tommy Hilfiger performance-orientiertes Design mit grenzenlosem Selbstbewusstsein. Das ist mehr als nur ein Look. Es ist die Uniform für alle, die ihre Träume verwirklichen wollen. Discover Tommy Hilfiger's limited edition Apex GP Collection inspired by F1 the movie only in cinemas June 25.

[00:00:31] Wenn jemand Charles und Melanie gesagt hätte, dass sie nach ihrem Tinder Match gemeinsam einen Channel mit crazy Aufgaben starten. Also wirklich crazy! Fünf Tage auf einer einsamen Insel verbringen, eine Zipline an einem Gurt runterrasen, eine Million Views knacken, eine Wand mit Sauknöpfen hochklettern und Falschirmspringen in Ägypten? Das hätten die beiden niemals geglaubt. Aber das ist das Ding mit Tinder. Es führt dich an Orte, die du nie erwartet hättest. Wohin es dich auch führt. It starts with a swipe. Tinder.

[00:01:00] This is Optimal Health Daily. How to help sore muscles. By Eric Lea of ericlea.com And I'm Dr. Neil, your host and narrator. Hey there, happy Saturday. Thank you so much for being here. And welcome back to Optimal Health Daily. Where I act as your narrator of the best health and fitness blogs, all for free. And don't forget we have podcasts covering a bunch of different topics. Just search for Optimal Living Daily in any podcast app to find all of our shows.

[00:01:30] Now today's post is a perfect complement to what we were talking about yesterday on the Q&A episode. So with that, let's get right to it and start optimizing your life. How to help sore muscles by Eric Lea of ericlea.com

[00:02:17] Let me ask you something. What is delayed onset muscle soreness? And why does it occur? Delayed onset muscle soreness, or DOMS for short, is the muscle soreness that occurs following an intense workout. It is referred to as delayed due to the fact that soreness usually sets in two days after a workout. Why is this?

[00:02:45] When we work out, and specifically lift heavy weights, microscopic tears are created in our muscle fibers. This sounds slightly horrifying, but these tears need to occur in order for your muscles to repair themselves and grow bigger and stronger. As you can imagine, tears in any tissue can create some soreness, which is one of the reasons for delayed onset muscle soreness occurring. Another reason is due to the buildup of a substance called lactic acid in your muscles.

[00:03:15] When we perform intense exercise, our muscles crave more oxygen to fuel the activity. However, when we're working faster or harder than our body can supply that oxygen, such as during high intensity interval training, or when we lift heavy weights, a sequence of chemical events occurs that creates lactate, which creates a more acidic environment in our muscles as lactic acid begins to build up.

[00:03:43] This is what causes that burning sensation you feel at the end of some of those heavy reps. In the days following your workout, your body begins to flush the excess lactic acid. Tips to ease sore muscles. 1. Foam roll. Studies show that just a 20-minute foam rolling session can significantly reduce muscle tenderness and pain, as well as improve some aspects of performance, such as increased range of motion.

[00:04:11] Foam rolling can be thought of as self-massage, for those of us who don't have sports massage therapists handy. The sweeping motion of the roller across your muscles mimics the sweeping motion of hands and can help reduce tightness and stiffness, so more oxygenated blood can enter tissues. I like to get in my foam roll sessions before bed or after a workout.

[00:04:34] You can foam roll lightly before a workout, but save the deeper rolling for after your workout or after a bath, so that your muscles are warm. So, try to get in at least a good 10-15 minutes, and be sure to roll slowly over tender areas, pausing on large knots for a breath. 2. Soak with Epsom salts. We've all experienced the relaxing effect of a warm bath. It's like a warm compress over your entire body.

[00:05:02] So, I would encourage you to get in some bath time. However, make sure you add in this one important addition. Epsom salts, which are made of magnesium, and have been shown to help ease muscle soreness and stiffness, joint stiffness, and relax your entire nervous system. Soaking can help raise your magnesium levels as a whole, which can be beneficial for your entire body,

[00:05:25] as magnesium plays a role in almost every crucial process, including cellular energy management and muscular contraction. 3. Try Magnesium. Magnesium is a vital mineral that helps maintain normal muscle and nerve function, and has been shown to help significantly ease muscle soreness and tightness by acting as a muscle relaxant. Studies also show that not getting enough magnesium can cause a buildup of lactic acid,

[00:05:53] which is again a key factor in delayed onset muscle soreness. 4. Keep Moving. I know, the last thing you want to do when your muscles are screaming at you is get up and move. However, not moving can actually create more soreness in the long run, as lack of movement stiffens your muscles and reduces circulation, depriving your tissues of much-needed nutrients and oxygen for repair. In fact, studies show that active recovery can help reduce soreness and muscle fatigue,

[00:06:23] as well as markers for inflammation, another cause of pain following a workout. Now, I'm not suggesting you go into a full beast mode workout, but do try to get in some active recovery, which will also warm you up perfectly for a deep foam roll. To recap, muscle soreness occurs due to microscopic tears made in our muscle during intense exercise. Delayed onset muscle soreness can occur two to three days after an intense workout.

[00:06:51] Foam rolling, soaking in Epsom salts, active recovery exercises, and possibly supplementing with magnesium can significantly reduce muscle soreness, stiffness, and fatigue. You just listened to the post titled, How to Help Sore Muscles, by Eric Lea, of ericlea.com. And I'll be right back with my commentary. Oikos presents 15 seconds of strength.

[00:07:18] Here we go. Steve's got a trunk full of groceries and no one to help him. Oh, that's tough, Jim. Looks like a five-trip load at least. He grabs the first bag. The second. Bob, it looks like he's trying to do it on one trip. He shimmies the door open, steps over the dog. Oh, and he stumbles. Oh, right into the kitchen without missing a beat. Jim, now that's a man who eats his protein-packed Oikos. With 15 grams of complete protein in each cup, Oikos Triple Zero can help build strength for every day. Oikos. Stronger makes everything better.

[00:07:45] If you've shopped online, chances are you've bought from a business powered by Shopify. You know that purple Shop Pay button you see at checkout? The one that makes buying so incredibly easy? That's Shopify. And there's a reason so many businesses sell with it. Because Shopify makes it incredibly easy to start and run your business. Shopify is the commerce platform behind 10% of all e-commerce in the U.S.

[00:08:12] From household names like Mattel and Gymshark to brands just getting started. Tackle all those important tasks in one place from inventory to payments to analytics and more. If you want to see less carts being abandoned, it's time for you to head over to Shopify. Sign up for your $1 per month trial and start selling today at shopify.com slash OHD. Go to shopify.com slash OHD.

[00:08:41] Shopify.com slash OHD. Dr. Neil here for my commentary. Just as Eric said, I know it seems like the exact opposite of what you want to hear. But relaxing on the couch when you're experiencing delayed onset muscle soreness is the last thing you want to do. It seems like it would be the perfect option, especially after a draining workout two days before.

[00:09:06] But as Eric mentioned in his post, you actually want to work those sore muscles again just at a much lower intensity. As Eric suggested, you can stretch them also or use a foam roller or incorporate some very light intensity activity. Either way, by activating those sore muscles with very light activities, you're forcing more blood to be directed to those muscles.

[00:09:30] The blood that's heading to the muscles is going to be rich in oxygen and other nutrients like proteins, carbs, vitamins, and minerals. And all of these are important for healing. So again, by using those muscles, you're telling your body to send more blood to those muscles, which will help repair them more quickly. Now I need to mention that there's a difference between sore muscles and having an actual injury.

[00:09:54] If you experience an injury, do not, I repeat, do not work those muscles or that body part expecting that it's going to help you heal faster. In the case of a real injury, you're only going to make it worse. If you experienced an injury, immediately think rest, ice, compression, and elevation, and definitely see a healthcare provider. But again, if we're talking about sore muscles, participating in some light activity can help with the healing process.

[00:10:25] Alright, that'll do it for today. I hope you're having a wonderful weekend if you're listening in real time. And I'll see you back here tomorrow for the Sunday show and where your optimal life awaits.