No matter how much you stretch, warm up and drink plenty of water, you can't escape the main consequence of taking up sport again 🏃🏋️♂️ after a long period off: the aches and pains! These usually manifest themselves as stiffnessstiffness sensitivity and/or pain in unusually strained muscles.
Aches and pains can also be secondary to a viral infection 🦠 (flu, cold, COVID-19...), to a premenstrual syndrome 🩸 (occurring in women before menstruation) or to the certain medications 💊 (interferon).
Whatever the cause of your aches and pains natural solutions 🌿 to get rid of them and prevent them from spoiling your next exercise session. Discover them in this article!
What is muscle soreness? What causes them?
Visit muscle soreness are diffuse muscular pains which occur 12 to 48 hours after unusual physical activity⚡. They generally reach their peak climax (pain peak) between 24 and 48 hours and persist for around 5 days.
Contrary to popular belief, aches and pains are not the result of the accumulation of lactic acid of lactic acid in the muscles.
In fact, scientific studies have shown that the lactic acid formed was evacuated within the first two hours following exercise. That's a long way from the 12 to 48 hours before aches and pains set in... This accumulation of acid can only explain the aches and pains that occur... during exercise and in the two hours after this one!
So why do we feel achy? 🧐 In fact, aches and pains are caused by muscular micro-lesions that occur during physical effort. Our body, in order to repair the latter, triggers an inflammatory reaction in the muscles🔥💪.
It is precisely this inflammation, along with the slight edema formed and pro-inflammatory chemicals accumulate in the muscles, which stimulates nerve endings to send a signal to the body. pain message to the brain✨⚡.
Good to know!
In ancient times, some soldiers believed that aches and pains were a sign of the gods' wrath after battle. They believed that sacrifices and prayers could soothe their post-battle muscle aches! Fortunately, today we have much more effective natural remedies! 🌿
Aching muscles: 9 natural remedies to relieve them
For prevent aches and painsor at least reduce their intensityit is recommended to prepare your muscles before physical effortwith a good warm-up and a few light stretching.
Once they have settled in, there are a number of solutions to naturally relieve muscle soreness ☘️. Here are 9 of them:
Active recovery
When suffering from aches and pains after sport 🏃♂️, one of the best ways to relieve them is, paradoxically, to continue to exercise... But be careful, the physical activity must be short and not too intense! This is what's known as "active recovery».
📌 Example If you're feeling achy the day after a leg workout, a short jog of 15 to 20 minutes at a light to moderate pace is recommended.
This active recovery promotes blood circulation 🫀 to the muscles 💪which accelerates the elimination of metabolic waste accumulated 🚮helping to reduce pain and improve recovery 🧘.
Tip
To maximize the benefits of active recovery, remember to hydrate well before, during and after exercise. Water 💧 helps eliminate toxins ☣️ and maintain a healthy blood circulation 🫀, further enhancing muscle recovery!
Take a cold bath
Cold baths 🛀❄️ are effective in relieving aches and pains thanks to the attenuation of painful inflammatory phenomena in the muscles after exercise.
To take advantage of anti-burden virtues of coldimmerse yourself in cold water (temperature around 15°C) for around 15 minutes after your exercise session.
This method is widely used by top-level athletes to promote muscle recovery after intense training, a match, a fight...
Advice
Does a full cold bath seem too intense 🥶 ? Try applying cold compresses on the areas most affected by aches and pains. This can provide targeted relief without the discomfort of total immersion!
Taking Harpagophytum
Harpagophytumalso known asdevil's claw"is a medicinal plant native to the semi-desert regions of South Africa world-renowned for its therapeutic properties on pathologies of the osteoarticular sphere.
🧪 Thanks to anti-inflammatory properties of harpagosideits active ingredient, this regularly consumed plant helps reduce muscle soreness in both the short and long term.
In addition to reducing muscle soreness, harpagophytum is also highly effective in relieving other conditions associated with regular sporting activity, such as joint painjoint pain tendonitis 🔥 and low back pain⚡.
To make the most of this plant's therapeutic virtues, opt for Coxadol, a dietary supplement based on harpagophytum extract
Enjoy an infusion of meadowsweet
Visit meadowsweet is a medicinal plant renowned for its powerful anti-inflammatory. 🌼 It is often nicknamedvegetable aspirin"like white willow, due to its similar effects.
In addition to effectively combating inflammation, this plant also has antispasmodic virtuesmaking it an invaluable ally against musculoskeletal pain.
Thanks to this dual anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic actionit can therefore relieve all kinds of musculoskeletal pain, such as aches and painsaches tendonitis and arthralgias.
To prepare a soothing infusion, place a tablespoon of dried flowering tops of meadowsweet in approximately 250 ml of boiling water. Leave to infuse for 10 minutes, then strain and enjoy. ☕️ Consume 3 to 4 cups a day of this infusion will be enough to soothe your muscles and ease aches and pains.
For an even more pleasant taste, you can add a teaspoon of honey 🍯 to your meadowsweet infusion. Honey softens the bitterness of the plant and provides antibacterial and soothing properties..
Warning
If you are allergic to aspirin or if you are taking blood-thinning treatmentsavoid using this infusion.
Magnesium supplementation
The magnesium is a mineral essential for healthy muscle function💪as it acts on the permeability permeability of myocytes (muscle cells) to other minerals and electrolytes involved in the contraction and in the relaxation muscular (calcium, sodium and potassium).
In case of deficiency in magnesiummuscles become weaker and are more exposed to crampsand contractures and aches and pains. It is therefore important to provide your body with sufficient quantities.
🥗 For fill up on magnesium and reduce muscle soreness, regularly consume magnesium-rich foods such as bananas 🍌bananas dried fruit🥜🌰and chia seedsseeds whole grain and fatty fish 🐟.
You can also opt for a cure of magnesium bisglycinatea dietary supplement 🌿 with magnesium and glycine, easily assimilated by the body. It therefore offers improved action against muscular disorders such as cramps or aches and pains.
Info
In addition to soothing muscles, supplementation with magnesium also helps reduce stress, anxiety and depressionimprove sleep 🛌cognitive performance 🧠 (memory, concentration) and the bone health 🦴 !
Massage with wintergreen essential oil
Wintergreen essential oilthanks to its anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antispasmodic propertiesare highly effective in relieving aches and pains.
For effective relief, dilute 2 to 3 drops of this essential oil in about 1 teaspoon of a vegetable oil, such as sweet almond oil or jojoba oil.
Use this mixture as a massage oil and apply it to your aching muscles. Massage vigorously and 2-3 times a day to massage in the soothing active ingredients of wintergreen essential oil.
In addition to relieving aches and pains, these massages promote the elimination of toxins. metabolic waste products and accelerate repair of muscle micro-injuries by activating local blood circulation 🩸.
Tip
For an even more relaxing effect, you can lightly heat 🌡️ the oil before massage. The heat helps relax muscles and improve absorption of the essential oil's active ingredients.
Fill up on Omega 3
Omega-3s are unsaturated fatty acids. essential for the proper functioning of our bodies. In addition to preserve cardiovascular health, maintain good vision and improve brain performancethese good fats have a powerful natural anti-inflammatory action to combat various pathological situations.
By providing your body with sufficient omega-3s, you help it to maintain its natural inflammatory phenomena to acceptable levels, thereby reducing soreness by acting on their inflammatory component.
For fill up on Omega 3regularly consume oily fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout, cod...), milk and milk products.rapeseed oiland nuts 🌰nuts avocado 🥑 and egg yolk🥚.
You can also use a dietary supplement based on omega-3-rich fish oil to correct any deficiency and significantly reduce muscle soreness.
Tip
To maximize the beneficial effects of omega-3be sure to balance your intake with that of omega 6another type of fatty acid found in vegetable oils and processed foods. A good omega-3/omega-6 ratio helps the body better manage inflammation.
Green clay poultice
L'green clay has been used for millennia, not only to treat physical pain, but also in rituals of spiritual purification. The ancient Egyptians used it to embalm mummies, while the Romans applied it to wounded soldiers to speed their recovery after battle.
Today, we use it to relieve aches and pains thanks to its analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties and remineralizing properties on muscles, bones and joints.
To effectively relieve aches and pains, apply a thick layer of green clay poultices son painful areas (legs, calves, shoulders, arms, back...) and leave on for around two hours.
You can use this method for the first 2 or 3 days of aches and pains (once a day).
Taking curcumin
Visit turmeric is one of the most powerful anti-inflammatory thanks to its active ingredient curcumin.
Consumed daily as a spice or herbal tea, turmeric helps to reduce inflammation and combat oxidative stress throughout the body.
The curcumin is effective for relieve aches and painsbecause it acts on the inflammatory component.
To make the most of anti-curbiness virtues benefits of turmeric, opt for a curcumin-based dietary supplement. In addition to reducing muscular pain, you'll also benefit from a better balance of your blood cholesterol levels and a increased fat burning🔥.
Conclusion
Here are the key points on muscle soreness to remember from the article:
- Muscle soreness are normal muscular pains that occur after unusual physical activity, particularly when resuming sport after a long period of inactivity. 🏋️♂️
- They generally disappear within 3 to 5 daysso don't panic!
- The best way to get rid of aches and pains is to maintain a steady regular physical activity 💪 over the long term ⌚.
- In the event of intense muscle sorenesscertain natural methods are recommended, such as the active recovery.
- A ice bath 🛀❄️ after an intense workout can prevent soreness and promote muscle recovery.
- The taking magnesium bisglycinate is recommended to prevent muscle cramp and soreness, while improving overall muscle function.
- Visit dietary supplements 🌿 based turmeric and harpagophytum (Coxadol) are highly effective against long-term aches and pains and various other osteoarticular problems.
- Visit meadowsweet infusions soothe muscles after exercise and relieve aches and pains.
- Visit omega-3 🐟🥑 help fight inflammation 🔥 throughout the body, including that which causes aches and pains.
- Visit massages withwintergreen essential oil calms muscular inflammation and helps repair micro-injuries.
Generally speaking, to minimize aches, cramps and injuries caused by physical activity, it's important to take the following steps warm upwarm-up, perform stretching adapteddrink water regularly water💧during exercise sessions, and above all to listen to your body 🧘♂️ (don't push too hard!).
FAQ
What is muscle soreness and how does it manifest itself?
Aches and pains are diffuse muscular pains which generally appear 12 to 48 hours after unusual physical activity. They are caused by muscular micro-lesions, not by the accumulation of lactic acid, and can lead to muscle stiffness and tenderness.
Why don't stretching and warming up always prevent muscle soreness?
Although stretching and a good warm-up can prepare muscles and reduce the risk of injury, they don't completely prevent muscle soreness, which results from the micro-injuries inherent in physical effort, especially if the activity is unusual or particularly intense.
What natural remedies are effective against muscle soreness?
Natural remedies for aches and pains include active recovery, cold baths, magnesium supplementation, the use of harpagophytum and meadowsweet for their anti-inflammatory properties, and the application of cold compresses and massages with wintergreen essential oil.
How do cold baths help relieve aches and pains?
Cold baths help relieve aches and pains by reducing inflammation and muscle soreness, thanks to the alternating vasoconstriction and vasodilation they provoke. This alternation helps stimulate blood circulation and accelerate the elimination of metabolic waste products, thus reducing the pain associated with aches and pains.
Can harpagophytum be used for conditions other than aches and pains?
Yes, harpagophytum, or devil's claw, is also used to relieve a variety of activity-related ailments such as joint pain, tendonitis and lower back pain, thanks to its powerful anti-inflammatory properties.
