If you exercise intensely, you’ve probably asked yourself whether or not you should workout when you are sore. This is a serious concern as you probably don’t want to push yourself too hard and get injured. Doing so could set your routine back, making it difficult to get back into your groove. So should you still work out if you are sore? Read below for a more in-depth answer.
Do’s and Don’ts of Exercising With Sore Muscles
Step 1: Avoid Pain Relieving Medication
When you’re under a lot of pain, it is tempting to try using pain medication to alleviate the symptoms. This sounds like a good idea right? After all, some pain medication reduces swelling also. Wrong! If you are going to be working out again (especially lifting weights) you don’t want to mask the pain that you are experiencing. Your body feels pain as a warning to prevent further injury, and if you are feeling muscle soreness, take pain medication and then workout, you’re likely to push yourself well past the point that your body can handle.
Step 2: Assess Your Pain
Understanding the type of pain you are feeling is crucial to knowing whether or not you should hit the gym again. Most muscle soreness isn’t much to worry about, however, if you feel like your joints or bones ache you should probably take it easy. In addition, any burning or warming sensation should be addressed immediately by consulting with a doctor. If your pain lasts longer than 4-5 days, consult your doctor as well.
Step 3: Eat Protein
Your muscles are made up of protein. Protein helps your muscles to recover from normal muscle tears that occur during exercise. They grow stronger during recovery and rest when there is an ample amount of protein in the system. Drinking recovery drinks and consuming protein-rich foods will help speed up your recovery and reduce muscle soreness.
Step 4: Work Different Muscle Groups
If you’re feeling too sore, you might still be able to go to the gym and exercise. Just make sure to exercise different parts of the body, or do a light jog. If your legs are sore, spend time in the gym working on your arms, and visa versa. This will allow you to still be physically “productive” while allowing the sore parts of your body to rest a bit longer.
*Tips adapted from popsugar.com
Making the decision to workout when you’re already sore is a tough one. Be careful! And don’t forget to consult a doctor. Call us at 801-724-9840.