Don’t let the pain deter you from working out

Apr 9, 2009 21:01 GMT  ·  By

After a long or very difficult workout, it’s essential that we keep moving and not give in to the pain that will undoubtedly appear. Specialists warn that not working out at all after a day of intensive exercise will make the pain last longer, while also derailing us from our daily routine, as FitSugar points out.

Even if we’re not new to working out, a day or a session of more intense exercise can cause excruciating pain the next morning when we roll out of bed. This is both because of micro tears that appear in the muscles when straining them and the accumulation of lactic acid, and the only way to efficiently relieve pain is by more exercise, experts say.

However, there is a catch and that is moderation. The day after a strenuous workout, we should do at least some moderate exercise to relieve the pain in the muscles. Some stretching, a light jog, mild weight training or even a brisker walk are recommended in these moments, and we should not let the pain force us to stay put or as motionless as possible. It’s a common sense thing, actually, experts add: if our muscles are sore, the worst thing we can do is to not work them at all. If we want the pain to subside, we have to keep moving and it will shortly go away completely.

Undoubtedly, we all know what it’s like to not be able to get out of bed the morning after intense practice or a strenuous workout. Massaging the sore parts can also come in handy, experts explain, but the best solution – as well as the healthiest – is to make the effort to exercise some more until we notice that the pain goes away. We might even be able to do more intense routines afterwards, they pinpoint.

The most convenient solution would be, of course, going for a walk. Since a study has recently shown the many benefits of walking and of moderate exercise (which translates into taking 100 steps per minute weekly), calling a friend or our usual workout partner and going out in the park might be just the perfect way to feel as good as new again.