Muscle pain

Well, Jock weekend, you have exaggerated, and his body is what lets you know. Working on muscles causes muscle fibers actually break, says that sports medicine expert and world-class runner Joan Ullyot, MD, author of women running and running free. "Ideally, you should be able to get in shape without going to the stiffness and pain, "she says." But most of us believe that we have to exaggerate what the feeling of having done something. "In addition to the small tears that occur in muscle fibers, muscles swell slightly, and the accumulation of muscle rupture for products such as enzymes contribute to the feeling of stiffness and pain. Another common source of pain is a muscle cramp, acute muscle spasm that can be sent to the floor by tightening the muscle of crime and howling in pain. Muscle cramps can be caused by anything that interferes with the mechanisms that cause muscles contract and relax. "Muscle cramps media is not getting enough blood to the area," says Ellen Nona Hoyven, PT., Physical therapist and owner and director of Ortho Sport Physical Therapy Pc. in Clackamas, Oregon. "objects with muscle pain."

Learn how to contract and relax the muscles can help explain why muscle cramps occur and how to prevent. To make the muscles contract, the brain sends an electrical "" contract message through the nerves to the muscles. When this signal reaches the muscle, the minerals sodium and calcium within the muscle and the potassium out of the movement muscle and cause the signal to travel along the muscle, making the contract. To make the muscles contract and relax properly, they need the right concentrations of minerals, and adequate supplies of fat, sugar and oxygen. Michael Martindale, L.PT., a physiotherapist at the Sports Medicine Center Adventist Medical Center Portland in Oregon, says, "A muscle goes into spasm because that has been traumatized in some way. It is often a sign that the muscle has depleted their glycogen its energy supply, and there are too many waste products in the area. In response, the muscle goes into spasm. Spasm, in turn, decrease the blood flow, which cause pain. Pain becomes more spasms, causing even more pain. "Although muscle pain and cramps are not life threatening, can be very annoying. Here Here are some tips to relieve pain and prevent recurrence of the problem.

Soon stop the activity: If the muscle cramping up while you're doing exercise, stop the activity. Do not try to "run through" a muscle cramp. "Any attempt to proceed until you have a cramp" Ullyot said, "is likely to actually damage the muscle by pulling or breaking."

Giving a lift and Squeeze: When a cramp, stretch the muscles tight with one hand while gently knead and squeeze the heart muscle (you can feel a knot) with the fingers of the other. "You want to stretch pressed in the direction opposite to the way it is contracted, "says Hoyven." For example, if you have a cramp in his calf muscle, put her on foot down and lean forward. If you can not stand on the leg, sit on the floor and stretch your toes toward the knee. "

Walk it Out: A Once a sharp cramp passes, not start exercising heavily right away. Instead, walk a few minutes to allow blood to flow back into the muscles.

Sip quinine tonic: Ullyot said that many competitive swimmers drinking tonic water quinine to prevent cramps. Quinine is used to treat cramps of malaria. While there may be no scientific studies to support tonic drink quinine for muscle cramps, Ullyot said, "If a placebo is actually seems to work. "You may want to try it and see if it works for you.

Go Bananas: Chrissy Kane, LPT, physical therapist at the Outpatient Department Physical Therapy at Providence Medical Center in Portland, Oregon, says: "Sometimes the lack of potassium can cause muscle cramps." If you is plagued by frequent cramps, Kane recommends that you eat a banana a day to increase your potassium intake and avoid cramps at bay.

Chill Out: If you know you've worked for, just take a cold shower or a bath of cold water to reduce the trauma of the muscles, says Martindale. World class Australian runner Jack Foster used to hose the legs with cold water after a difficult race. He told the skeptical if it was good enough for racehorses, was good enough for him. Several Olympic runners are known to take cold plunges after hard training, insisting that avoids muscle pain and stiffness. If an ice bath seems too much for you, says ice Hoyven work well, too. We recommend applying cold compresses for 20 to 30 minutes once every hour. "Cold constricts the blood vessels and shunts blood away from the injured muscles, reducing inflammation," he explains. " The cold numbs the skin surface and surface structures of the area, reducing pain. It also causes what we call a "reflex inhibition" of the muscles, causing them to relax. "

Avoid heat: The cold may reduce muscle trauma, but the heat can increase the pain and stiffness, Hoyven says, especially during the first 24 hours after exaggerating. "The heat may feel good," she says, "but increases circulation in the area, makes blood vessels dilate and fluid to accumulate. If used too long, it causes congestion in the area and more pain and stiffness. "If you do not can withstand the heat in the sore muscles, Hoyven suggests that is not used for over 20 minutes every hour. Or better yet, try contrast therapy Apply heat pack for four minutes and a bag of ice for one minute. After three or four days when the swelling and pain have decreased, Martindale said that you can resume the hot baths.

Take an anti-inflammatory: Aspirin and ibuprofen are great for reducing muscle soreness, Ullyot said. Follow the instructions on the label. If aspirin alters your stomach, try the coated variety. Most of the creams against aspirin can also reduce pain and inflammation. They are lean and usually does not irritate the skin.

Make easy installments: When you are feeling pain and stiffness, the last thing I want to do is move, but is the first thing to do, says Martindale. "Studies have shown that light exercise the day after more than exercise really helps," he says. " But be really easy. Stretch gently and not just 20 minutes or so feet. "

Taking a bath: Ullyot said one of the best remedies for sore muscles is swimming. "The cold water helps muscle soreness and stretching helps out The Kinks," she says.

Anticipating Second Day Pain: You may feel some stiffness or pain a few hours after more than year, but probably feel even worse two days later. Do not panic. It is perfectly normal. "We called delayed onset muscle soreness," said Martindale.

Drink plenty of fluids: One cause of severe cramping, especially when you are exercising during hot weather for an hour or more, is dehydration. Be sure to drink plenty of fluids before, during and after exercise. Ullyot recommends drinking at least half a glass of water every two miles.

Think twice before sports drinks : Ullyot said that really do not need them unless you are exercising for over an hour at a time. "Water is best absorbed by the body," says she. "For most people, drinking water is better than drinking sports drinks. Martindale also said it was important to replace fluids lost if you exercise more. So open the faucet and drink up.

Pass the soup: If you know you'll be exercising for over an hour in hot weather, Ullyot said that you can prevent muscle cramps by drinking a cup of beef broth or chicken before exercise. "You can drink juice instead of sports drinks to replace unless sodium lost in sweat, "she says.

Massage: gentle massage, done in a day or two after a hard workout, can help relieve pain, muscle stiffness, Ullyot said. "Massage is wonderful to bring the traffic in the area," she says. However, if done too hard or too soon after the workout, massage may actually increase pain and may even cause injury.

Avoid "hot" and "Cold" Creams: The pharmacy and supermarkets are full of platitudes "sports cream designed to relieve pain, muscle stiffness. Unfortunately, they do not much, according to Martindale. "While topical creams may feel good, physiologically do nothing," he explains. "They only cause a chemical reaction in the skin that gives the sensation of heat or cold, but actually not heat or cool the tissues. "If you use topical creams sports test a small patch of skin first to make sure you are not allergic, and never use these topics with heating pads because they can cause severe burns.

Wrap up: In cold weather, can often prevent muscle cramps by keeping muscles warm with adequate clothing. Layered clothing offers the best insulation value, trapping air between the layers. Some people, such as compression and warmth provided by running tights.

Warm your muscles: One way to prevent muscle cramps and injuries is to warm up muscles before exercise. Instead of stretching first, a short walk or bike slowly to "Preheat" muscles. Then make a series of stretching appropriate for the exercise we're doing. Even if you only cut wood or yard work, stretching before Activity get your muscles ready to work and help prevent muscle cramps.

Know Your Limits: The key to preventing muscle soreness, pain and stiffness, Martindale says, is to learn their limits. "You do not have to overdo it with exercise," he says. "If you feel pain and stiffness after, you know he's doing too. Take your time. Accumulate over several weeks. Learn what your body can and can not do, and pay attention to those limits. "

About the Author

Michael Russell writes for Diseases-treatment.com. On this site you will find information on diseases and tips for curing them with remedies available. Also, if you wish to publish the above article, you are welcome to do so, just you need to provide a link back to authors site at : http://www.diseases-treatment.com.

Oregon Bike Accident Attorney Lawyer @ Mt. Tabor Series, Portland Circuit Race, June 2008