7 Ways to Boost Your Post-Workout Recovery

Edema and inflammation build up in the damaged muscles 24–72 hours after heavy exertion. It hurts you from movement and touch, you cannot fully extend the limbs, and their strength leaves much to be desired.

To relieve this condition, many people end up stretching. However, scientists have proven that this technique does not affectStretching to prevent or reduce muscle soreness after exercise on the level of inflammation, delayed muscle pain and reduced strength. However, there are other methods that work.

1. Take cold baths

This method has a double effect:

1. Cold reducesWhat are the Physiological Mechanisms for Post-Exercise Cold Water Immersion in the Recovery from Prolonged Endurance and Intermittent Exercise? inflammation and pain, reduces swellingEffect of hydrotherapy on the signs and symptoms of delayed onset muscle soreness. and helps to restore muscle strength faster.
2. Water pressure acceleratesWhat are the Physiological Mechanisms for Post-Exercise Cold Water Immersion in the Recovery from Prolonged Endurance and Intermittent Exercise?
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   the release of metabolic products from the muscles, which also contributes to early recovery.

In addition, cold water reducesRecovery after exercise: what is the current state of play? feeling tired and returns cheerfulness. This is useful Cooling and performance recovery of trained athletes: a meta ‑ analytical review., Effects of four recovery methods on repeated maximal rock climbing performance. during the competition, when you need to recover faster after one stage in order to show good results in another.

At the same time, you should not use this technique in the usual training process. At least if you are going to increaseThe Influence of Post-Exercise Cold-Water Immersion on Adaptive Responses to Exercise: A Review of the Literature. strength and build muscle. Cold oppressesThe effects of cold water immersion and active recovery on inflammation and cell stress responses in human skeletal muscle after resistance exercise, Is the ice bath finally melting? Cold water immersion is no greater than active recovery upon local and systemic inflammatory cellular stress in humans recovery process and reducesStrength Training Adaptations After Cold-Water Immersion, Post-exercise cold water immersion attenuates acute anabolic signaling and long-term adaptations in muscle to strength training. anabolic signals needed for muscle growth and strength, which slows down your progress.

2. Go to the sauna

There is no evidence that a post-workout sauna can help reduce delayed muscle pain or speed up recovery. But if you go there before the load, the effect will appear: after exercise you will experience less pain and bondage.

Scientists suggest Prophylactic Effects of Sauna on Delayed ‑ Onset Muscle Soreness of the Wrist Extensorsthat this is due to the good warming up of the body. A sauna session raises tissue temperature, reduces stress and increases flexibility. as a result, the muscles during training are not damaged so much and, as a result, they hurt less after loads.

3. Wear compression clothing

Compression clothing helps reduceAn Evidence-Based Approach for Choosing Post-exercise Recovery Techniques to Reduce Markers of Muscle Damage, Soreness, Fatigue, and Inflammation: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis.delayed muscle pain and recover fasterThe Effects of Compression ‑ Garment Pressure on Recovery After Strenuous Exercise.their ability to generate power. Scientists suggest that compression simply reduces the area for swelling and slightly changes the osmotic pressure, which prevents fluid from escaping into the tissue. Less swelling means less pain.

However, it is worth considering that we are talking about a sockAn Evidence-Based Approach for Choosing Post-exercise Recovery Techniques to Reduce Markers of Muscle Damage, Soreness, Fatigue, and Inflammation: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis. compression garments not during, but after exercise. That is, you need to put it on when you finish exercising and wear it for the next 24 hours.

4. Use a massage roller

This technique helps relieve tension on the fascia, the connective tissue that the muscles are wrapped in. Since delayed pain is largely dependent on changes in it, relaxing the fascia helpsTHE EFFECTS OF SELF ‐ MYOFASCIAL RELEASE USING A FOAM ROLL OR ROLLER MASSAGER ON JOINT RANGE OF MOTION, MUSCLE RECOVERY, AND PERFORMANCE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW get rid of discomfort, maintain range of motion and strength.

In addition, the massage improves blood flow, which helps to quickly flush out metabolic products and reduce edema.

5. Go for a massage

A half-hour massage session immediately or within two hours after training reducesAn Evidence ‑ Based Approach for Choosing Post ‑ exercise Recovery Techniques to Reduce Markers of Muscle Damage, Soreness, Fatigue, and Inflammation: A Systematic Review With Meta ‑ Analysis delayed muscle pain for the next 24–72 hours. After massage the level of circulating cortisol (stress hormone) decreases and the concentration of beta-endorphins - natural analgesics in our body - increases by 16%. As a result, you feel less fatigue and pain.

Moreover, after the session, the concentration of creatine phosphokinase and interleukins, markers of inflammation and muscle damage, decreases in people. That is, massage helps to reduce inflammation in the muscles after training and restore strength faster.Recovery after exercise: what is the current state of play?.

6. Recover actively

Calm exercise the day after an intense workout helpsAn Evidence ‑ Based Approach for Choosing Post ‑ exercise Recovery Techniques to Reduce Markers of Muscle Damage, Soreness, Fatigue, and Inflammation: A Systematic Review With Meta ‑ Analysis warm up clogged muscles and reduce pain. True, it will be easier for you, only until you cool down. Then the pain will return.

But, despite such a short effect, it still makes sense to rest actively: light loads reduce inflammation markers and accelerateTHE SCIENCE OF POST ‑ EXERCISE RECOVERY restoration of creatine phosphate and glycogen - substances that serve as fuel for muscles.

The main thing is not to overdo it with the load. Activity should not exceed 50% of maximum effort. Light jogging or swimming in the pool on the pulse 65-75% of the maximum heart rate (HR).

7. Take medication

Some people take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin and ibuprofen to relieve muscle pain. However, it is worth considering that they relieve pain well in the short term, but are not suitable for constant use.

Such funds slow downRehabilitation of muscle after injury - the role of anti-in fl ammatory drugs natural regenerative processes: inhibit the proliferation of stem cells, due to which your muscles will recover and grow in size. So you should only take them in extreme cases.

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Whichever method you choose, remember that an adequate level of exercise, good nutrition and quality sleep are more important. The combination of these factors will help you progress without much pain, injury or plateaus.

Write in the comments how you recover from exercise.