The most common causes of muscle soreness are overuse, minor injuries, and tension. Whatever the reason is for your sore muscles, when pain and discomfort strike, it is important that you take quick action. So, let us take a look at six different ways in which you can effectively soothe sore muscles fast.
1. Get a Massage
Massage is a fantastic way to soothe sore muscles quickly. It promotes blood flow to the affected areas, which accelerates the healing process. When your muscles are manipulated through massage, tension unravels and knots loosen. As a result, the pain can diminish significantly.
Furthermore, massages can minimize inflammation by promoting cell repair and growth. That makes it easier for your body to undo any damage caused by muscle soreness.
Certain massage techniques target specific pain points in your body. For example, deep-tissue massage focuses on relieving severe muscle tension.
So, while massaging yourself or getting your partner or friend to massage the affected area can help to soothe muscle soreness quickly, if you want to optimally benefit from the healing power of massage, see a qualified masseur who will have the skills and knowledge to target the soreness of specific muscles.
2. Take a Warm Bath
Taking a warm bath can be highly beneficial for soothing muscle soreness. The heat from the water helps increase blood circulation which, in turn, expedites the healing process. This results in quick relief from muscle pain.
Another benefit of a warm bath is that the heat helps your muscles to relax. As they lose their tension, knots and stiffness ease up considerably leading to immediate comfort.
Adding bath salts to your bath could also bring added relief. For instance, Epsom salts contain magnesium, which is a mineral known for its powerful healing properties, especially for alleviating muscle pain.
3. Take an Ice Bath
Both heat and cold can be good for easing muscle soreness fast, so taking an ice bath is another option you should try. Ice baths work by reducing the swelling around your muscles. In turn, that can relieve your pain.
The cold immersion constricts blood vessels and flushes out toxins like lactic acid that cause muscle soreness. When you get out of the ice bath, the sudden rush of warm blood back into your muscles promotes faster healing.
4. Stretch
Stretching is another key practice that can help to alleviate muscle soreness. By loosening and lengthening your muscles, it will reduce the tension and stiffness that causes pain.
Additionally, the increased blood flow during stretching supplies nutrients to your muscles faster. This process facilitates quicker healing of any existing damage, thus offering direct and swift relief from discomfort.
Try stretching exercises that target specific muscle groups for prompt relief. For example, hamstring stretches can effectively relieve leg soreness.
5. Consider Topically Applied THC
One new way to soothe muscle soreness quickly is by using topically applied THC. If you are not aware, THC is one of the main active ingredients in cannabis.
But unlike other forms of THC, topical products, which target sore areas of the body directly, do not cause any psychoactive effects. This makes topicals a popular choice among fitness enthusiasts and anyone who is experiencing body aches and muscle soreness.
Because they work locally in the area where they are applied, you can expect to start feeling relief within minutes. The results often last between one and two hours, but individuals’ experiences may vary.
6. Do Yoga
Lastly, give yoga a go. The gentle postures of yoga help to stretch and strengthen muscles, thereby reducing tension and relieving soreness.
Also, the deep breathing involved in yoga increases oxygen in your bloodstream, which aids in speeding up the recovery process of strained muscles.