11/8/07 Podcast Best Ways to Sooth Sore Muscles

Welcome to Diet and Fitness Podcast, a free audio podcast sponsored by Diet.com. This is your fit, fun, and fabulous host, Lady Diet, ready to give you the skinny on the latest diet fitness health tips and news.

If you’re starting a new fitness routine for the first time, or simply adding in a new move, you might notice a little (or a lot) of muscle soreness during the next day or two! Minor discomfort is normal, and a good sign that your muscles are adapting to new physical activity. It’s important to treat sore muscles to speed your recovery, build your strength, and improve your performance! If you’re wondering what to do to ease minor discomfort, try some of these great muscle-soothing tips.

1) For immediate relief of minor soreness due to exercise, try first applying a cold compress to tender muscles. Try keeping an icepack on for 20 minutes, and then 20 minutes off, etc. Cold reduces the swelling and relieves pain. Remember to wrap an icepack in a towel or cloth to prevent frostbite on the area of skin you’re working on.

2) Next, apply heat by way of a heating pad or a hot water bottle to loosen up and relax sore muscles! Try taking a hot bath or shower after your trip to the gym for a quick and enjoyable fix for your muscles!

3) Massage your way to happy muscles. While a professional massage will do wonders, if you don’t want to shell out the cash for such an event, just give yourself a massage or invest a little money in a massage gadget that can reach your back. For sore feat, try working on them yourself, massaging under the ball of the foot, around the arch all the way to the heel.

4) Try drinking certain fruit juices like cherry juice, post workout. A recent study from the British Journal of Sports Medicine claimed that cherry juice helped athletes in the recovery of sore muscles. Cherry juice has anti- inflammatory properties to help relieve minor pain. Try drinking a glass after your strength-training session!

5) Stretch for at least 5 minutes before and after your workouts to keep your muscles loose and warm and ready for action. Keeping your muscles in motion will help blood flow carry oxygen to the areas that need it so your muscles don’t tighten up.

I don’t know about anyone else, but I really like the feeling of sore muscles after a good, intense workout. It makes me feel accomplished, like I’ve really done something. It also lets me know how in or out of shape I am! Remember that minor muscle soreness is normal after exercising, especially if you haven’t worked out in awhile. If your muscle soreness lasts more than a few days, consult with a physician to prevent injury. Remember to pay attention to your body, give your muscles rest when they need it and know what your limits are. As always, consult with a physician before starting any new diet or fitness routine.

If you have any comments or suggestions about today’s podcast, or any fun health diet or fitness tip, please feel free to email me at LadyDietPodcast at dietdotcom.

This is Lady Diet signing off…