Late spring is the season when we come out of the winter cocoon and dive in to outdoor activities again. This includes fun sports like tennis and golf. And it also includes the fun household jobs such as lawn mowing, weeding, mulching, and gardening.
And along with the re-awakening of these outdoor activities comes the re-awakening of muscles long dormant. Even if you exercise regularly over the winter, there are activities that use specific muscle groups that only come into play when doing them. I know first hand as I weeded and gardened over the last two weeks and some of my inner thigh muscles made their presence known in a very loud way!
Have the yard or house projects left you with sore muscles? Try these SORE MUSCLE TIPS...
#1: Start with ice. The cold slows the blood flow and helps counter painful inflammation. After exercising or working on a project, apply ice for 20 minutes, every 2 hours if severe. Compression, rest and elevation will also help with the anti-inflammation process. Note: this is the same process for an acute injury!
#2: Pull out the remedies, creams and salts. Address the symptoms on all levels by using creams such as Biofreeze or China Gel for lowering inflammation and providing an initial analgesic effect; use homeopathic arnica to work on the joints and deep muscle healing; and use Epsom salts to relax the muscles and pull out the toxins (follow the bath by a big glass of H20).
#3: After the acute period, usually a day or two following the big project, switch from ice to heat. At this point the inflammation should be down and heat will increase the blood flow to the areas bringing healing through the oxygen and blood. Use as needed or every few hours for 20-30 minutes if severe. Moist heat (packs with grains that when heated naturally create moisture) work best because the heat penetrates more deeply into the tissues than dry heat.
#4: Roll out the aches and pains with tennis balls in a sock or foam rollers. These act a bit like a DIY massage by creating compression release. Initially as you roll your body parts across these surfaces, you will feel discomfort as the muscles will be tight. But the more you use the tools, the more accustomed your body will be as the muscles relax, release and become healthier. If you hit a painful spot, stop on that point, try relaxing into it and breathe.
#5: Stretch. This does not have to be an hour of yoga or a professional routine but if you used your muscles, they will be happier if you take a small amount of time to stretch them back to their normal resting length. Remember, something is better than nothing. Five to ten minutes will go a long way, especially if you do it regularly.
#6: Get the professional touch. If you try all your home care techniques and you are still having problems or you left the situation too long and triggered a muscles spasm, now is the time to get professional assistance. Find a good deep tissue massage therapist and have the knots worked out. Often one session will be enough to downgrade the crisis mode then you can follow-up with more self-care.
Take self-care action by following these measures and you will not only reduce your muscles soreness, you will improve your muscular health, allowing you to continue enjoying those outdoor activities.
