Stretching does not protect against sore muscles

Can you prevent sore muscles by stretching??

03/29/2015

Sport is healthy - and can cause pain. Every hobby athlete has had a sore muscles before. There are numerous myths and wisdom about how best to handle it. Some rely on heat, others on stretching exercises. But what really helps against sore muscles?

Regular sports are healthy
Exercise is healthy: Through regular exercise, for example, you can help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension or heart attack. In addition, athletes suffer less often from obesity or obesity. But whatever you do for a sport: You should not exaggerate it, otherwise you will have a sore throat. On how best to deal with it, entwine many myths and (supposed) wisdom. An expert has interesting facts and useful tips.

Exercise does not help against sore muscles
That exercise helps against sore muscles is a sports myth. As Professor Ingo Froböse of the German Sport University in Cologne explained according to a message from the news agency dpa, it was not advisable to burden the already aching structures the next day again. „The repair process for sore muscles only really starts after about 18 to 24 hours“, so the expert. At the damaged places, water will be stored during this time. „Blood flow increases and new materials are transported to repair the damaged tissue.“ The training should therefore be dosed well from the outset and distributed to the different regions of the body.

Stretching does not protect against muscle tears
Stretching helps prevent muscle soreness and, after exercise, can even exacerbate the micro injuries caused by overuse. Nevertheless, stretching exercises after the sport certainly have their justification, because according to Froböse, appropriate stretching helps the muscles to regenerate. „Stretching is wonderful for warming up“, so the expert. „But it does not protect against muscle tears, which can always happen under stress.“ During regeneration, heat in the form of sauna or hot baths can help, but there is no scientific evidence for it.

Health experts disagree
Secure scientific evidence is often scarce or contradictory anyway. Some health experts say that massages are taboo on sore muscles; others, however, see it very differently. For example, McMaster University researchers in Ontario, Canada have reported that massages have a soothing effect on typical muscle aches and pains after exercise. In addition, the massages should have a positive effect on other muscle problems such as neck tension or back pain.

Waiting a few days for training
Froböse also commented on the often-said claim that magnesium helps against convulsions. He referred to a study that athletes would have to take 400 to 600 milligrams to feel any effect. „It just stupid that this leads to diarrhea.“ Most experts agree that one should wait a few days after a muscle soreness with exercise. However, they disagree on how many days should elapse before training can begin again. There are indications from studies that acupuncture can help combat the pain. And researchers at the University of Michigan found out years ago that cherry juice protects against excessive muscle soreness after an intense exercise program.

Do not go to the pain threshold!
As the „Rhein-Neckar-Zeitung“ online writes, the patent remedy for muscle soreness is according to the AOK: Do not go to the pain threshold! Those who exercise regularly, but only gradually increase their performance and do not overstrain, sore muscles are rarely felt. As Sarah Fahrland, a sports scientist at the German University for Prevention and Health Management / BSA Academy in Saarbrücken, explained, only those who constantly demand their muscles ensure that they interact better and adapt to growing loads. (Ad)