Prevent pain from sports soreness

Soreness: Sport is healthy - and can cause pain

02/17/2015

Regular exercise is healthy. Moderate sports can prevent obesity or cardiovascular diseases. However, most recreational athletes also know the pain of a sore muscles. These can be prevented, however.

Regular exercise promotes good health
Sport promotes health. For example, regular exercise can help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure or heart attack. Athletes are also less likely to be overweight or obese. But no matter whether after jogging, nordic walking or strength training: all too often a soreness arises after physical activity. This is caused by small microtrauma in the muscle cells. But is it normal or even good that pain comes after the sport? The „Berlin morning mail“ reports about it in a recent post.

A sore muscle is a warning signal
Soreness is a warning signal, the newspaper said. If a few hours after exercise any movement hurts, it was too much. „Muscular soreness is the smallest injury to the musculature at the molecular level“, so Tobias Kasprak. The sports scientist explains on the website „Dr. Gumpert“ Laity medical issues. „Muscles that are not often used are prone to sore muscles.“ This is an indication that this muscle group is not sufficiently fortified.

Prevent sore muscles through proper training intensity
„Of course you can feel the next day in the muscle, that was trained“, says Kasprak. However, it would be better to prevent the aching sore muscles by choosing the right training intensity from the outset. But when it comes to a sore muscles, at least for this part of the body recovery is announced. In the regeneration, heat in the form of sauna or hot baths can help. „However, this is not scientifically confirmed“, so Kasprak. But slight movement could provide some relief. Hard training is just as well as massages taboo. However, not all experts see it that way. For example, scientists from McMaster University in Ontario, Canada have in the journal „Science Translational Medicine“ reports that massages have a soothing effect on the typical muscle aches after exercise. The massages should also have a positive effect on other muscle problems such as neck tension or back pain.

If pain persists consult a doctor
The simplest method obviously is to wait. „The pain will fade away after a few days“, explains Kasprak. „A sore muscle completely recedes after about seven days.“ However, if persistent pain persists for more than two weeks, a specialist should be consulted to avoid injury to the musculature or tendons and ligaments. Also, other experts have different opinions. For example, experts at the German Sport University Cologne recommend seeing a doctor if sore muscles still cause pain after three days. Because prolonged complaints could be an indication of a muscle hardening, a strain or even a torn muscle.

Cherry juice can prevent muscle soreness
„It is not proven that stretching exercises prevent sore muscles“, so Kasprak. Some studies would show the opposite. He means: „Since there are already minor injuries in the muscle after hard training, stretching should be avoided.“ Other experts point out that there is evidence from studies that acupuncture can help combat the pain. And scientists at the University of Michigan found out years ago that cherry juice protects against excessive muscle soreness after an intense exercise program.

Too much training is unhealthy
As the „Berlin morning mail“ reported further, sports physicians and physiotherapists know the phenomenon of „transmitted pain“. Ute Repschläger, chairman of the Federal Association of Independent Physiotherapists, explains: „According to physiotherapists, four out of five patients do not find the cause of muscle pain at the site of pain perception.“ For example, neck pain can come from the back. Furthermore, overtraining can also make you sick. At first the body reacts with stagnating and later with decreasing power. This leads some recreational athletes to train even more. The consequences are headaches, sleep disorders and stress. If the performance is long lasting, the cause may be the monotonous or too little demanding exercise plan. Kasprak advises in this case to another sport - at least for a short time.

Dodge injuries to other sports
Of drugs that should help to do sports in spite of pain, is strongly discouraged. „If you are injured, you should cure his blistering and switch to other sports such as aquajogging“, recommends the German Society for Sports Medicine and Prevention. Those who continue to use analgesics risk their health. „With shifts in salt balance, which occur with long endurance benefits, painkillers can even lead to acute damage.“ Cardiac and kidney damage as well as damage to the gastric mucosa could occur especially in the case of pre-existing conditions. In addition, patients with diabetes are at risk from painkillers. So it's better to hold back. Kasprak says: „Sport activities should normally not cause pain.“ (Ad)