What to do against muscle pain? 6 useful tips!

What to do against muscle pain? 6 useful tips!

Muscle pain: most athletes have a love-hate relationship with it. You've worked really hard in the gym with the result that you can hardly get out of bed the next day. How did that happen? And more importantly, how do you get rid of it? Read here what you can do to reduce or prevent muscle pain.

Muscle pain is caused by tears in your muscles during strenuous exercise. The damage is then repaired and reinforced with extra tissue, allowing your muscles to repair and grow. So muscle pain is a positive sign and means that your muscles are getting stronger. That doesn't make it any less painful though!

  1. Start with a warm up!

Warm up for 5-10 minutes before exercising. You stimulate your blood circulation and warm up your muscles and tendons. Walk, jog, or bike for a few minutes to make the transition from sitting still to moving. So start every workout with a warm-up. This prepares the body for optimal healthy sports and to prevent injuries and muscle pain. Do you want to know more about this topic? Then read our blog Should You Warm Up Before Exercise?
  1. Eat enough protein and carbohydrates.

Nutrition plays an important role in achieving your sports goals and in your recovery. Without proper nutrition, your muscles will not get stronger. For optimal muscle building and to recover from muscle pain, proteins and carbohydrates are essential nutrients to get. This ensures an increased protein synthesis, which promotes the recovery of your muscles. A large part of our proteins is stored around our joints. That is why it is not surprising that when you have a shortage of proteins, this can manifest itself in joint pain or muscle pain. It is also recommended to add magnesium, calcium and potassium to your menu. Magnesium is found in legumes, nuts, seeds, green (leaf) vegetables, grapefruit and apricots. Calcium can be found in dairy products, and potassium can be found in potatoes, dairy products, vegetables, fruit and nuts.
  1. Combine hot and cold

For an immediate reduction of the pain, it is best to opt for cooling. The cold numbs the painful feeling in your muscles and stops the swelling. If you suffer from stiff muscles, there is a possibility to soften the muscle pain by taking a warm bath and then also keep the muscles warm afterwards. You can also apply a warm ointment to the skin. Alternating between cold and heat is best: with this you improve blood flow and your muscles recover faster.
  1. Get enough sleep

It is recommended to sleep at least 8 hours a day. When you sleep less, this can be one of the reasons that you suffer from muscle pain. When you sleep, your body really has time to recover. Sufficient sleep is therefore essential when you train a lot and hard. So get under the wool on time. There are small tears in the muscles that only recover with rest.
  1. Cool down after your workout

A cool-down also ensures that your muscles are less tense after your sporting effort. In many cases, it reduces muscle soreness after exercise. Just 5 minutes on a low level is often enough to clear the largest amount of lactic acid and other waste products from the muscles that cause extra pain. Do you want to know more about this topic? Then read our blog: Don't forget the cool down!
  1. Drink enough water

It is important to drink enough water. In this way, your body can more easily dispose of the waste during exercise, but also in the hours/days afterwards. Therefore, drink enough water, so that your muscles remain flexible. Is the cramp in your muscles? That's a sign that you need to drink more water. For some, drinking water is the most natural thing in the world, but there are also a large number of people who find the recommended amount per day a challenge. However, we recommend that you drink those few glasses more to counteract the muscle pain.

With these tips you can start your next workout fresh. Do you have a golden tip for sore muscles? Let us know!

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