Anytime you start a new workout routine (or just happen to have a really intense workout), you are going to experience some muscle pain the next day. Now this can be “Satisfying” in the “you know you must have worked hard” sort of way, but there is also the fact that no one LIKES to be in pain. I’ve just picked up a “foam roller’ (thanks for the Suggestion Christine!) that should help a little (in the same way a massage can). I know that it definitely helped with my ankle, and loosened things up when I used it this morning. The 4.2 mile run yesterday is the farthest I have run post-surgery and my body is letting me know it. I am about to start a light run in my VFFs, probably a mile or so, to help me acclimate to them AND to loosen up those sore muscles. A nice cardio workout using EA Sports Active 2 will round me out for the day.
I have always felt that doing a little bit of exercise the next day can make the difference in the pain levels the 2nd day after working out – although it can be quite an experience exercising with those sore muscles. From my limited experience, the worst thing I could do was nothing – as it would make the 2nd day even worse.
There are also some dietary items that can help – from being properly hydrated (your muscles are mostly water after all) to eating bananas to changing your overall diet can affect it. Now most people aren’t going to adapt their entire eating style to helping their muscle recovery time – it’s simply not practical. BUT, we can all drink more water, get more magnesium and potassium and try and keep up regular exercise to help keep our muscles in good working order.
So, I am off to do a nice mile run, some cardio and eat a banana!
If you have any recovery suggestions, please post in the comments – I am always looking for new ideas.
