subject: How Stretching Sore Muscles Can Ease Pain [print this page] Have you ever been working hard in the gym all day only to be rewarded with extremely sore muscles? There is an old saying which says No pain, no gain! Many people take this as gospel and feel unless they are in agony they havent done enough exercise. But it doesnt have to be this way; by stretching sore muscles one can relieve aching limbs. With the correct stretches those aches and pains can be a thing of the past. While you do need to push yourself as you workout, you certainly dont need to be in actual physical pain.
Stretching sore muscles is very important no matter how experienced you think you are. As we exercise we are actually damaging our muscles by tearing them. These tears are only microscopic and dont cause any major problems. As well as chemicals that the muscles produce, they are the reason for the soreness in our muscles after exercising. As we begin stretching sore muscles we can ease the healing process of the tissue.
So why does stretching sore muscles ease the pain? Well, by stretching sore muscles you keep them from stiffening up. Stretching, as part of a warm up or cool down, also increases the blood flow in your body and this in turn can flush out any excess acid build up in the muscle than can cause soreness. Some people opt to use pain killers to numb this pain, but it has been argued that these can interfere with the natural healing process of the muscle. This makes the workout less effective. By simply stretching sore muscles you can ease the muscle without sacrificing the effect of the workout.
Unfortunately stretching sore muscles isnt always the answer. There are two main types of post-workout soreness that one can experience. The first is the normal dull pain that occurs in the area or areas that have been strained. This is the kind of pain that can be relieved by stretching sore muscles.
The second type is a similar pain but more intense and the area can also be tender. If this has happened you may not be able to relieve the pain by stretching sore muscles. If this is the case you might need to seek the advice of your doctor. The occurrence of this pain is usually as a result of doing too much exercise or straining your body too much. Beginners are the ones whom are most likely to make this mistake.
If the pain is just about tolerable, then it is best to rest it and do some light stretching if it isnt too painful.
Information supplied by Brad Walker and The Stretching Institute. Brad is a leading stretching and sports injury consultant with nearly 20 years experience in the health and fitness industry. For more articles on stretching, flexibility and sports injury management, visit The
