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Healthy Balance

Still Sore? Post-Workout Muscle Recovery Tips

a man holds his sore arm

It seemed like a good idea at the time. You hit the gym, climbed the hills, or ran too far too fast. Now, your overworked quads, glutes, and hamstrings are screaming, “Hey, wait up!” You're in dire need of muscle recovery.

It happens. Your fitness goals are within reach. But your body’s overdue for a break. And it’s talking back … again! Is it time to throw in the workout towel? Not a chance! Fitness helps your heart, mind, and body. If you want to stay in the game and reduce the “ouch” factor, here’s a guide.

Brush up on these pre-workout basics and post-workout recovery tips. They’ll also help with sore muscle recovery if you overdo it. The endgame? Reaching your goals without burning out your muscles and your motivation.

Muscle Recovery Wisdom

“No pain, no gain,” is only true to a point. Overdoing it sets you back. It’s okay to feel mild soreness after a workout. When you work your muscles, microscopic muscle fibers break down. You’ll feel some discomfort. As muscle fibers rebuild, your muscles are getting stronger.

But if you push it, you can get tiny tears in your muscles. You’ll feel pain and inflammation. Flareups damage and weaken tissues. If you’re too sore, ease up.

When Muscle Pain = Doctor Visit

See your care provider if:

Ignoring the signs can lead to sprains, strains, and sidelining injuries. Common setbacks include pulled hamstrings, shoulder strain, and Achilles heel, or other types of tendonitis (inflamed tendons). I've learned the hard way how damaging pushing through an injury can be. While tempting, you can make things way worse. And even end up needing surgery and sidelined for months.

Remember, the fundamentals still matter. For smoother recoveries, resist the urge to skip steps. Set aside plenty of time for important pre-workout warmups and post-workout cooldowns.

Before Your Workout

Ease into workout routines. Gradual warmups help your muscles, body, and heart rate get up to speed. To prevent muscle soreness and overuse injuries:

Post-Workout Muscle Recovery

After a good workout, wind down gradually. Sudden stops are a shock to your body’s system. Your muscles, joints, heart, and lungs need time to adjust. Be sure to:

Sidelined by Injury?

UVA Health physical medicine & rehabilitation experts can help find the root cause and get you back to your workout.

How to Get Rid of Muscle Soreness

Before you reach for the medicine cabinet, try other approaches. Some of these sore muscle recovery options could be your new best friends:

Play the Long Game

Whatever your fitness level or training goals, tune in to your body’s signals. To prevent post-workout soreness, ease up when you need to. Take time to take care of tender muscles before they get worse. Relaxing stretches and easy warmups and cooldowns make a difference. They’re simple steps that help you stay on track toward your long-term health and fitness goals.  

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