If you happen to decide from one day to the next that sports is missing from your life and you urgently intend to change this, you have made one of the best decisions in your life. However, you need to know that although you have definitely committed yourself, your muscles are by no way ready to take the strain.

Sore muscles on the day after may actually discourage you from continuing, especially if you immediately cycle as much as your experienced colleague you have asked about ten times how much and how many times he rides a week, or immediately switch the tile of the treadmill to Level 3 just because "you don't go jogging on a flat surface, because it's so second-rate".

If you don't do any sports, it is perfectly normal to feel some sort of muscle pain on the day after the first training sessions or within 48 hours at the latest. There are several reasons for this, although the higher quantity of lactic acid released was considered the only underlying reason for quite some time. Any highly strained muscle does not get the volume of oxygen required for this intensity of use, which is why it is forced to switch from an aerobic (oxygen-rich) functioning to anaerobic (without oxygen). Lactic acid is the end product of this latter process, which shifts the pH balance and is unable to deplete when suddenly stopping activities.

Both the pH shift and the presence of the acid stimulates pain receptors making every movement painful, discomforting. Beyond lactic acid, micro-cracks arising after sudden, intense activity, as well as the role of the accumulation of calcium ion inside cells and local inflammation arising because of these processes are highlighted these days.

KEEP DOING SPORTS OR REST?

Old-fashioned trainers always pushed former generations of sports persons by claiming that continuing the hard work is the best way to get rid of any excess lactic acid. However, no-one really believes this today. The work actually does increase blood flow in the muscle; however, further intense exercises should be avoided due to the risk of inflammation and micro-injuries.

By no means continue the hard training if you already have sore muscles. Discharging suddenly accumulating metabolic by-products (such as lactic acid) can be facilitated by accelerating blood flow. A warm bath, sauna or warm dressing is particularly useful. Use of various sports creams combined with a massage can also do wonders. Although hard work should be avoided, the situation can be improved by lightly exercising the given part of the body.

HOW TO AVOID HAVING SORE MUSCLES?

A wise training plan is most important above-all. Don't take warming up casually. It works really well if you are already sweating a little bit at the end. Take 10-20 minutes to warm up every muscle. Don't just giggle and shake your wrists as you would at the beginning of a physical education class at school.

Relax after warming up, which is naturally not only important at the beginning of the training session, but just as important at the end and is called cooling down. This is important to help your muscles discharge the huge volume of end products that accumulated as a result of the intense work. Light exercises should be done so as to avoid the accumulation of other waste material.

It may occur, although luckily only rarely, that your muscles are sore regardless of physical activity. This is generally a symptom accompanying fever or arises due to trauma. Definitely consult your doctor if this persists for over a week.

(Source: semmelweisfigyelo.hu)

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