Every month we will post a new tip to help you reach your wellness goals. Brought to you by Monica Swofford, M.Div., CPT, Wellness Coordinator.

SORE MUSCLES…
What’s the Right Thing to do?
Overworking our muscles causes tiny tears in the muscle fibers which results in swelling. We SHOULD be able to get into shape without getting super stiff and sore, but most of us believe we have to overdo it to feel as if we’ve done something!

Remember the following hints:

• Use massage carefully…a gentle massage 1 or 2 days after “overdoing” it increases blood circulation and promotes healing.
  
• Listen to your body…pain is your body’s way of telling you that you overdid it. Begin your program gradually
  
• Forget sports creams…these make your skin feel arm or cool, but they do nothing for underlying tissues
  
• Do gentle stretches or go for a walk or swim…getting some light exercise the day after hard exercise can help soreness
  
• If you know you’ve overdone it, apply an ice pack to your muscles for 20-30 minute periods every hour. Cold constricts the blood vessels and keeps the blood away from the injured muscles which will reduce inflammation
  
• Avoid heat for the first 24 hours…applying heat, contrary to what most people realize, increase muscle soreness and stiffness even though it usually feels. Heat causes the blood vessels to dilate which increases swelling