Before jumping into an exercise routine full force, take a few minutes to warm up the muscle groups that you’ll be using for your workout session. This will get the blood flowing and activate the muscle fibers, making them better able to handle the strain of training and recovery. Following your workout, decrease your intensity and give your body a chance to cool down and re-regulate itself.Warm muscles aren’t as easily damaged by vigorous activity. If you give your body a chance to get acclimated, you’ll never get as sore as if you skip the warm up phase.
A proper warm up will also help you avoid straining or tearing muscles during exercise.;
, Perform some basic stretches before you really begin pushing yourself. Stretching prepares the body for difficult physical tasks by lengthening muscle fibers and increasing range of motion. It may not prevent soreness entirely, but it can cut down on pain and stiffness considerably by keeping you mobile.Increased range of motion is an advantage because it makes each part of an exercise easier. If you’re not forced to struggle through the movement, you won’t accumulate as much soreness.
 Know your limits when exercising or completing difficult physical tasks. Keep high intensity movements limited to short bursts, maintain a manageable pace and take rest breaks whenever you need them. If you try to do more than you can handle, the result will invariably be severe soreness and increased risk of injury.It’s normal to think of soreness as an indicator for performance—the more sore you are the next day, the harder you must have worked. This isn’t always the case, however. If you continue to push yourself too hard, you become prone to getting hurt or burning out.
You don’t need to leave sore every time you go to the gym. In fact, this can hurt your performance over time, because you’ll be less likely to go back regularly and make consistent progress if you’re always in pain., The more you use a muscle, the better adapted to exertion it will become. Try working out the same muscle group at a moderate intensity a couple times a week. Keep the sore muscles active as you recover, even if they ache. As your level of fitness improves, so too will your ability to cope with the onset of muscle soreness caused by lactic acid.If you tend to get very sore, it probably means that your muscles aren’t yet suited for the type or intensity of work that they’re doing.
Lower the intensity of your next couple workouts as you work through lactic acid soreness., Set aside half an hour 2-3 times a week to stretch all the major muscle groups. Stretching sore muscles can be uncomfortable, but it’s a surefire way to promote blood flow. Proper circulation is essential to recovery because waste products like lactic acid are carried away and disposed of through the bloodstream.Stretching can be done from a static position (holding still) or dynamically (in motion). Both are effective at combating soreness, but dynamic stretching is better for increasing circulation.There’s no need to force a stretch, since you’ll already be in pain. Simply settle as deeply into the stretch as you comfortably can and hold it until the muscle begins to relax.
 Press delicately on tender muscles and joints to work out tension. Don’t dig in too hard, or it can really hurt. Massage works in much the same way that stretching does to speed up the recovery process by getting the blood flowing and increasing mobility in the muscle fibers. It’s also a pleasurable reward for your efforts at work or in the gym.Have a friend, coach or professional massage the sore spots that you can’t get to yourself.
Foam rollers and other self-massaging devices also work well for breaking up muscular tension., Soak for 15-30 minutes in a hot bath at the peak of lactic acid soreness. As with stretching and massaging, heat serves to improve circulation, loosen stiffness and temporarily ease the dull ache of overworked muscles. You can even try alternating hot and cold baths, as cooler temperatures help reduce inflammation and act as a natural painkiller.Baths are a better remedy for soreness than showers because the heat (or cold) is able to surround and penetrate the muscles when you’re submerged.
 Slather a menthol-based topical pain ointment, like Icy Hot, Bengay or Tiger Balm, onto the places where it hurts the most. As the menthol takes effect, it creates a cool, tingling sensation on the skin that distracts the nerves from pain and provides welcome relief. The tingling also stimulates blood flow, which you know by now is a good thing.Topical ointments offer the greatest relief when applied at the joints where the muscles connect, and where soreness is usually worst.
Just because you’re experiencing less pain doesn’t mean you’re fully recovered. Be careful not to overexert yourself while treating soreness with a topical ointment.
 It’s important to feed yourself well after any kind of intense physical exertion. Consume a diet rich in all the major macronutrients, such as fats, proteins and carbohydrates. These nutrients are used to repair damaged muscle tissues and keep your metabolism running efficiently. Think of food as the payment your body receives in return for its hard work.Foods that are high in antioxidants, such as leafy green vegetables, nuts and berries, have been shown to stave off lactic acid.Try to eat more on the days that you exercise, because that’s when your body needs the most fuel.
 Make sure that you’re fully hydrated before you begin working out, and keep drinking plenty of water during and after. Since water makes up a big percentage of the body’s tissues, all your cells need the element to function correctly. A good rule of thumb is to try to drink around 20 ounces of water for every hour of exercise you perform.If your urine is light yellow in color or clear throughout the day, it means you’re getting enough water. Dark yellow urine is a sign of dehydration., If the pain of lactic acid buildup is unbearable, swallow a couple of NSAID pain relievers (such as ibuprofen or aspirin) with a full glass of water. Pain relievers target inflammation at the source and can play a role in getting you back on your feet. Taking an aspirin won’t cure soreness itself, but soothing the pain allows you to resume movement of the sore muscles, which is good for speeding lactic acid out of your system.In general, it’s preferable to only take pain relievers as a last resort. Opt for the lowest dose you can to help with your symptoms. Using NSAIDs too frequently can cause nasty side effects like gradual muscle breakdown and intestinal bleeding, and may actually make inflammation worse.Make sure you’re not allergic to any painkillers before using them to treat muscle soreness.
 In addition to eating nourishing whole foods and drinking lots of water, you may benefit from taking certain supplements that ease soreness. Protein feeds the muscles and aids them in growth and repair. Organic extracts like curcumin have an anti-inflammatory effect that reduce swelling and sensitivity naturally.Multivitamins fortify the body and keep you healthy. Taking these supplements after a difficult workout can prevent you from getting as sore, and keep soreness from lasting as long.


Severe muscular soreness is sometimes your body’s way of telling you that it is lacking a particular nutrient.
Supplements get your body the nutrients it needs that it may not be getting enough of from food alone.
Warm up and cool down thoroughly.
Do a little light stretching.
Don’t overdo it.
Work out more frequently.
Stretch out.
Massage the muscles gently.
Take a hot bath.
Rub on a topical ointment.
Eat a balanced diet.
Stay hydrated.
Take a low dose pain reliever.
Replenish essential vitamins and minerals with supplements.
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