Aching bones and muscles have been everyone’s complaint at least once in their lives. Damp weather, physical labor jobs, household chores, and strenuous hobbies all contribute to sore muscles.
And while many of us would quickly draw a bath of Epsom salts to soak in, or grab a couple of aspirin tablets, there are other ways to handle this often temporary condition.
We recommend stretching to help sore muscles.
Why Does Stretching Sore Muscles Feel So Good?
It’s no surprise really that we advocate stretching to help with sore legs and arms. If you stretch just a little while watching television, or when you wake up, your body starts to feel better.
You actually feel like you have the motivation to get moving and do something.
Another reason stretching feels so good is that it works out the kinks from sleeping in the wrong position, from working hard, or from doing repetitive tasks. It is a way to readjust the body and put it back in the right place.
For the same reason, we were told as kids not to hunch over, stretching gets our spine and limbs aligned.
Do you ever notice when you are sitting at a desk working on your computer that when you sit up straight and stretch out your back and neck, you suddenly feel rejuvenated? This is because you are working with your body’s rhythm and not against it.
In fact, the farther down you slouch, the more aches and pains you feel. Stretching puts everything back in sync and makes sore muscles feel good.
Stretches to Help Sore Leg Muscles
If you have a job where you bend down a lot, or you have been working out in the garden, you are probably going to suffer from really sore legs.
To be honest, almost all everyday tasks and chores require strenuous use of the legs. From raking leaves, shoveling snow, mopping floors, to simple walking, aches and pains abound.
Depending on the difficulty of the exercise, yoga tends to have several options for stretching and soothing sore muscles.
Another excellent activity is Tai Chi. It is a fluid selection of movements that allows the body relief from stress and anxiety. The exercises are completely low impact, and while you focus on them, you will find you are meditating at the same time.
Your sore leg muscles, plus your tired and weary brain, all benefit from tai chi.
Should you worry about muscle cracking? Why do muscles crack when stretching?
Stretches to Relieve Sore Thigh Muscles
The upper portion of your legs can get quite worn out, and you can actually pull muscles, especially if you are doing something new and haven’t used them in a long time.
And, while you might think that you are not able to do another minute of exercise, stretching is something different, and is perfect for relaxing sore, tired muscles in the thighs.
One of the easiest stretches to perform is to stand on one leg. Lift the other leg towards your buttocks, and hold the stretch. Use your hand to lift the leg and support it while holding the foot close to your buttock.
Then do the same to the other leg. After completing a couple of these stretches on each leg, you will start to feel some relief in the front and back of the thigh area.
Stretching Sore Muscles Day After Workout
Although you don’t want to push your muscles to the limit when they already hurt, sometimes, it is better to wait until the next day before stretching them out.
Most times, it is recommended to do cool-down exercises after a vigorous workout, but in some cases, you should let the muscles rest, and then stretch them out after twenty-four hours.
Gentle stretching is the key here so that the muscles can recover. If you workout on a regular basis, you may not be as sore, but if this is the first or second time trying out a new routine or even starting an exercise regimen in combination with a weight loss diet, then you are going to be sore for a few days.
At this point your body will crave stretching to help sore muscles.
Stretches to Relieve Sore Arm Muscles
There’s a lot of wear and tear on our arms from pretty well everything we do. Just carrying groceries can cause us to wince in pain afterwards. That spot between the shoulder and the elbow really takes a beating.
But, like other muscles in the body, we can use stretches to relieve sore arm muscles, too.
One of the main stretches is the arm over the chest and the other arm or hand holding it up gently at the elbow just until you feel a slight pulling. Hold this position for a few seconds. Then switch arms and do the same thing again.
This stretch is often used at the end of an aerobics class to wind down.
Exercises to Relieve Piriformis Muscle Pain
Before we talk about the restorative value of stretching, we should first explain where the piriformis muscle is.
Basically, this is a flat or band-like muscle found in the buttocks. It helps with rotation of the hips and is needed to support lower body movement.
In addition to excessive exercise, it can be damaged by sitting for very long periods of time. Chronic cases will require massage and physical therapy. The goal is to stretch out the muscle, over time, in order to restore full range of motion.
Soreness or damage in this muscle can be debilitating, and thus, requires specialist attention.
In fact, you might need a helper in the beginning to assist with the stretches until you can get to the point of doing them by yourself.
The main exercise for pain in the piriformis muscle requires lying on your back on the floor or mat. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor. Then lift your right leg onto the left knee. Once you are stable, raise the whole position toward your chest.
As we said earlier, you may need help, but neither you nor the assistant should force anything. Gentle guidance and movements are important, as stretching out this muscle is not an overnight task. It takes gradual time and consistent effort.
Stretching Sore Muscles Flexibility
Generally speaking, all stretching can help to improve flexibility. The idea is to target the right places with the associated stretch.
Whether your condition requires a consultation with a health practitioner to determine a proper routine, or you can work on your own by reading and watching explanatory videos, stretching to help sore muscles to become more flexible will be the focus of either plan.
What type of stretching is most recommended for general fitness purposes?
Stretching Sore Muscles Bodybuilding
There is no doubt that bodybuilding is a rigorous sport that does take a toll on the body when done incorrectly.
What is really strange about this type of training, though, is that the pain is not always immediate. Professionals speak about DOMS which is Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness.
It is usually caused by overzealous trainees that are new to a program, or by increasing weight or workload in an unorganized fashion. For example, when adding to an existing routine, more weight or tension should be added in increments, not lump sums.
At this point, it will be necessary to carry out recovery training which involves stretching exercises from from Pliates, Yoga or Tai Chi.
All of these are restorative and are recommended stretches for sore muscles from bodybuilding.
Final Thoughts on Stretching to Help Sore Muscles
The key with stretching to help sore muscles is that it prevents the muscles from contracting and expanding. Without the stretches, the muscles fall into a repetitive cycle and that causes the pain.
By keeping up a consistent program of proper stretching, you can train your muscles to the point that you are not feeling continual aches and pains.
