Quit Your After-Workout Achin’

Q: What's the best way to relieve sore muscles?
-Tami, Winter Park, FL

A: Muscle soreness is kind of like a hangover — but instead of booze being the culprit, it's yesterday's biceps curls. The day after a tough workout, you have to give your body a break the same way you would after a wild night out with the girls.

Post-exercise muscle soreness occurs in the body as a result of inflammation and a buildup of lactic acid — a substance that's produced when your body metabolizes glucose. It's a by-product of physical expenditure, much like ashes are to a fire. And there is a direct correlation between how much muscular energy you use and how much lactic acid your muscles produce — so the more time you spend bench pressing, the more of the soreness-inducing substance you're going to make.

You can get relief by doing gentle activities that increase circulation, which delivers fresh oxygen to the sore muscles, easing inflammation and helping expedite lactic acid from your system. Here are five good ways to get your blood pumping.

1. Massage.

Ever noticed a sports trainer massaging players immediately after the big game? They do it to prevent soreness. Rubbing the muscles stimulates blood flow, moving lactic acid one step closer to gone.

2. Stretching.

You can also ease some discomfort by gently (and frequently) stretching achy muscles. Like massage, it works by increasing circulation, and also helps prevent the muscles from tightening up further.

3. Light exercise.

Any type of light cardiovascular training — like a 30-minute walk — is another great way to get your blood flowing. Avoid strenuous activity, especially heavy weight trainin — it can be too taxing on the body and may produce more inflammation and lactic acid, which will make matters worse.

4. Heat.

You don't have to move your muscles to warm them up and stimulate blood flow. You can also take a bath or apply a heating pad. Choose the method that's most comfortable for you and keep the heat on for at least 20 minutes.

5. Rest.

If you're super sore, take it easy. There is truth to the saying "Time heals all wounds." When you are extremely achy, take a break from physical activity for a day or more — up to a week — depending on how you feel. I recall being so sore after an upper-body weight-training workout that I couldn't drive my stick shift home! That was my cue that I needed to rest. The human body has the miraculous ability to repair itself — you should be back to the track (or the weight room) in no time.

Ellen Barrett is the author of three books and owns a fitness studio in New Haven, Connecticut. You can read more about her here.