Recovery and Self Care: Best Body Products for Achy Muscles

If yesterday’s workout leaves your muscles feeling sore and achy today, you are experiencing something called DOMS, or Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. For newbies, it can be quite alarming and leave them wondering if they’ve done damage to their bodies. It’s quite the opposite, actually. Sore muscles after a workout only mean that you’ve caused tiny tears in your muscle fibers, and those tiny tears are what causes your muscles to grow as they rebuild and repair. 

DOMS usually lasts 24-48 hours and sometimes longer if it is an extra strenuous exercise. Finding some products and remedies to help ease the soreness can make it more bearable while your muscle fibers go through the healing process.  

Magnesium

You’ve most likely seen magnesium discussed on social media and forums lately. It seems to be a hot topic these days, and for good reason as it carries a vital role in the health of our bones and muscles. Magnesium has been shown to fight inflammation, as well as ease tense muscles and help them relax. If you have a hard time falling asleep due to muscle soreness, cramps, or achyness, consider taking some magnesium before bedtime to help your muscles relax.

Epsom Salt

It’s not uncommon to hear of people soaking in an epsom salt bath after a good, hard workout. The warm water combined with the Epsom Salt eases muscle tension and soreness. Funny enough, epsom salt is actually another form of magnesium. They are chemically different though, so don’t think you can eat them! 

Hydrate

Looking for a bunch of fancy products may not always be necessary. Dehydration is a major culprit of sore muscles, as your body uses up a lot of fluids during a workout session. 

Water flushes out toxins, lubricates your joints, and energizes your muscles. It is a huge factor when it comes to your recovery, and one that should be utilized every day.

Sleep

Although not a product that you can buy, sleep cannot be overlooked when it comes to healing your sore and tired muscles. The majority of our recovery happens during sleep, so if you’re cutting yourself short or burning the candle at both ends, your recovery is going to take a hit and your muscles are going to ache and hurt longer than necessary. 

Don’t skimp on shut-eye in the post workout phase. (Looks like you just got permission to go to bed early or squeeze in a nap!)

Chillax Muscle Recovery Gel

Chillax is a lightweight, non-greasy, plant-based muscle recovery gel with an energizing aroma in an easy-to-use rollerball applicator to help soothe and relax muscles. Keep it in your gym bag for those pesky aches and pains that may hinder your workout, and then use it afterwards to relieve the soreness of your hard work. 

Chillax Muscle Recovery Gel

Ancient Minerals Magnesium Lotion

Another magnesium product to try is a topical application. Somehow, magnesium keeps winning in every way! 

Ancient Minerals Magnesium Lotion is known to help with joint mobility, muscle recovery, healthy skin and aging, and immune support and can be found here. 

Arnicare Gel

This gel contains the famous arnica plant, a homeopathic pain remedy. It is also widely used for help with bruising. If you workout much, you know that bruising is just a part of working out so I consider this a ‘2 for 1’ remedy! Help those deadlift bruises heal faster, and ease the muscle soreness all at the same time. 

Arnicare Gel  is easily found on Amazon for a very reasonable price. It will help with your muscle stiffness and soreness, and reduce pain and swelling. 

Foam Rolling

Want to add pain on top of pain? Try foam rolling! Seriously though, taking a foam roller to your sore muscles may not initially feel the greatest, but it’s effective in releasing tension in the fascia. When foam rolling, you put pressure on tissues that release trigger points in your muscles. You are literally rolling out the pain which is the cause of the discomfort. There are many different types of foam rollers with some of them working better for different parts of the body than others. Give a few of them a try and see what is effective for you. 

Cupping

Home use cupping therapy system great to increase circulation, reduce muscle & joint pain relief, plantar fasciitis, and overall improve athletic recovery.

Don’t stop working out just because you’re sore. Soreness is not always an indication of injury; it’s often an indication of a worked muscle. Worked muscles become strong muscles, and strong muscles become strong bodies. Go put in the work, and then choose to recover well!