Why Do You Have Swelling after Workout?

By Jesse Regan

Most of us have probably experienced muscle swelling or soreness after a workout. Although this doesn't happen all the time, muscle swelling often happens after having intense work outs. But what causes muscle swelling in the first place?

Muscle soreness or swelling is a common consequence of hard and vigorous exercises like intense weight lifting, nonstop stair climber on the gym, and great speed on the track. When our muscles are working hard, they produce a byproduct known as lactic acid. This product can cause irritation and discomfort to the muscles which will then lead to muscle swelling. However, muscle swelling caused by lactic acid only lasts a few hours to less than a day after the work out. For muscle swelling that stays for two days and over, there is a totally different explanation.

Whenever we try to subject our muscles for work outs much more than their capacities, they tend to get some damages. When this happens, white blood cells, prostaglandins, and other fluids and nutrients flow to the muscles to repair the inflicted damage. The sudden influx of these elements causes the swelling of the muscles. These said elements continuously flow through the muscles until they are fully repaired. The damage in the muscles being referred to are microscopic and it depends on the intensity of the work out. This explains why there are some muscle swellings that last 2 days while there are those that can reach of up to 5 days tops.

The common misconception for some fitness enthusiasts is that muscle swelling is needed for better muscle growth. Muscles still do grow and individuals get stronger even when they don't get a muscle sore. Muscle swelling does cause several uncomfortable consequences like difficulty in walking, reduced strength, and being uncomfortable for several days.

An anti-inflammatory may come in handy as a remedy for muscle swelling. However, there is a certain difference between taking an anti-inflammatory drug before and after a workout. Several studies have revealed that taking an anti-inflammatory drug like ibuprofen before exercise reduces more soreness or swelling than taking it after a workout. In some cases, gym enthusiasts rely solely on pre-stretching to help either prevent or reduce muscle swelling. But careful investigation exposed that pre-stretching has no notable contribution to preventing or reducing muscle soreness.

Another good remedy on muscle soreness is a massage. There were also some conducted studies that showed the effect of 30% less muscle swelling for those who have received massages after their work outs compared to those who have not. In other cases, there are several people who still want to go on with their work outs even with a muscle swelling. In order to do so, one must first determine the specific muscle affected by swelling. After which, you can then use the muscle on lighter exercises and see the effects. If the soreness of the muscle happens to have no reactions with the work outs, you can go ahead with the full extent of the exercises. But if the swelling happens to become worse, it is best to immediately stop your work out and take some rest. Keep in mind that a damaged muscle needs more time for it to get full recovery before it starts to grow. When you want to be robust in health, you have to know information on results driven workout . - 17273

About the Author:

If you liked reading about valuable information on workout video , then I can say you will love to see this. It is a great opportunity to get in the best shape of your physical and financial life. Contact me if you want to workout from home and earn money while doing it. Remember, everything I say has a guarantee so don't wait.