New year, new me, new diet, new exercise routine.
We have all made this resolution at some point in our lives, right? And we all know that we wanna skip leg day because that dreaded second day is the worst.
Massage can make you this sore, too, even if you don't get a deep tissue massage. If you haven't received a massage in a while (or ever), your body will basically feel like it had an entire hour worth of a workout done to it, without having to move at all.
An entire hour all over!
We are literally stretching and relaxing your muscles for you, and as a result, you may experience that 'second day soreness.'
Why does this happen?
Exercise physiologists refer to the gradually increasing discomfort that occurs between 24 and 48 hours after activity as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), and it is perfectly normal.
DOMS is generally believed to be caused by inflammation surrounding microscopic tears in the muscle. When we are working out soreness or stiffness in your muscle, we are working to remove adhesions. Adhesions are like cobwebs in an older home. The muscles have been contracted for a long time, and much like in the house, if you don't move something often enough, cobwebs can form. Sometimes, as we clear away the 'cobwebs' from the muscle, it tears a little bit.
What are the best ways to deal with DOMS?
- Drink your water!
- STRETCH after working out or getting your massage (before you workout, too, but warm up a little first)
- Soak in an epsom salt bath for about 15-20 minutes the night of your massage (the magnesium in the epsom salt will help your muscles recover faster)
- Movement. Any and all movement helps.
- Foam roll
- Pain relief creams or balms (like Tiger balm, Deep Heat, etc.)
Feel free to contact your therapist if you're still curious about DOMS as it relates to massage.