How can I recover quicker after sport?
A question commonly asked by our patients; both athletes and weekend warriors, and the answer is simple! It just takes a little bit more time and a little bit of effort!
Most soreness or discomfort after sport is often referred to as DOMs (delay onset of muscular fatigue). This is simply the muscle recovering from exercise/stress that has occurred. So if we provide our body with the right tools this can be enhanced and leave you ready for more exercise!
Be aware that some injuries such as tendinopathies also occur after sport, these commonly occur in the achilles, under the kneecap (patella tendon) and in the shoulder, it is important that these injuries are assessed to avoid further damage
Warm up!
This might sound silly because it is before the exercise and not after, but if we can pre prepare the body for the stress it’s about to endure then it won’t undergo as much immediate pressure as if you jumped straight into your exercise. Keep these warm ups dynamic and involving as much movement as possible
Cool down
Probably seemed obvious after the first point, but an active recovery promotes blood and nutritional flow to help remove all waste by products in the muscle. An active warm up could include a walk around the block after your run, or even a gentle pedal around the block on your bike. Don’t forget to add those stretches into your post exercise regime!
There are many products on the market now that are designed to help you recover, commonly found and relatively inexpensive are foam rollers and massage balls, more expensive are the new theraguns/percussive instruments that have hit the market in more recent times.
Nutrition
Your body requires fuel to move every single day, it requires even more fuel to exercise. So if we can replenish what we use that will aid the body to return to its resting state sooner.
Some easy things to add is quality carbohydrates, proteins and DRINK WATER, hydration is super important
For more information, contact a sports dietitian or nutritionist to assist with a plan that suits you.
Sleep
Our bodies recover most overnight, as this is the time when our body releases HGH (human growth hormones) which will actively repair those little micro tears in our muscles. Therefore adequate sleep will be really important
If you struggle to get good sleep here are some easy tips to try:
- Avoid screen time for a good 30 minutes before bed
- Sleep in a cooler environment
- Get into a good routine
If you’re still struggling with recovery after this then there may be underlying injuries or things that need to be addressed to get optimum results. Be sure to book in with any of our amazing osteopaths for an appointment, or trial our amazing AxIT system to find the imbalances in your movement!
Easily done by calling our clinic 60211975, or click here!
