You’ve just played what feels like the game of your life, and you’re really proud of how you pushed yourself. You ran faster, jumped higher, stayed agile, and reached some personal goals in the process.
However, you wake up the next day in utter agony. The adrenaline that got you through the game is gone, and now you’re feeling every ache and pain. The trauma and micro-tears that your muscles experienced have left you completely sore.
Although you know you’ll get stronger once those muscles have repaired themselves, you ask how you can speed up the recovery process. Here are 4 tips to help ease some of that soreness and even give your healing a boost:
Ice/Hot Bath
This method isn’t for everyone, and some people have reported that they felt even sorer afterward.
However, many professional athletes swear by their post-game ice baths. A 10-minute ice bath reportedly helps your body flush out waste products as it constricts blood vessels. Ice baths propose to reduce tissue swelling and decrease inflammation thus increasing the speed of recovery.
On the other hand, hot baths have also been said to jump-start recovery by dilating the blood vessels which bring extra blood to damaged tissues. Plus, hot baths are naturally relaxing, and that can also encourage your body to heal.
Sleep
Sleep is perhaps the most recommended thing that you can do if you want to recover. Eight hours of sleep after a game can do wonders as your body heals itself the most during sleep. The last thing you want to do at this point is to engage in more strenuous activity that will only worsen your condition.
Massage
Make sure you get a massage from a professional or someone who knows what they are doing. A massage administered incorrectly could potentially damage a muscle. That being said, massages are excellent for relaxation and improving blood flow. These help release endorphins. So you’re not only healing, but you also start to feel fantastic.
Refuel
You probably have lost a lot of fluids during your game. To heal, you need to replenish the electrolytes that are now likely depleted. Fuel up with plenty of fluids and the right food to jump-start your recovery.
Sugar-free sports drinks will get you re-hydrated and replenish your electrolytes while high protein foods and shakes will help your muscles repair themselves.
These are the most common tips on helping your body recover from a game. Many athletes also swear by compression garments that have been said to increase blood flow to the muscles by constricting your muscles thus releasing the amount of fluid buildup and decreasing the swelling and pressure.
At some point, you will discover what works best for you when It comes to your personal recovery. Listen to your own body and for the cues that signify whether the method is working or not.