Workouts inevitably lead to some muscle soreness. In fact, sore muscles are a sign that your workouts are making you stronger.
As unpleasant as it may be, it’s a sign that your hard work is paying off. That having been said, it’s hard to work up the motivation to reach new athletic goals and prioritize your health if you’re constantly nursing temporary aches and pains.
Topical relief creams are a rapid way to provide significant relief to sore muscles after a workout. They don’t cause any side effects, and they’re safe to use indefinitely.
You can always depend on a muscle relaxant cream to get the job done when it’s time to rest after an intense gym session.
What Happens to Your Muscles After a Workout?
Working out damages your muscles. That’s exactly what it’s supposed to do.
Your muscles are damaged and your body uses protein and minerals to repair the muscle damage. These repairs strengthen your muscles and increase their diameter, toning your physique while improving your strength.
This process takes a while to facilitate. You may be feeling those aches and discomfort for a few days while your body works in the background to repair your muscles. This discomfort is unavoidable, but it is highly treatable with the right muscle relaxant cream.
What Your Body Needs When You Work Out
While temporary pain relief creams do an excellent job of taking the edge off of the discomfort, they don’t treat its underlying source. When you work out, there are a few key practices you should abide by in order to promote optimal recovery.
Slow and Steady Wins the Race
Weight, reps, and distance should be slowly and gradually increased. Although you may feel like you’re ready to climb to new heights, your body needs time to adjust.
Increasing the weight you lift by five to ten pounds at a time, increasing your reps by five, and adding an extra mile at a time to your run will give you better results.
Over time, your body will adapt. Your discomfort is less likely to be significant if you don’t rush your body to meet your next goal. Even if you feel ready to reach for the stars, a slow and steady ascent will decrease your chances of experiencing a severe workout-related injury that may put you out of commission for an extended period.
Get Enough Rest
The biggest reason that people who lift or train have “leg day” or “back day” or “arm day” is to prevent themselves from overworking a single group of muscles. After a workout, each group of muscles will need a day or two to fully recover.
Alternating groups will give the previous group enough downtime to recover. Never work your arms or legs two days in a row, especially if you intend on slowly increasing the intensity of your workout.
Hydrate and Nourish Yourself
Your body needs water, electrolytes, and protein after a workout. Electrolytes help to keep your muscles (including your heart) functioning optimally. Water replaces water lost through sweat and helps to provide cushioning to your muscles and joints.
Protein is the building block of muscles. It’s essential to get an adequate amount of protein to encourage muscle building and repair. Find a protein-rich meal you enjoy and meal prep a big batch. You’ll always have a grab-and-go solution for a nourishing post-workout meal.
What Topical Ingredients Work to Provide Relief?
There are several topically applied ingredients that can work to treat sore muscles or achy joints directly at the source. These ingredients penetrate the surface of the skin to activate receptors and reduce your perception of discomfort and soreness.
Menthol
Menthol activates the same receptors in your skin that are activated by ice. When you apply products formulated with menthol to the surface of your skin, your body believes the area is cold.
Your body becomes distracted by the menthol, which creates a far more pleasant sensory experience than the throbbing or aching discomfort radiating from the affected muscle or joint.
Trolamine Salicylate
When you have a headache, you probably take aspirin. Trolamine salicylate is very similar to aspirin. They’re both in the same family of medicine. When applied topically, trolamine salicylate reduces the sensation of discomfort that comes with muscle soreness and swelling.
How To Use Topical Products for Temporary Pain Relief
Topical products work best when applied to the skin with a massaging motion. Massage helps to promote absorption, working the active ingredients into the skin and encouraging them to penetrate through the surface.
Once the active ingredients reach the receptors in your skin, you’ll begin to feel relief. This process only takes a minute or so.
Massage also works to promote healing. Massage stimulates muscles and joints, encouraging the body to flush away accumulated fluid that leads to discomfort and swelling. While you massage, the muscle, and joint tissue get an influx of freshly oxygenated blood, full of minerals and protein building blocks. Your body can use these to naturally facilitate muscle repair.
1. Hempvana Maximum Strength Pain Relief Cream
Hempvana Maximum Strength Pain Relief Cream is formulated with 10% trolamine salicylate, the maximum allowable for an over-the-counter product. This cream is excellent for both muscles and joints. People with arthritis or joint discomfort love the relief they feel when they massage the cream into their achy joints.
2. Hempvana Cramp Calm
Hempvana Cramp Calm is formulated specifically for legs, feet, and calves. Post-workout leg cramps are common among runners, climbers, and lifters. Legs may feel cramped and restless when you’re trying to sleep at night, and this foam is designed to provide rapid, soothing relief that will allow your legs to relax.
Cramp Calm is formulated with trolamine salicylate and arnica montana, a natural temporary pain reliever known for its ability to reduce swelling and bruising while helping to promote recovery.
3. Hempvana Cold as Ice Roll On Pain Relief Gel
Hempvana Cold as Ice Roll On Pain Relief Gel is a favorite among gym-goers due to its convenient applicator. The roller ball allows you to apply the gel directly from the tube to the source of the discomfort. It’s simple and mess-free — you can keep the tube in your gym bag and roll it on in the locker room.
Cold as Ice utilizes the cooling power of menthol to provide relief to achy muscles and joints within minutes.
Get Back to Your Workout Stronger Than Before
Resting up, eating right, and easing your temporary aches and pains are key to speeding up post-workout recovery.
Listen to your body and don’t be too ambitious. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and you won’t become an Olympic gold medalist overnight.
Commit yourself to your wellness goals and let Hempvana help you on your journey.