Aching Muscles

[[old] adkmurray]

Going on 63 this January and plagued at times with aching muscles especially after a long row. I stretch, warm up, cool down, stretch etc.. Whatever I do, doesn't make any difference. Once I take a hot shower then check out a football game on tv, that's it. All the muscles from head to toe seem to kick in and I'm done for that day. I'm assuming that's normal and goes with keeping in shape but as the years pass it seems to intensify a bit. Not a bad feeling, a lot better than the feeling you get when your out of shape and not exercising. Just wondering how others handle it.<br />Cheers,<br />Jim

[[old] ljwagner]

You should not be hurting, unless you overdo it.<br /><br />Are you achy doing your workout or cooldown ?<br /><br />Don't have TOO hot of a shower.<br />Have something to eat and drink within 90 minutes of finishing your workout.

[[old] John Rupp]

<!--QuoteBegin-ljwagner+Nov 20 2005, 09:00 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(ljwagner @ Nov 20 2005, 09:00 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Don't have TOO hot of a shower.[right] </td></tr></table><br /><br />A cold shower would be better. <br /><br />Or have a "just warm enough" shower and finish with the water being colder.<br />

[[old] FrankJ]

<!--QuoteBegin-adkmurray+Nov 20 2005, 05:36 AM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(adkmurray @ Nov 20 2005, 05:36 AM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Going on 63 this January and plagued at times with aching muscles especially after a long row.  I stretch, warm up, cool down, stretch etc..  Whatever I do, doesn't make any difference.  Once I take a hot shower then check out a football game on tv, that's it.  All the muscles from head to toe seem to kick in and I'm done for that day.  I'm assuming that's normal and goes with keeping in shape but as the years pass it seems to intensify a bit.  Not a bad feeling, a lot better than the feeling you get when your out of shape and not exercising.  Just wondering how others handle it.<br />Cheers,<br />Jim <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Jim,<br /><br />I turned 60 in August and must admit that your comments are surprising to me. Typically I row in the 50K to 75K a week range with my longest row about an hour. I do a warm up and cool down but no extra stretching. As a runner I found that stretching too much was a good way to injure myself. Today I rowed a 10K online race. My warm up was 1K which varied from slow to race pace. For a cool down we rowed a 2K at 2:15 pace. I feel great. Quite often I will do a rowing race like this then go out and cut down trees and split wood for a couple of hours. Nothing real intense but I like to keep moving after a race. Perhaps it is the sitting in front of the TV that does you in.<br /><br />Frank

[[old] adkmurray]

Thanks for the comments. I think Frank has a good point about inactivity after a workout since all is fine until you relax and then the muscles seem to tighten up. Between that and a hot shower, probably not the best thing to do. A while back I listened to a pro football player complain of the exact same thing which caught my attention. He took a hot shower, set down and relaxed and that was it, the muscles tightened up or whatever they do and ached and stiffened up. I've had this for as long as I can remember, being a former runner. I've brought it to the attention of doctors, been tested for arthritis etc., clean bill of health. Mostly in the winter, I can get the same symtoms just from being out in the cold. During the past several years we've been heading for warmer climates in the winter and there is a noticeable difference in muscle discomfort. I don't pay to much attention to it since the next day all is fine and also during workouts I feel great. Probably just an advil or something would cure all but would rather not do that. Happy that's all the health problems I have right now.<br />Thanks again,<br />Jim

[[old] Porkchop]

You might try "contrast baths." If you have the facilities, going from a hot pool to a cold one or from a sauna to a cold shower or a snowbank is one way to do this, but for most of us, it simply involves changing the water temperature from hot to cold and back a couple of times. <br /><br />The theory is that the hot water causes the blood vessels in the skin to dilate diverting blood out of the body to the skin in order to dissipate body heat. When you change over to cold water, the the body constricts the veins and arteries to and from the skin in order to keep body heat in. This has the effect of driving blood to the rest of the body, including the muscles. When you reverse the process and switch back to hot water, the blood in the muscles rushes back out to the skin, taking with it lactic acid and other waste products responsible for delayed onset muscle soreness ("DOMS"). Doing this a couple of times is supposed to flush the muscles of waste products and aid recovery.<br /><br />Some people swear by this. In my experience, it seems to work, although I don't do it religiously.

[[old] IanOnline]

Interesting reading, I often have a steam for 20mins after a workout, is this ill advised as I thought this removed the lactic acid from muscles.<br />I "hate" cold showers!

[[old] Hal Morgan]

I drink water when I ache, enough to be full. Then I drink a cup of green tea 30 minutes later. Flushing my whole sytstem. <br /><br />Say h*** o to you family doctor soon. Just in case. This couold be his job not ours.

[[old] Byron Drachman]

<!--QuoteBegin--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Going on 63 this January </td></tr></table> <br /><br />Hi Jim,<br /><br />You're still a youngster. I want to join the others who suggest doing something after the workout. Have you tried a nice brisk walk? That's an old trick that cyclists do after a tough race. It helps flush the crud out. It's funny that Hal mentioned green tea. I also have a cup of green tea and a piece of toast with natural peanut butter after a workout on the C2. I have no idea if this helps anything, but it tastes good.<br /><br />Byron<br />

[[old] John Rupp]

Hot water brings the blood to the surface of the skin.<br /><br />Similar to running a marathon on a hot day, this can make your muscles very sore.<br /><br />Cold water drives the blood deep in your muscles, for replenishment, strength and recovery.<br /><br />For similar reasons, I would never use heat on an injury, whereas cold water and ice is healing and strengthening.

[[old] adkmurray]

<!--QuoteBegin-John Rupp+Nov 20 2005, 06:00 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(John Rupp @ Nov 20 2005, 06:00 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Hot water brings the blood to the surface of the skin.<br /><br />Similar to running a marathon on a hot day, this can make your muscles very sore.<br /><br />Cold water drives the blood deep in your muscles, for replenishment, strength and recovery.<br /><br />For similar reasons, I would never use heat on an injury, whereas cold water and ice is healing and strengthening. <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Wow, I've had that all wrong. I've always done the hot shower thing thinking it would relax the muscles therefore relieve any aching. <br />Jim

[[old] Citroen]

<!--QuoteBegin-adkmurray+Nov 20 2005, 10:37 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(adkmurray @ Nov 20 2005, 10:37 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin-John Rupp+Nov 20 2005, 06:00 PM--><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><div class='genmed'><b>QUOTE(John Rupp @ Nov 20 2005, 06:00 PM)</b></div></td></tr><tr><td class='quote'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Hot water brings the blood to the surface of the skin.<br /><br />Similar to running a marathon on a hot day, this can make your muscles very sore.<br /><br />Cold water drives the blood deep in your muscles, for replenishment, strength and recovery.<br /><br />For similar reasons, I would never use heat on an injury, whereas cold water and ice is healing and strengthening. <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />Wow, I've had that all wrong. I've always done the hot shower thing thinking it would relax the muscles therefore relieve any aching. <br />Jim <br /> </td></tr></table><br /><br />I'd take <b>any medical advice</b> or anything that might appear to be medical advice that John Rupp offers with a very large pinch of salt (unless you are hypertensive in which case that may not be a good idea .)<br /><br />He is not reliable, he seems to have an inherent hatred of the medical profession and doesn't want to trust their knowledge, experience or opinion. <br /><br />Wait for someone with a <b>real</b> medical background to comment on here.<br /><br />

[[old] John Rupp]

You won't find me giving any <b>medical advice</b>, as I prefer to be <b>healthy</b>.

[[old] ljwagner]

John knows some things really well, but not the heat and cool thing.<br /><br />Injured tissues if warmed further, will ooze some sort of cellular toxic stuff, that damages or ruptures other nearby tissues, effectively increasing the size and area of injury. You make it worse, and hurt more.<br /><br />Cooling injured tissues REDUCES circulation, therby limiting this cellular tissue damage, and reducing the potential area of injury. Smaller damage, less pain, faster healing.<br /><br />For most tissue injuries, cold treatments for three days, then light heat to stimulate circulation and speed healing. Its all in training manuals. 20 minutes off, 20 on. No direct ice contact with skin. Never more than gentle heat, you are warming your tissue, not cooking a roast. <br /><br />By the way, high heat could cause damage even if there was none before. It may feel good for awhile, you gain tolerance, but its very risky, if not just unsafe.<br /><br />The mantra for injuries for at LEAST 30 years is R.I.C.E. <br /><br />Rest<br />Ice<br />Compression <br />Elevation<br /><br />The later two if swelling is present.<br /><br />My last great reminder 10 years ago was a pulled calf that I mistook for a cramp. I heated it, and was off that leg for a month. It should have bothered me 2 weeks at best. When in doubt, cool it.

[[old] Coach Gus]

I've read a few reports that said soaking in a hot tub after running longer distances such as half to full marathons extended the time for the body to recover. If I'm remembering correctly it add 3 to 4 days, but don't hold me to that time frame. We used to think heat helped loosen tight muscles after heavy training or hard racing, but it turns out it actually harms the body.