You’ve probably been there a few times. After an intense leg workout, basic activities, like getting out of your car, sitting down or even climbing a few stairs can cause you some real pain.
But there’s no need to worry, it’s not something that occurs just among baseball players, as a lot of people deal with the same problem.
As a matter of fact, this is called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness and it’s basically a sensation felt in two main scenarios: after an intense workout at the gym or after returning to training, following a break that lasted a few weeks.
However, according to multiple studies, muscle soreness isn’t a condition restricted just to some groups. It’s just that we feel it much more in specific groups of muscles, like the quadriceps or hamstrings, for example!
Going a bit into detail, the Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) is basically fiber damage. Technically speaking, this isn’t something to worry about, as this damage consists of microtears within muscles, resulted by working very hard in the gym. Also, the painful this sensation is, the bigger the damage.
In most cases, the soreness being around 10 hours after an intense session at the gym, reaching its peak within 48-72 hours. This is the main reason why your legs start feeling worse around two days after your initial workout, not the day after.
But you don’t need to learn to live with the soreness, even for a few days. Just one massage session can significantly improve the way you’re feeling!
It was proven that massage can have a positive impact on post-workout pain, not to mention that it reduces inflammation levels, increases your motion range and helps getting rid of muscle stiffness.
Even though all these are some excellent benefits, the best time to get a massage done to avoid them remains, unfortunately, a secret. Still, it somehow makes sense to go for a massage just after your workout, as it can have some amazing positve effects on inflammation and stress hormones. As for baseball players, getting a massage once per week, during high volume training periods, should be just enough.
Additionally, it has been proven that during intense baseball training periods, an increased intake of amino acids like taurine can also help you deal with muscle soreness. The same goes for Omega-3 fatty acids, which have also been linked to helping to gain muscle mass and increasing strength, besides reducing body fats, due to their anti-inflammatory properties.
Curiously enough, there are a lot of athletes who believe that soreness is just an indicator of a great workout. But this is not actually true. And let’s not forget that increased levels of soreness can actually reduce your movement during baseball training and, therefore, you won’t be able to make a lot of progress. Plus, it’s somehow stressful to deal with DOMS, especially if you have an overall active lifestyle.
Therefore, this is why we believe that regular massage sessions, combined with a diet and supplements can be the winning formula during a period filled with intense baseball training sessions. Not only it helps you avoid any kind of muscular problems, but it can also become part of a healthy daily routine.
Looking forward to starting mixing training with massage sessions? Maria’s Professional Massage can help you.
With a diverse background and professional demeanor, she has a proven track record and a wide client base. Schedule your appointment in advance and you will observe the benefits of professional massage after the first few sessions.
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