Winter 2010 - St. Joseph's Health Care London

14
SORENESS, NOT
PAIN, is part of
WORKING OUT.
The AFTEREFFECTS
f you do all the right steps and DOMS still rears its ugly
head, don’t worry. The soreness should be gone in a day
or two. And the good news is that with each workout,
you’ll feel it a little less. That’s because your muscles adapt to
the stress you put them under. If you decide to up your intensity,
weight, duration or speed, however, expect DOMS again
as your muscles react to the new stimulus.
It may seem counterintuitive, but when soreness sets in,
one of the best things you can do is go out the next day and
have a light workout. “Light” being the key word.
Getting off the couch actually will reduce the soreness,
Becker explains. “The idea is to use the same muscles in a different
way so that you can fl ush out the lactic acid that builds
up,” he says. Massage, hydrotherapy and alternating applications
of heat and cold also can help.
When your pain goes beyond soreness, that’s the time to
take a step back and assess. Is the pain sharp or in a specifi c
area? Is there pain in a joint or a muscle? Did you hear a pop
during a workout? “DOMS is going to be broad, not point specifi
c,” Becker explains. “It will literally be hard to ‘put a fi nger
on it.’ ”
For sharp pains, follow the RICE prescription: rest, ice,
compression and elevation. If you have swelling, try taking
a non-steroidal anti-infl ammatory, such as Advil. If you follow
the RICE plan and the pain doesn’t go away in one to
three weeks, it’s time to see a doctor. Severe pain should be
treated immediately.
Remember, soreness, not pain, is part of working out. “You
don’t need to destroy your body to get results,” Greenfi eld
says. “You can get enormous benefi ts from a walk.”
Vim & Vigour · WINTER 2010
online
When It’s
More Serious
If you have a nagging pain or injury, don’t just grin and
bear it or ignore it and hope it will go away. You could
end up doing more damage.
“After you run or work out on the elliptical trainer,
you’re going to feel it in parts,” says Michael Hermiston,
physiotherapist at St. Joseph’s Hospital. “But on a scale
of one to 10, a four or five is OK. But if it doesn’t go away
in one to three weeks, something is more irritated than
you probably realize.” That’s when it’s time to seek help.
Specifically, don’t ignore these signs:
• Joint pain
• Point-specific tenderness
• Swelling
• Numbness or tingling sensations
• Decreased range of motion
• Weakness on one side
Hermiston says that seeing your doctor early can
help avoid further injuries. “When your body compensates
for an injured or vulnerable spot, then you’re at
risk for other injuries,” he explains.
FREE Exercise
Guide
If you’re ready to get into shape, visit
www.paguide.com to download
“Canada’s Physical Activity Guide to
Healthy Active Living” or search for a
certified exercise physiologist in
your area at www.csep.ca.