Seasons change, the weather starts to get hot, then before you know it the summer heat is in full blast! BUT WAIT… there are things you have to do to get your place in order. You try to get everything done in one weekend because no one wants to give up too many weekends to get their place summer ready.
One particular Sunday, I decided to deep clean my floors and my Rubbermaid sponge mop wasn’t cutting it … so on my hands and knees I went, hunched over and not even thinking about my posture or my core, and proceeded to clean all my floors. I did it in one day with a sponge and bucket! Not the smartest thing to do … and man did I pay for it days afterward.
More common than not ,we develop muscle strains and soreness when we do physical work. Soreness is caused by microscopic tears within muscle tissues … that’s what happens when we exercise or do house work using muscles that aren’t used to being used. The pain we experience is the body’s way of telling us that it’s repairing itself; it’s a reminder to take it easy for a few days. Having some muscle tenderness doesn’t poste a huge health threat, but who’s got time to limp around for a week?
While there’s no known medical treatment for muscle soreness there are some things we can keep in mind to help minimize it. Here are the top 3 ways to ease your muscle pain:
1. MASSAGE of course! I can’t stress enough that massage is proven to enhance range of motion in muscles, ease soreness by encouraging blood flow and reducing tightness. Therapeutic massage can benefit your muscles in many different ways.
2. HOT & COLD THERAPY: Increases circulation in the muscle tissue and that’s key in helping repair those minuscule muscle tears and eases soreness. Research has shown that if you apply a cold pack for 15 minutes and then switch to a heat compress for another 15, repeating that pattern a few times the muscle pain can be alleviated. Alternating hot and cold brings relief to the muscles. Who says fire and ice don’t complement each other?
3. STRETCHING. Gentle stretching is key in getting rid of the soreness sooner rather than later. It will minimize pain and relieve the feeling of tightness. Stretching isn’t just for athletes, when you stretch daily you are less susceptible to injury and helps lesson muscle soreness!
When challenged with physical activity at home take care of yourself. If you feel you may have pushed beyond your limits follow the tips above to promote healing faster and don’t wait to call and schedule a massage. The sooner you come in, the faster you can get back to your daily routine without pain or discomfort.
So, what are you waiting for? Don’t wait for an injury or a condition to catch up with you to get massage! Get massage to prevent injury and discomfort! We’ve made it easy you can book online at: www.IslandMassageOnline.com. If you’re not tech savvy or just prefer to call, of course we’d love to hear from you: 727-864-6688. Make Your Appointment Today!
Written by: Patricia Iorio, Licensed Massage Therapist and Certified Thai Yoga Practitioner. FL MA64528. Patricia has been spreading the power of touch for 12 + years and is now using the power of words to encourage massage and living a healthy lifestyle.