Feeling the burn may make for a satisfying fitness session, but the next-day pain is usually nothing but a nuisance. To stop muscle soreness from slowing you down, try adding these elements to your fitness routine
Smarter sipping.
Cherry juice is full of antioxidants that fight inflammation (a key contributor to muscle soreness), and it was found to ease exercise-induced muscle pain in a 2006 study from the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
A good buzz.
Caffeine may slash post-workout soreness by up to 48 percent, according to a 2007 study published in The Journal of Pain. The study’s authors suggest that caffeine may curb inflammation.
Herbal Rx.
In another study from The Journal of Pain (published in 2010), scientists discovered that daily intake of anti-inflammatory ginger can reduce exercise-related muscle pain by about 25 percent.
Healing hands.
While more and more research shows that post-workout stretching fails to fend off soreness, a 2008 report from Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise indicates that massaging your muscles after exercising can promote muscle recovery and prevent pain.
A shot of C.
Loading up on vitamin C prior to working out can help keep muscle soreness from setting in, suggests a 2006 study from International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism.
