Sore Muscles After a Long Day? 7 Simple Ways to Give Them Some TLC
You know the feeling.
You’ve been gardening, cleaning, exercising, working on your feet all day — or perhaps you’ve simply slept at an angle that your body has decided was deeply offensive. 😆
By evening, your shoulders are grumbling, your legs are tired and muscles you didn’t even know you owned have suddenly lodged a formal complaint.
The good news? A little TLC can go a long way when your muscles are feeling tired and overworked.
Here are seven simple things to try.
1. Keep gently moving
When muscles feel sore, becoming one with the couch can seem like an excellent plan.
A little gentle movement, however, may feel better than staying completely still. Try a relaxed walk, some easy stretching or simply moving the sore area comfortably through its normal range of motion.
This isn’t the time to prove anything. Think gentle movement, not boot camp.
2. Try a little warmth
A warm shower, bath or heat pack can feel absolutely glorious on tired, tight muscles.
Warmth can be particularly comforting at the end of a long day when your shoulders, back or legs are begging you to clock off.
Just keep heat comfortably warm rather than scorching, and don’t apply very hot packs directly to your skin.
3. Give those muscles a massage
There is something wonderfully soothing about taking a few minutes to massage tired muscles.
You can massage with your hands alone, but using a cream or massage product reduces drag and makes the whole experience much nicer.
This is exactly where our Magic Pain Cream earned its place in the burrow.
Our Australian-made natural muscle rub combines black pepper, ginger, clove, copaiba, peppermint, eucalyptus and hemp in a smooth cream made for massaging tired, sore and hardworking muscles.
No outrageous promises. Just botanical goodness, massage and a little ahhhhh after a hardworking day.
4. Don’t forget the humble stretch
If you’ve been sitting at a desk, driving, gardening or standing in the same position for hours, some gentle stretching may feel wonderful.
Go slowly and don’t force a stretch into pain.
And yes, apparently bending down to pick something up and making an involuntary “ooof” noise does not officially count as stretching.
We checked. 😜
5. Give your body time to recover
Sometimes the most sophisticated remedy is also the most boring:
rest.
Your body needs recovery time after unusually strenuous activity. A quieter evening and a decent night’s sleep might be exactly what those hardworking muscles are requesting.
6. Have a drink
Of water, cheeky. 😂
Keeping well hydrated is part of looking after yourself generally, particularly around exercise, physical work and hot Australian days.
So grab the water bottle while you’re giving the rest of your body some TLC.
7. Know when an ache needs more than TLC
Everyday muscle soreness after exercise or physical activity is one thing. Significant, unexplained or persistent pain is another.
Seek appropriate medical advice if pain is severe, follows a significant injury, continues or worsens, or you’re concerned about what you’re experiencing.
Our philosophy at The Oily Woylie is pretty simple: botanical products can have a lovely place in everyday self-care, but they’re not a substitute for getting something properly checked when your body is telling you something isn’t right.
A little kindness for hardworking bodies
We ask quite a lot of our bodies.
They carry groceries, dig gardens, chase children, stand through workdays, tackle workouts and occasionally object rather strongly to our decision to rearrange the furniture.
So when your muscles are feeling tired and grumpy, give them a little attention.
Gentle movement. Warmth. Stretching. Rest. Hydration. A good massage.
And perhaps a little jar from the burrow. 🦘🌿