[Oistrakh]

yesterday, I had a very intensive gym class... It was also the first time I exercised in about 5 months

. Tomorrow, I have all-state auditions for the violin, and I have pretty bad muscle soreness... Does anyone know of any products or methods that could alleviate this muscle soreness (preferably for more than 12 hours)? Will Bengay work?

 

[BrookR1]

All you can do really is just do some stretching, take a hot bath or two, mix in some light cardio, and apply a cream like Ben Gay. It may take a few days to fully recover though.

 

[hongda]

A light workout actually helps. burns off the residual acids. People take a short jog the day after a marathon...

http://www.teamoregon.com/publicatio.../afterthe.html

 

[GlorytheWiz825]

A light workout, a nice warm bath and lots of sleep should help your muscles out.

 

[Teerawit]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hongda /img/forum/go_quote.gif A light workout actually helps. burns off the residual acids. People take a short jog the day after a marathon... http://www.teamoregon.com/publicatio.../afterthe.html

The lactic acid doesn't get "burned off" but rather converted into pyruvate to re-enter the glycolysis --> TCA cycle --> electron transport chain pathway. To help this, your muscles have to be re-oxygenated again, which doesn't arise from light workouts but rather from rest.

 

[hongda]

Lactic acid is used as a fuel.


Dr. Brooks and his UC Berkeley colleagues found that muscle cells use carbohydrates anaerobically for energy, producing lactate as a byproduct, but then burn the lactate with oxygen to create far more energy. The first process, called the glycolytic pathway, dominates during normal exertion, and the lactate seeps out of the muscle cells into the blood to be used elsewhere. During intense exercise, however, the second ramps up to oxidatively remove the rapidly accumulating lactate and create more energy.

http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/r..._lactate.shtml

 

[oicdn]

You can prevent this by eating alot of amino acids. I used to breakdance VERY heavily, at the competition level. Literally breakdance 12+ hours a day, I have videos of me outside with the sun coming up and going down and breakin into the night, lol. I recently started doing it again just for the sake of fitness and rainy days, and forgot how much protein helps your muscles in just 'healing' alone.

If the activities are going to be a regular thing, take amino acid pills. They're available in the grocery store or any GNC type store. Your **** will stink pretty badly when you're on the pills, but you'll thank yourself a day after a hard work-out cause you won't be as sore or sore at all. Oh, and like stated, you need to rest too...rest/sleep does ALOT for your body, more than people think.

 

[xenithon]

Take a hot bath with epsom salts. It is a very effective method for treating muscle fatiguess, soreness and DOMS. You can easily get it at a local pharmacy or supermarket. I'd say around 1.5-2 cups should suffice.

 

[Teerawit]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hongda /img/forum/go_quote.gif Lactic acid is used as a fuel. Dr. Brooks and his UC Berkeley colleagues found that muscle cells use carbohydrates anaerobically for energy, producing lactate as a byproduct, but then burn the lactate with oxygen to create far more energy. The first process, called the glycolytic pathway, dominates during normal exertion, and the lactate seeps out of the muscle cells into the blood to be used elsewhere. During intense exercise, however, the second ramps up to oxidatively remove the rapidly accumulating lactate and create more energy. http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/r..._lactate.shtml

Show me the data.

Lactic acid has to be reconverted into other metabolic precursors that then get used for energy. A light "jog" won't help this.

 

[Teerawit]

Quote:

Originally Posted by oicdn /img/forum/go_quote.gif You can prevent this by eating alot of amino acids. I used to breakdance VERY heavily, at the competition level. Literally breakdance 12+ hours a day, I have videos of me outside with the sun coming up and going down and breakin into the night, lol. I recently started doing it again just for the sake of fitness and rainy days, and forgot how much protein helps your muscles in just 'healing' alone. If the activities are going to be a regular thing, take amino acid pills. They're available in the grocery store or any GNC type store. Your **** will stink pretty badly when you're on the pills, but you'll thank yourself a day after a hard work-out cause you won't be as sore or sore at all. Oh, and like stated, you need to rest too...rest/sleep does ALOT for your body, more than people think.

Eating extra protein will give you an available "pool" of amino acids for muscle repair. Eating single amino acid supplements can actually harm the uptake of nutrients from food. I'd just eat some meat, eggs, beans, soy, or something rather than pills.

 

[MuZI]

Beta-Alanine.

 

[Omega]

Most of the fixes suggested are too long-term for you, and some are of dubious merit anyway.

To feel better tomorrow, drink lots of water or gatorade or any liquid...aim for 2 liters a day. Eat normal food, but maybe not really fatty stuff. Pasta with meat sauce is delicious and good. Take Advil (generic: ibuprofen) or Aleve (generic: naproxen). I usually take 2X the recommended dosage of ibuprofen (usually 4 capsules), but I am a pretty large guy. Make sure you take the ibuprofen or naproxen with food, else it can irritate your stomach. This is not medical advice, and should not be interpreted as such. But the drugs are pretty safe and available almost anywhere over-the-counter, if you don't already have them in your cabinet.

Ibuprofen and naproxen help reduce inflammation, in addition to reducing pain. The inflammation caused by your overexertion is most likely the cause of your discomfort. Stretching (mildly) may also help, and so might a light workout.

Eating protein "pills" is dumb. Food is tastier and cheaper, among other reasons.

When the audition nears, you can try Icy-Hot, Bengay or similar...but be aware that it will probably numb sensation in the areas you apply it. And don't apply it yourself...using your own hands to apply it will also spread the effect on your hands!

Good luck on the audition!

 

[Samgotit]

The short answer is NO. The second day can actually be worse.

 

[Omega]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teerawit /img/forum/go_quote.gif Show me the data. Lactic acid has to be reconverted into other metabolic precursors that then get used for energy. A light "jog" won't help this.

I'd tend to agree with Teerawit. Co-localization is necessary but not sufficient evidence to prove lactic acid is being metabolized. An older article from GA Brooks suggests that their most convincing piece of evidence that lactic acid is the primary species undergoing oxidation in mitochondria is an overabundance of lactic acid: "Because lactate exceeds cytosolic pyruvate concentration by an order of magnitude, we conclude that lactate is the predominant monocarboxylate oxidized by mitochondria in vivo." I wouldn't assert that lactic acid ISN'T an important metabolite, but I'm not convinced of Brooks' assertions either.

Full paper at PNAS (should be free access for many):
http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/full/96/3/1129

They do have more recent papers on the topic, but didn't have time/motivation to digest them.

Sorry for the thread derailment...thought some would appreciate the link to a real scientific article versus newspaper clip.

 

[Samgotit]

It's not the lactate that causes damage; it's the acid generated by anaerobic metabolism. The damage is done; you will have to wait to heal.