Not only beginner athletes, but also professional athletes are not immune to unpleasant sensations. We all know that muscle pain after physical exercise within reasonable limits indicates that the body has received sufficient stress and requires recovery. As for pain in the joints, it always signals an injury or a developing disease, so it should not be ignored. Among specialists, the sports most susceptible to joint damage are running, tennis, weightlifting, as well as contact sports: football, basketball, hockey, etc.
Why do my elbow joints hurt after training?
Painful sensations in the elbows after exercise can occur after various exercises: tennis, golf, French press, etc. “If after a workout you feel tired and even slightly ache in the muscles you trained, this is normal,” says Marina Moreva, personal fitness trainer .
- But there should be no painful sensations in the joints! Acute pain indicates injury, sluggish pain indicates a chronic inflammatory process.” The inflammatory process occurs due to some kind of damage or deformation of the joint. This may be the result of an old injury or constant mechanical pressure that occurs during exercise. “Normally, during exercise, the load falls on the muscles,” explains Irina Mikhrina, fitness trainer, sports doctor . - But if the weight of the burden is too large, or the sharpness and frequency of movements is excessive for a given level of physical fitness, the muscles cannot cope, and compression of the cartilage and bone tissue occurs. As a result, they become deformed. Deformation sooner or later leads to damage, swelling and inflammation occur in this place.”
In ordinary life, this inflammation may not bother the patient, but when exerted, the pressure on the inflamed tissue increases and pain appears.
How to stretch your joints before training?
In order to ensure safe joint function, it is necessary to warm up before any physical activity. Depending on the sport you are involved in, the content of the warm-up may vary. There are special sets of exercises for runners, wrestlers, boxers, etc.
The main objectives of warming up the joints are to increase blood flow to them and increase their mobility. Also, by doing simple exercises at the beginning of your workout, you improve blood circulation not only in the joints, but also in the muscles, which increases the effectiveness of the exercise as a whole and increases strength indicators.
A proper warm-up in the gym should include working all muscle groups without exception, even if you plan to train only the upper body. Joint warm-up starts from the top and goes down. Focused attention is paid to those joints on which the maximum load is planned. In this case, we first warm up the large muscle groups, then move on to the smaller ones. You should take a vertical starting position with your feet shoulder-width apart. When warming up, maintain even, calm breathing.
A universal warm-up, which is widely used in gyms, usually takes 5-10 minutes and includes:
- rotations and tilts of the head;
- swing your arms back and forth;
- extension and flexion of arms at the elbows;
- rotation of arms and hands;
- body bends;
- regular squats;
- rotation of the pelvis and each leg separately;
- raising your toes;
- circular movements of the knees and ankles.
The exercises are performed smoothly for 10-16 repetitions. In addition to this warm-up, you can do a short cardio session: 5-7 minutes of light jogging or cycling. But full stretching should be left until the end of the workout or performed on a separate training day, because it reduces the ability to concentrate during strength work.
How does elbow pain manifest after training?
The degree of pain depends on how severe the inflammation is, whether the deforming change in the elbow (arthrosis) is pronounced, and the condition of the nerve endings.
•Acute pain that occurs suddenly during or after a specific exercise is most likely an injury.
•Unpleasant sensations of low and medium intensity, which persist after training, but go away in the morning or within a day - too high a load, which led to primary damage to the joint capsule or ligament.
•Aching pain of moderate intensity, lasting several days, aggravated by cold - chronic inflammation.
Of course, such a diagnosis based on your feelings is very conditional. “Fitnessists should remember the general rule,” says Irina Mikhrina. “If the load somehow caused pain in the elbow joint, such training should be stopped and consult an orthopedist or sports doctor for diagnosis and treatment.”
How to get rid of muscle pain?
Muscle pain from training, including in the legs, is a transient phenomenon. And it’s easy to deal with by following a few rules.
- Balanced diet.
The body of a person engaged in training must necessarily receive proteins, carbohydrates and fats. The calorie content of dishes directly depends on the metabolic rate, health status and training goals. If there is a lack of nutrients, the body will not be able to fully recover after exercise. - Drinking regime.
Getting enough water into the body helps eliminate toxins that negatively affect muscle recovery after intense physical activity. - Contrast shower and cold compresses.
They help eliminate muscle pain and fatigue. It is worth considering that a contrast shower involves alternating cool and warm water, rather than hot and ice. - Massage.
Helps improve blood circulation, resulting in more oxygen and nutrients entering the tissues, and at the same time, toxins are more actively eliminated. - A complete night's rest.
Eight hours of sleep is an essential part of every athlete’s daily routine. Otherwise, the body will have an increased level of cortisol, which will negatively affect the recovery of the body and the intensity of muscle pain, which will only increase. - Competent approach to classes
. It includes a thorough warm-up, proper execution of all exercises, and a balanced training regimen. Rehabilitation exercises after the onset of pain include exercise on an exercise bike and long-distance running.
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How common is elbow pain during exercise?
There are no exact statistics on this issue. But it is known that most often this is encountered by athletes who always work with one hand. The expressions “tennis elbow” and “golfer’s elbow” arose precisely because the movement technique in these sports often entails overload of one elbow. Those who like to do exercises on the forearm and triceps (arm extension) with heavy weights also often suffer.
“We cannot say that this or that sport or exercise entails problems with the elbow,” says Marina Moreva. — The preconditions for illness are created not by the exercise itself, but by errors in it. Incorrect technique, too often, too much, for a long time, too much weight - this is what spoils the elbow joint. Moreover, if in sports such mistakes are understandable - the athlete wants to achieve a high result as quickly as possible - then in fitness we train primarily for health, and there is no need to rush to take on too much weight.”
What causes joint pain after exercise?
The reason why joints hurt during training may be:
- incorrect execution technique;
- too intense training;
- recent injuries;
- diseases (arthritis, tendonitis);
- recent joint surgery;
- doing some exercises if you are overweight.
Many beginners, wanting to achieve their goal faster, begin to train too often or too intensely. Pain can also be associated with neglecting warm-up or a sharp increase in working weights.
It is worth noting that even exercises that are familiar at first glance can harm the joints if the technique is not followed. Therefore, it is important to choose the right pace and load. Joint pain cannot be ignored yet. Unlike muscle pain, it is not considered normal.
Athletes often note that their joints crack during training. Crunching may be normal. It occurs when tendons and ligaments return to their original position. This is simply a popping sound that occurs due to the collection of gases in the joint: nitrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide contained in the synovial joint fluid.
In other situations, crunching is a sign of inflammation or salt accumulation, which reduces the elasticity of the ligaments. But in this case, it is usually accompanied by pain.
What diseases can be associated with pain in the elbow during exercise?
As a rule, they all arise as a result of a large or several minor injuries:
•Bursitis - inflammation of the joint capsule;
•External or internal epicondylitis - inflammation of the external or internal tendon;
•Arthritis - inflammation of the cartilage and other tissues inside the joint;
•Arthrosis - deformation of the bone edges entering the joint;
•Ostearthrosis - arthrosis accompanied by the deposition of calcium salts in the joint.
Pain in the elbow joint after exercise: diagnostic features
To understand what's wrong with your elbow, your podiatrist or surgeon must first do manual tests. To do this, he will bend-extend, abduct and perform other similar movements in the elbow. Here are examples of such tests:
•Hyperflexion test - bend the arm at the elbow joint as much as possible. It will show whether there are limitations in mobility and where the pain occurs.
•Supination tension test - turning the arm inward. Helps to understand the purpose of the joint and its ligaments.
•Varus stress test—bringing the straight arm inward. It will show whether the ligaments on the outside of the joint are intact.
•Valgus stress test - straight arm abduction outward. Detects damage to the elbow ligaments on the inside.
•Lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) test - your doctor will ask you to make a fist and straighten your arm. Then, holding your fist, he asks you to straighten it. If pain occurs just above the elbow in the outer area of the joint, the diagnosis will most likely be confirmed.
•Test for medial epicondylitis (“golfer’s elbow”) - you need to bend your arm, the doctor will hold the hand and ask you to straighten the arm, overcoming his hold. Pain just above the elbow joint on the inside will indicate that the diagnosis is correct.
As a result of a manual examination, the specialist assesses what the problem may be. To determine the cause, an X-ray examination, CT scan or MRI may be required. “Without the described manual tests, we can take many pictures in different projections, each time irradiating the patient before we find the reason,” explains Irina Mikhrina. “And after such an inspection, we already know exactly where to look for damage.” Instrumental studies will help assess the degree of joint damage and the amount of inflammation.”
Muscle pain after playing sports. Normal or alarm signal
An active lifestyle is gaining more and more popularity in society, so even those who have not done any physical exercise for a long time are suddenly starting to exercise. Many people, after such long pauses, tend to exercise with great diligence, do not distribute the load correctly and, as a result, experience muscle pain.
Muscle pain is a normal reaction of the body to excessive tension. It appears 12-48 hours after exercise and resolves spontaneously within 3-7 days. The pain, which usually occurs after doing new exercises or overexertion, usually does not pose any serious risk. The mechanism of its occurrence is not yet fully understood. Her theory is that pain occurs due to small muscle injuries. It is best to avoid such injuries and train in such a way that you will not feel pain the next day.
To avoid muscle pain, warm up before exercise and do stretching exercises after exercise. After completing the main part of the workout, it is recommended to perform relaxation exercises with a maximum intensity of 30-50%. This will allow your muscles to recover, and stretching will further reduce the likelihood of severe pain - almost to a minimum.
If you haven't been physically active for a long time, start gradually increasing your physical activity , this will help you avoid pain and injury. The intensity of your workout should be such that you can carry on a normal conversation during the workout. Start with 20 minutes, then increase the duration of the workout to 45 minutes at least 3 times a week, or even longer and more often. At the same time, remember to constantly increase the intensity. Injury and pain can be avoided by pre-strengthening the muscle groups that you know will be stressed the most during your workout. Before you engage in mountain climbing, for example, you should sufficiently strengthen the muscles of your fingers, wrists, forearms and shoulder joints.
It is recommended to reduce the intensity of the exercises, as well as add stretching exercises and light massage for muscle pain that occurs after heavy training. In the first two days after pain occurs, you can take medications that have analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. Such medications are, for example, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Excessive use of medications is not recommended and if the pain is very bothersome or does not go away for a long time, it is recommended to consult a doctor.
See also: Why is it so important to say “NO” to pain in time?
How to alleviate the condition before starting treatment
Self-medication is unacceptable, but sometimes you need to wait a few days before seeing a doctor. And sometimes at this time you also need to work! How to help yourself?
“To alleviate the condition at first, ointments with decongestant and anti-inflammatory substances work great,” says Marina Moreva. “They are sold in pharmacies without a prescription, all these sports rubs.” It is better to use warming ointments with bee venom, snake venom, hot pepper extract with caution: if the skin on the joint is red, the elbow is swollen, it feels hot to the touch, there is a feeling of distension from the inside, you should not warm it - the inflammation may intensify. Skin preparations are applied 3-4 times a day, rubbing in thoroughly.
Causes of joint pain during exercise
While this list is certainly not exhaustive, there are four most likely causes.
- Arthritis
is an inflammatory disease of the joints. There are more than 100 different types of arthritis, ranging from autoimmune (rheumatoid arthritis) to age-related wear and tear (osteoarthritis). It has long been believed that people with arthritis should avoid exercise. Now, repeated studies have proven that many arthritis sufferers can improve their condition with exercise. - Tendinitis.
Like arthritis, tendinitis is also caused by inflammation. However, while arthritis is inflammation of the tissues lining the joints themselves, tendinitis is inflammation and deformation of the tendons. Tendinitis is more common in specific areas of the body that suffer due to overuse and overuse. For example, runners often suffer from Achilles tendinitis. Although this disease does not directly affect bone tissue, it can certainly cause pain. - Trauma or surgery.
If the joints have been damaged or surgery has recently occurred, then pain during exercise is understandable. For specific injuries, it is best to consult with your doctor to see if physical therapy is necessary before resuming your exercise regimen. - Excess weight.
A few extra pounds are unlikely to cause pain, but significant excess weight is additional baggage that puts undue stress on your joints. By losing weight you can alleviate your condition. Research has shown that losing 5 kilograms of weight can halve your risk of knee osteoarthritis.
Important!
If you experience mild pain while playing sports, it can be overcome. The movements help lubricate painful joints that have become stiff due to arthritis or other reasons. But if the pain is acute, severe and concentrated in a certain place, then this is an alarming symptom. You need to stop exercising and consult a doctor to rule out injury or a condition that requires special rehabilitation.
So, now we can move on to the tricks that will help you stay active, healthy, and minimize discomfort during exercise.
How to avoid muscle pain after exercise
The best thing, of course, is simply to prevent pain from occurring. The simplest and most effective way to avoid pain after exercise is to approach your workouts wisely. You shouldn’t overload your muscles at the very first lesson: experienced trainers at The Base club advise increasing the load little by little, constantly adjusting its duration and intensity. In addition, never waste time on warming up and cooling down.
Warm-up
This is a necessary element of any workout, reducing the risk of injury, warming up the muscles, reducing their stiffness and relieving the athlete of pain after exercise.
Cool down and stretch
You need to finish any workout with simple exercises for all muscle groups, light jogging and stretching. This will help get rid of the lactic acid that has accumulated in the muscles during exercise.
Causes of pain after jogging
Most often associated:
- With degenerative changes in the meniscus. The “shock-absorbing pad” of the knee wears out quickly with increased physical activity, excess weight, and flat feet.
- Arthrosis and coxarthrosis are also common diagnoses for knee pain. The need to maintain body weight and high mobility create the ground for destructive changes in cartilage and ligaments. The combination of crunching and pain when squatting is a sure sign of the need to visit a specialist.
- Pinched nerves can occur both in the knee joint and in the lumbar region.
Pain in the joints after physical activity is a kind of signal of disruption of the whole pattern, the participants of which are muscles and ligaments, blood vessels and nerves, and the musculoskeletal system. Only turning to an experienced specialist will allow you to identify the “defect” at the earliest stage and prevent the development of severe diseases that are difficult to treat conservatively.