Among beginners who are just starting regular training, the phenomenon is common when the legs hurt after squats. There are several causes of discomfort. In most cases, the wine rests on an excessive concentration in the tissues of lactic acid. However, there may be other prerequisites for the occurrence of unpleasant sensations. If legs hurt after squats - what to do? We will tell about this in our publication.
About the reasons
Why do legs hurt after squats? Among the common reasons, experienced athletes distinguish the following:
- The action of lactic acid - a product of physiological processes accumulates in the structures of muscle fibers. Usually, leaching of a substance from tissues is observed during the day. The concentration of lactic acid in the body poses absolutely no danger to health.
- The delayed effect of microtrauma of muscle fibers - ruptures of muscle bundles after increased loads are a completely natural process. This is how tissue mass growth occurs. In some cases, the phenomenon provokes increased production of hormones responsible for the elimination of toxins and the restoration of the body. The consequence is the development of pain.
- Increased muscle reactivity - heavy, uncharacteristic for a person loads, lead to an imbalance of biologically active substances in body fluids. The result is the occurrence of convulsive conditions.
- Excessive amount of training - often the legs hurt after squats, if the exercises for pumping local muscles are performed daily. In this case, there is a nitrogen imbalance, the consumption of a larger amount of protein relative to the resulting one.
- A high range of motion - adding variety to a standard exercise, often leads to severe pain in the legs after squats. The result is exerting loads on the fine muscles, which are rarely used in ordinary life. In response, there is certainly a feeling of discomfort.
- Injuries to the extremities - the presence of damage will be indicated by the constraining movement, the aching nature of the pain. Often the result of trouble is the formation of puffiness.
- Non-observance of the correct exercise technique - a pain sensation often causes mistakes during training, the use of inappropriate loads.
Water treatments
If leg muscles hurt after squats, what should I do? Experienced athletes are advised to take a contrast shower. The duration of the procedure should be about 10-15 minutes. The solution helps to relieve severe discomfort and quality muscle relaxation after high-intensity training.
A proven solution is to take a warm bath with dissolving sea salt in water. Bath procedures will allow recovering more quickly, when body warming alternates with pouring cold water. These solutions can be replaced by swimming in a cool pool. In all cases, the removal of discomfort is observed due to the expansion of blood vessels.
Massage
In situations where legs are very sore after squats, a relaxing massage will come to the rescue. You can achieve the desired effect yourself, without resorting to the services of a specialist. The following actions will allow you to recover:
- the limb is tightly wrapped in palms and held by hands, moving in the direction from the legs to the hips;
- point pain is carried out on painful areas;
- the procedure is completed by rubbing the legs over the entire surface.
The use of massage oils, which can produce a warming effect on tissues, allows to achieve the best result. A good solution is the use of massage rollers, which have a relief surface. Due to the action, it is possible to improve blood circulation in parts of the limbs where discomfort is noted.
The medical way to solve the problem
If your legs hurt after squats, you should use a number of ointments, creams, as well as tablets of the category of analgesics. The intensity of discomfort will noticeably decrease due to the application of funds such as Troxevasin, Fastum Gel, Voltaren, Finalgon to problem areas. The action of these drugs is aimed at warming the tissues, removing puffiness. Ointments and creams will help increase the elasticity of the clamped tissues, activate blood flow, and restore the processes of local metabolism.
The most effective, safe pills that can be used to relieve pain in the legs after squats are: “Ibuprofen”, “Aspirin”, “Nurofen”. Marked medicines are non-steroidal in nature. The use of such drugs helps to eliminate inflammation, swelling, reduce the intensity of the pain syndrome. However, the use of tablets should not become a habit and become the main method of dealing with regularly occurring discomfort.
Warm up
Shortly after completing your workout, it’s helpful to warm up. Muscles should not cool immediately. Attention should be given to stretching. According to the observations of athletes, such actions significantly reduce the likelihood of krepatura. The more the athlete develops muscles, the sooner the tissues return to normal.
Balanced diet
To reduce the likelihood of developing pain after a muscle load, it is important to consume protein-rich foods. The amount of element that enters the body must match the amount consumed. Recovery after training will occur slowly if you do not absorb proteins and carbohydrates at the rate of 3-4 grams per kilogram of body weight.
Replenishment of a deficiency of fluid in the body
The rapid elimination of lactic acid from the muscles contributes to the absorption of plenty of water. The amount of fluid needed is determined by body weight. To determine a sufficient norm, it is worth using the following calculations. Dead weight must be multiplied by 0.04. The result of the calculation will be the indicator of water in liters, which should be drunk per day. If you do not pay due attention to the moment, the body will be worse able to cope with the elimination of toxins accumulated in the tissues. The process of muscle recovery after increased physical exertion will become more difficult and longer.
Cardio exercises
In situations where legs, rather than buttocks, hurt after squats, athletes are advised to resort to performing cardio exercises. The implementation of the idea makes it possible to saturate the muscles with oxygen. There is an accelerated delivery of nutrients to the tissue due to increased circulation. Muscles get rid of concentrated lactic acid much faster. The body is freed from all kinds of toxins.
Quality rest
Overdoing during training, it is important to take a break for a few days. You should sleep well before the next classes. If you return to the gym without quality relaxation, the level of cortisol in the body will go off scale. The result will be a disruption of the processes responsible for muscle recovery. The likelihood of accidental injury will increase significantly. Ideally, rest and sleep before training should be given at least 7-8 hours.
Absorption of Natural Antioxidants
The body needs antioxidants after intense training to break down the breakdown products of toxins. It should be added to the diet food that contains an abundance of carotene, retinol, ascorbic and succinic acid, flavonoids. Good sources of these substances are grapes, cabbage, raisins.
One of the most effective solutions for the speedy removal of the sensation of pain in the legs is the use of watermelon. Juice product relieves discomfort in muscle tissue due to the action of amino acids. It is advisable to absorb watermelon shortly before the planned training, as well as an hour after the end of classes.
There are many other products whose components act like antioxidants. We are talking about black currants, blueberries, blackberries, cranberries. The biologically active elements of anthocyanins, which are contained in these berries, help to slow down the development of inflammatory processes, to protect against the formation of puffiness.
Finally
Use the athletes' helpful tips to relieve muscle pain in the legs after squats. Finally, I would like to note an important point. You should be able to identify the discomfort that naturally accompanies the recovery period as a result of stress. In some situations, pain occurs against the background of injuries. A sign that this problem occurs is the preservation of unpleasant sensations after exercise for up to three days.