Furio City

Supplements

Ease aches with E. William J. Evans, Ph.D., professor of nutrition and applied physiology at Pennsylvania State University in University Park, has done research that suggests that vitamin E, an antioxidant, can reduce levels of free radicals and prevent muscle soreness. But the nutrient appears to benefit only older “weekend warriors,” not young, conditioned athletes. Clinical nutritionist Shari Lieberman, Ph.D., suggests taking 400 international units (IU) a day.

Curb soreness with carnitine. According to Dr. Lieberman, the nutrient carnitine helps fatty acids get into muscle tissue, where they’re burned for energy. Taking carnitine supplements improves muscle efficiency, which may help minimize muscle soreness.

Carnitine supplements should be used only under the supervision of a knowledgeable medical professional who’s familiar with amino acids.

Exercise

Resist the urge to rest. When muscle soreness strikes, you might be tempted to take a break from physical activity. “Don’t veg out,” advises certified athletic trainer Michael McCormick, director of Athletico, a Chicago-area sports-medicine and physical therapy clinic. “You want to maintain blood flow, so your muscles are getting the oxygen and nutrients they need to heal. Don’t do anything strenuous, but don’t just lie around, either. Do some gentle stretches. Take a walk.”

Don’t overdo. If you’ve been exercising regularly, you can minimize muscle soreness by restricting any increase in the intensity or duration of your workout to no more than 10 percent a week. Stretching before and after workouts helps, too. When you stretch, move slowly through your full range of motion. Never bounce.

Visualization

Try mental medicine. When you’re hurting, visualization exercises may help relieve your discomfort. Gerald N. Epstein, M.D., director of the Academy of Integrative Medicine and Mental Imagery in New York City, offers this exercise: Close your eyes and take three deep breaths. Imagine your sore muscles encased in ice. Picture the ice melting. As it does, sense your soreness melting away. Practice this visualization for 2 to 3 minutes several times a day until your soreness subsides.

Massage

Rub out pain. At East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina, researchers found that people who received massages reported significantly less muscle soreness.

To reap the benefits of massage, you can visit a professional massage therapist, or you can try massaging your own sore muscles. If you opt for the self-care approach, herbalists Kathi Keville and Mindy Green, coauthors of Aromatherapy: A Complete Guide to the Healing Art, recommend using a relaxing, pain-relieving aromatherapy massage lotion. To prepare it, add the following essential oils to 1 ounce of olive oil or an unscented lotion: 6 drops of helichrysum, 4 drops of marjoram, 3 drops of chamomile, 3 drops of lavender, 3 drops of ginger, and 2 drops of juniper.