aching
As muscle soreness (probably folk etymology Eindeutschung of catarrh is called) a pain after physical exertion, especially at high loads on the muscles occurs. This usually only becomes noticeable hours after the respective activity.
causes
There is still no complete agreement on the causes of the sore muscles. In the past, it was assumed that the muscles were acidified by lactic acid ( lactate ). However, this hypothesis has been refuted by the following facts:
- According to the lactate hypothesis, sore muscles should result from sporting activities in which very high lactate levels are measured, such as the 400-meter run . However, practice shows that it occurs more often after weight training , which does not produce as much lactate.
- Lactate has a half-life of around 20 minutes. However, muscle soreness only occurs hours later, after the lactate level has long since normalized.
Today it is assumed that - as observations show - small tears (microtraumas) occur in the Z-disks in the muscle tissue due to overload . In a sense, these are the outer boundaries of small sections within the muscle fibril . The inflammation caused by the cracks causes the muscle to swell when water penetrates ( edema forms ). There is no immediate pain as there are no pain receptors within the muscle fiber. After about 12 to 24 hours, however, the body begins to flush out the inflammatory substances formed by the microtraumas, whereby they come into contact with the nerve cells outside.
The cracks occur when braking movements ( eccentric contraction , for example when going downhill or cushioning a jump) much faster than when accelerating (going uphill).
Prevention and treatment
According to an Australian publication, stretching exercises before or after a workout reduce sore muscles only to a negligible extent. Thoroughly warming up the muscles before exercise, however, increases muscular performance and thus reduces the risk of overuse. Good results are achieved with gentle massages with flat strokes. These lead to increased blood flow. On the other hand, one should avoid strong massages, because these do not contribute to healing, but delay it, as they represent an additional mechanical irritation of the muscles. Heat treatments such as B. the natural fango application, but also warm baths and saunas (especially directly after exercise) alleviate the pain and contribute to a faster recovery. The heat is used to increase blood circulation. This means that the damaged muscle fibers are better supplied with minerals and trace elements. This can speed up healing. Larger amounts of protein-rich food against sore muscles are also recommended as a preventive measure and after exercise . These experience-based results have now been backed up by relevant research, with branched-chain amino acids having the best effect.
A study conducted by Declan Connolly at the University of Vermont and published in 2006 indicated a beneficial effect of cherry juice on sore muscles in athletes.
Web links
- "Muscle soreness" In: Dtsch Arztebl. 2002; 99, pp. A 372-375 [issue 6]
- "Sore muscles" , Sportunterricht.de
- "Sore muscles - useful for building muscle?" Bodybuilding magazine
- "Muscle sore" , German magazine for sports medicine, issue 2, 2000 (PDF file; 55 kB)
Individual evidence
- ^ Effects of stretching before and after exercising on muscle soreness and risk of injury. BMJ
- ^ Rolf Gassel: Sports medicine basics and recommendations - Small sports medicine revision course for practice. Part 2.
- ↑ Arnd Krüger , Helmut Oberdieck: Small guide to athletics injuries . Bartels & Wernitz, Berlin 1975, ISBN 3-87039-955-4 .
- ↑ M. Negro, S. Giardina, B. Marzani, inter alia: Branched-chain amino acid supplementation does not enhance athletic performance but affects muscle recovery and the immune system. In: J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2008 Sep; 48 (3), pp. 347-351.
- ↑ DA Connolly, MP McHugh, OI Padilla-Zakour, L. Carlson, SP Sayers: Efficacy of a tart cherry juice blend in preventing the symptoms of muscle damage. In: British journal of sports medicine. Volume 40, number 8, August 2006, pp. 679-683, doi : 10.1136 / bjsm.2005.025429 , PMID 16790484 , PMC 2579450 (free full text).
