Rolling out to ease sore muscles

Do you sometimes get sore muscles? Have you ever tried rolling out?

You have just finished a dance class or game of sport and you find yourself aching.

This is due to a build-up of lactic acid in your body, and this is completely normal.

One of the ways you can address this is to massage and roll out your muscles by

using a foam roller.

Rolling out increases circulation, delivering more nutrients, oxygen and blood flow to

the area that you are targeting. This helps to release the lactic acid, which will

relieve muscle tightness, inflammation and soreness.

If you have not used a roller before, it would be best to use a roller with a smooth

surface. Textured rollers have ridges and knobs on them, and they work deeper into

the muscles to help work out knots and tension.

When rolling out your legs, roll out your calves first and then your quads separately.

Do not roll over small joints and bones, like your knees, elbows, and ankles. And

take your time; don’t roll out too fast.

Another great way to massage your sore muscles with a massage ball. This is a

great tool to target the hard-to-reach places like your back and glutes. You can also

put a massage ball in the freezer before you use it. The cool temperature will reduce

the inflammation and soreness even more.

If you don’t have a massage ball, a tennis ball will do the trick.

Along with these treatments, you can also use your fingers and knuckles to dig into

your sore muscles using a special lotion or cream.

Always remember to stay hydrated, both during dancing/sports and after. Water

keeps the fluids moving through your body, which flushes out waste products,

delivers nutrients to your muscles and also helps to ease inflammation.