Muscle soreness and electrostimulation
Muscle soreness is a problem all athletes are familiar with, along with the pain it causes, which slows down training and very often forces the athlete to stop for two or three days. Non-athletes also experience it when they resume physical activity or during a sudden, strenuous effort without warming up, such as lifting furniture whilst moving house.
But what can Sport-elec electrostimulation do in this situation?
The phenomenon of muscle soreness stems from physical activity that is too intense for the level of the muscle being used; thus, the muscle exceeds its capacity, creating micro-tears within the muscle. The anti-inflammatory response that the body must generate is responsible for the onset of pain; the brain receives the signal of the damage and triggers the pain signal, which limits muscle capacity whilst the muscle repairs itself. The most obvious cases involve muscular exertion exceeding the usual training routine; for example, in cycling, a sudden burst of effort on a hill, or in athletics, a jump with a hard landing that places extreme strain on the muscle. In skiing, the repeated impacts caused by bumps on the piste and the accompanying muscular strain will cause these injuries, which will stretch the muscle fibre until it ruptures. The force the muscle can generate to support the athlete’s movement is exceeded, and the muscle fibre tears, causing micro-bleeding; this can be described as the muscle entering a ‘red zone’, like an engine running at excessive revs and close to breaking point.
Beyond the athlete’s capacity—where they exceed their limits during exertion—there may be an issue with warming up before exercise, which increases the risk of muscle soreness afterwards. Sport-elec electrostimulation can help to relieve pain caused by muscle soreness, but also to prevent it before exercise. Warming up is therefore essential to prevent this from happening; a cold muscle is more likely to tear if it is pushed too hard at the start of a race or training session; the Sport-elec electrostimulation solution is to carry out a warm-up session using one of the electrostimulation programmes specially developed by Sport-elec before exercise, and then proceed with physical training at 30 to 40 per cent of one’s capacity before the start.
Light stretching can also help prepare you for the exercise that follows. But if you’ve already done the exercise that’s going to cause the pain, it’s too late. If you realise you’ve done something that’s going to leave you sore the next day, you can continue your workout at a slower pace.
For example, when cycling, cycle a few kilometres at a slower pace; if you are a runner, you can walk a few kilometres without pushing yourself. It is important to understand that being aware of your muscles and what you need to do to preserve them, as well as improve their strength and their capacity for both fast and slow movements, will make you more effective in your sport. This is also where Sport-elec electrostimulation comes in, helping you develop this awareness. If, despite everything, you experience muscle soreness the next day and for the three days following your workout, you can use your Sport-elec with the massage or pain relief programmes, TENS or massage settings.
Thanks to Sport-elec, you can reduce your recovery time by up to a day whilst reducing the intensity of the pain. This is no small matter for athletes or non-athletes alike. The specific currents used by Sport-elec help to restructure the muscle fibres whilst generating localised pain relief that the brain perceives as a signal that the muscle fibre structure is being repaired, thereby promoting a gradual reduction in muscle pain. Sport-elec can provide valuable relief for muscle pain resulting from overexertion during sporting activity, commonly known as muscle soreness.