Few people can say they have never had sore muscles after getting some exercise.
The pain that afflicts muscles after a session of physical exertion has an explanation,
and it can be avoided with some simple measures. When you do have sore muscles,
the best way to confront them is with a bit of what caused them: some mild exercise
will make then go away sooner.

Why does this happen?
The origin of this odd muscle pain is still somewhat of a mystery. For a long time it was believed that sore muscles happened because lactate crystals formed, in other words, crystallization of the large amounts of lactic acid that formed in the muscles as a result of excessive exercise. Now, experts say the pain comes from micro-ruptures in muscle fibers, something which is necessary for the fibers to grow. The explanation seems clear. When exercise is done which surpasses the limits of the fibers, these small breaks occur. The fiber reorganizes itself and the body generates another fiber that is better able to confront the violence of exercise. You could almost say that the muscle comes out of the ordeal strengthened.

The best candidates
There are two kinds of athletes who are most likely to suffer muscle pain after exercising. First there are those who are just getting started in the world of sports or are taking it up again after a long period of inactivity. Second, those who are regular athletes but switch sports. For example, a seasoned runner who decides one day to challenge a friend to a game of squash. If this person does not warm up all of his or her muscles and stretch them after the game (in this case, the muscles of the upper body in particular) there is a good chance they will have sore muscles the next day.

Here is how to avoid them
Training manuals and sports doctors insist it is necessary to warm up your muscles before subjecting them to intense exercise, and stretch them afterward so they recover. This will help avoid sore muscles, lesions and spasms.

Don�t forget the following preventive measures:
- Warm up first. Start off by working the muscles slowly, in other words, get a good work out before the session, oxygenate the muscles, favoring conditions of maximum output.
- Stretch afterward. Stretching muscle fibers that have been subjected to physical tension helps elimate more quickly the waste substances (lactates and other residues) that the body generates with intense exercise (when the muscles are in use they produce residues such as lactic acid, although today it is believed to be difficult for these substances to crystalize at body temperature).
- Stay hydrated. To keep the body from dehydrating it is necessary to ingest liquids. Drinking water and especially isotonic beverages before, during and after exercising allows the body to recover carbohydrates and mineral salts.
- Be consistent. The most efficient way to ward off sore muscles is to exercise regularly and moderately. To do this it is best to adapt the level of exercise to the physical condition you are in.
- Relax when it is over. Take a warm bath, massaging areas that took the worst beating during the exercise. This guarantees that the hardest hit muscles will relax. It also serves as a preventive measure that is both pleasing and efficient.

Discipline pays off
This list of recommendations can seem tedious at first. But once you have got into the routine it will seem like just another part of the session of exercise and in the long run you will appreciate the benefits of exercising safely. Besides no longer sufferering from sore muscles, which can last five to seven days, by warming up, stretching and keeping the body hydrates you avert bigger problems that can affect the muscles, such as cramps, spasms and fibriloid tears.