Muscle pain is quite common after training, especially after heavy physical activity. Yoga for muscle pain can help you get relief!
Muscle soreness can occur for a variety of reasons, but most people experience it after a workout. Exercising can lead to muscle aches and cramps, but don’t stop exercising. After all, this is one way to avoid health problems like obesity. If your muscles ache too often, exercise can help. Doing strenuous exercise isn’t the answer, but you can incorporate yoga into your fitness routine to combat sore muscles. This will bring relief and help get rid of pain and discomfort.
What is muscle soreness?
Delayed-onset muscle soreness is muscle pain and discomfort that usually occurs 12 to 24 hours after strenuous exercise. It affects multiple parts of the body due to excessive eccentric muscle contraction, according to research published in the Clinical Ultrasound Journal in 2011.
This is a common response to unfamiliar or intense exercise, according to a study published in the Strength and Conditioning Journal in 2013. “Symptoms such as muscle pain, cramps, stiffness, fatigue, and soreness peak between 24 and 72 hours after exercise,” says yoga expert Dr. Hansaji Yogendra. They tend to subside within a week, as muscle tissue regenerates.
Yoga for Sore Muscles: 9 Poses You Must Try
Doing yoga can relieve muscle pain. It can help reduce symptoms associated with muscle soreness, according to a study published in Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research in 2004.
1. Kanasana I (angle pose)
- Stand with your feet about two feet apart.
- Place your left hand on your belt.
- Inhale, turn your head to look over your right shoulder and bring your right hand down to your knee, leaning to the right.
- Exhale, then return to the starting position of Angle Pose.
- Repeat on the left side.
“This pose is good for sore muscles because it stretches the sides of the body, taking tension off the shoulders and upper back,” says Dr. Hansaji.
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2. Hastapadasana (forward bending posture)
- Stand up, feet together.
- As you inhale, raise both arms above your head.
- Arch your upper back slightly.
- Lean forward, keeping your legs straight, touch your toes with your toes and bring your head to your knees.
- With an exhalation, rise up and lower your hands to your sides.
This lengthens the spine and hamstrings, relieving tension in the lower back and legs.
3. Malasana (garland pose)
- Stand with both feet slightly apart.
- As you inhale, bring your palms together near your chest.
- Squat down, keeping your back straight, and tuck your elbows into your knees so that they are wider apart.
- Hold, exhale, then rise to a standing position.
“Malasana or Garland pose opens up the hips and lower back, reducing tension in the glutes and thigh muscles,” says the expert.
4. Shashankasana (rabbit pose)
- As part of yoga for muscle pain, sit in vajrasana or diamond pose with your knees wide apart.
- As you inhale, lower your body to rest your forehead on the mat.
- Stretch your arms forward.
- Stay in this position, then exhale.
This provides a gentle stretch to the back, shoulders and neck, promoting relaxation.
5. Bhadrasana (butterfly pose)
- Sit with both legs extended.
- As you inhale, bend your knees outward, bringing your feet together and bringing them to your body.
- Gently press your knees with your hands.
- To release, pull your legs back and exhale.
“It works on the inner thighs and thighs, helping to relieve pain in the lower body,” says the expert.
6. Shalabhasana (locust pose)
- If you want to do yoga for sore muscles, do the locust pose, which requires you to lie on your stomach.
- As you inhale, lift your right leg as high as possible.
- Hold then drop it down.
- Repeat with the left leg.
- Then lift both legs together and exhale.
It strengthens and stretches the lower back, helping to relieve the lumbar region.
7. Yastikasana (stick pose)
- Lie on your back with your arms beside your body.
- As you inhale, raise both arms in a semicircular arc above your head.
- Keep stretching.
- Bring your hands back to your body and exhale.
It stretches the whole body, helping to relax the muscles.
8. Viparita Korani (feet in the wall position)
- Lie on your back, feet together.
- As you inhale, raise your legs perpendicularly.
- Press your hands into your hips to lift your torso, using your elbows for support, and hold the position.
- Bend your knees, lower your hips and return to the starting position, then exhale.
“It reduces leg swelling and stiffness by relaxing tired leg muscles,” says Dr. Hansaji.
9. Matyasana (fish pose)
- Lie on your back to perform fish pose.
- On an inhale, fold your legs into Sukhasana (easy pose).
- Bring your hands under your head, clasping the opposite elbows above it, and hold in this position.
- To release, open your arms and spread your legs and exhale.
It should be part of your fitness routine if you choose to practice yoga for muscle pain. This pose opens up the chest and stretches the spine, relieving tension in those areas.
Yoga for sore muscles: mistakes to avoid
- Starting without a warm-up can further stress the muscles and increase the risk of injury, especially if the muscles are sore.
- Pushing too far beyond your flexibility can increase pain or lead to injury.
- Performing poses too quickly reduces their effectiveness. Hold each pose for a few seconds to allow the muscles to relax.
Yoga for sore muscles can be helpful, but people with arthritis should avoid it, as the weight-bearing postures can stress the joints, potentially making arthritis pain worse. “Poses that involve bending forward can increase discomfort in the spine, so make modifications to avoid straining the spine,” says the expert.
Your muscles may be sore after a workout, but not being physically active won’t help. Rest is important, as is yoga for sore muscles. Just don’t press too far and don’t do the postures quickly.
