Post-match Recovery

[Dizzee Wahil]

This year I've often been playing on Saturdays and having to backup for Sundays aswell and I've found its incredibly tough to do. Whenever I get a rub-down from the physio he tells me my muscles are too tight.

So I've been trying to work-out the best possible post-match recovery routine.

Does anyone have any good suggestions?

So far, I've got
> a good warm-down after the match with stretching
> Eat a good meal, because that helps to begin the muscle
> Icing the muscles, I read this helps

[Rema]

Your muscles need rest in order to grow and get rid of any lactic acid from your workouts. Make sure you're getting at least 8 hours of sleep. If you're playing two games in a row, maybe try for more than that. Two games is tough as is... it's not wonder you're sore :p. In addition to that, eating a good meal is always important. If you want the muscles to grow at all, eat meals with protien.

Doing a warmdown is also important so i'm glad you're doing that. Stretching during that is VERY important. Make sure you have a proper warmup too because that could also result in sore muscles.

You could also try massaging after games as well (on your own, without the PT).

[Link]

Some people recomend icing the sore spots, but my cyro tells me to heat the body after a work out, heatign increases the bloodflow, and blood is what carries the thigns your body needs to repair, however, if yoru pain is not from your muscles just being worn out, but from an injury, heat shoudl not be applied. What I usualy do after a work out.

.Warm down, stretch real good.
.Drink a good amount of water, or sports drink.
.Eat a good meal, mostly protines.
.sit in the tub for a while.
.Go to sleep.

[Dizzee Wahil]

This is interesting. I always thought the idea of heating the muscles (ie. massage, hot-tub etc) was good. But I read an article which advised totally the opposite. I'll try and find it and post it. I'd really like to get to the bottom of this

[SiN]

yer its annoying how some ppl advise against it and some ppl tell u to do it...just do what best feels for u or u can try these suggestions as i think they are really good...hope u get betta mate!

[Link]

Yeah, I've been told the same things, but my cyro told me that the heat causes swelling, and that it's not always bad for things to swell. When your muscles get micro tears ni them from being worked, the thing that causes your muscles to ache after a work out, the swelling isn't bad. But if you hurt a ligament, or ture a muscle, and it's swollen already, then heat can cause it to swell even more, increasing the amount of damage done to the hurt area. So, I guess it can go either way.

[Rema]

Yeah, I've been told the same things, but my cyro told me that the heat causes swelling, and that it's not always bad for things to swell. When your muscles get micro tears ni them from being worked, the thing that causes your muscles to ache after a work out, the swelling isn't bad. But if you hurt a ligament, or ture a muscle, and it's swollen already, then heat can cause it to swell even more, increasing the amount of damage done to the hurt area. So, I guess it can go either way.

Yeah, you should never be heating an injury in the first 2-3 days. Ice to bring down the swelling only.

[SaberWolf]

Heat muscles. Cool Joints.

[arisen]

I also take Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM). You can do an internet search if you want to find out more about.

[Rema]

I also take Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM). You can do an internet search if you want to find out more about.

A good friend of mine/former (or partial) coach uses this stuff for his joints and he swears by it. I think it's recommended for people with arthritis pain.

[Dizzee Wahil]

Well, I asked my Physio the other day about the whole HEAT-vs-COLD recovery method. He told me that HEAT (ie. getting in the Hot Tub or getting a Massage etc etc) is generally used and always has been. However, these days a lot of Rugby League teams are turning to COLD (ie. Icing the muscles or taking an ice-bath).

So I guess its best to try what works for you, but from all the stuff I've read icing the muscles seems to work - maybe a combination of the two would work best