So you just pushed yourself hard in a race. One mile, 5K, 10K, 13 miles or maybe even a full Marathon! You know you will be hurting tomorrow, or maybe the body is already sore! Unfortunately, you are not sure what to do about it, and THAT's A PROBLEM.
At AJ Physical Therapy, we work with athletes just like you every day. We personally understand this problem and we are going to give you some insights and tips on how you can immediately start the recovery process.
1) Refuel with Food You need to eat and soon! Registered Dietitian Jennica Johnson, RDN recommends you intake some food within 45 to 60 min of finishing the workout or race. "Don't be afraid of the carbohydrates! A quick carb snack like a banana after your race can go a long way to help you replenish!"
2) Rehydrate This should come as no surprise for most people but the best way to rehydrate is drinking WATER! The amount does not need to be exact, but we recommend to intake 8-16oz of water within 2 hours after the race or workout. Its also important to hydrate well the next day. Though its different for every body and activity level, a safe goal is to drink 2 liters of water per day.
3) Stretching and Mobility Exercises Nutrition and hydration is typically minimal effort. Its easy! Mobility work, on the other hand, requires some effort. Yet it is vital to recovery and injury prevention. Here are a few exercises we recommend for runners, especially the day after a race or hard workout.
Some of you may be dealing with limitations or problems that are not addressed by the above recovery tips. If you want to learn more about having customized, one on one treatment sessions to help you recover or get out of pain, reach out to us to see if we are a good fit for you! 423 243-0394.