Recovering from Exercise
By Tali Nelson, PT and Bridget Coghlan, PT, LAT
Whether you are a seasoned athlete or just beginning your exercise program, it is important
to properly recover from your workout. When you exercise, you cause micro-tears in the muscles in
order to improve strength and endurance. If you do not allow your body to recover, you will have
more soreness and higher risk of injury, and you are more likely to disrupt your long-term success.
The following tips from the American Physical Therapy Association can help you attain maximum
benefit from your workout and reduce the risk of developing an injury.
Stretching
Stretching is an important part of recovery, but it rarely receives the time or attention it
deserves. The purpose of stretching is to maintain the flexibility of tissues that are tight or stiff from
an activity or prolonged position. There are a variety of methods of stretching:
 Static/Isolated Stretching: Static, or isolated stretching is holding a stretch position for a
long period.
 Dynamic stretching: Dynamic stretching is using movement to combine muscle groups.
 Foam Rolling: Foam rolling is a type of self-mobilization and massage.
A very general rule for stretching is dynamic stretching before exercise, static stretching after
exercise, and foam rolling throughout. Utilizing various stretching strategies will allow you to
maintain and improve your mobility.
Refueling (Hydration and Nutrition)
Proper fueling before exercise is important to optimize performance, but nutrition for
recovery from exercise is often overlooked. Our bodies rely upon a well-balanced array of nutrients,
vitamins, and minerals to aid in rebuilding the parts of our body that have been stressed during
exercise. Talk with your dietician about optimal foods for recovery.
Water is also absolutely essential to overall health. In particular, following exercise, proper
hydration is key to replacing the fluids that you have lost during your activity. Water also helps
regulate your temperature, maintain healthy joints, and eliminate wastes that build up in your
system during activity. Pay special attention to your total water intake if you are exercising in
extreme hot or cold climates or if you feel as though you may be getting sick. Make a habit of keeping
a water bottle in your purse, gym bag, car, or workplace for easy, reliable access.
RICE
RICE stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. If you find yourself having pain or swelling
following exercise, particularly in a joint like your knee, ankle, or shoulder, you may consider using
this four-part strategy to decrease inflammation and pain. If you continue to have symptoms several
days following a workout, it may be important to seek the advice of a healthcare provider to further
examine your complaints.
Listen to Your Body
The only person who knows how your body feels after a workout is you. Allow yourself
to listen to your body and appropriately adjust your training based on how you feel. This includes
recognizing the signs of fatigue, pain, or soreness, and increasing recovery time between
exercise bouts if the body is over-stressed. This may also mean pushing yourself to work harder
when you feel well. Trust yourself and what your body is telling you.
Cross Training
No matter what your exercise of choice may be (walking, running, swimming, cycling,
weightlifting, yoga, recreational sports, etc.), you may consider finding another form of exercise
to allow optimal recovery and get the most out of your exercise program.
Cross training is challenging your body with different tasks so that certain tissues are not
over-stressed, which often leads to overuse injuries. For example, adding strength training to
aerobic exercise will prevent overuse of certain muscles and give you both cardiovascular and
strength gains. Remember to do the exercises your body needs, not just the exercises you want
to do.
Planning Ahead
When life is busy, it’s hard to schedule enough time in your day to workout at all, let
alone take care of yourself afterward. Try to plan your day or week so you have adequate time
following each workout to implement the strategies above. This way you won't feel as rushed
and cut out important recovery activities.
Sleeping
Often taken for granted, sleep is your body’s prime opportunity to recover.
When the body is at rest, the repair of our muscular, cardiovascular, skeletal, and immune
systems can go to work. The CDC recommends that, in general, teens have 9-10 hours and adults
7-8 hours of sleep each day. These guidelines are especially important if you are demanding
more of your body through regular exercise or stressful daily activities.
To get the most out of your shut-eye, strive for consistent bedtimes, avoid stimulating
activities in bed (like TV and electronic devices), and a comfortable environment. You may find
that you sleep better on days that you exercise, and will definitely notice a more effective,
pleasant exercise experience if you are giving your body the rest it needs and deserves.
Adapted from “Tips to Recover from a Workout.” Move Forward. APTA. Moveforwardpt.com