Q: What can I take for stiff muscles?

A: Stiff, sore or aching muscles can occur anywhere in the body and may be due to any number of conditions:

• Stress (remember that uncomfortable feeling of your muscles all bunched up?)
• Over-use of the muscle(s) (like when you decide to burn up for all the calories you ate during the festive season in one work-out session 😀 or even making good on your New Year’s resolution to get more activity and then having your ‘lazy’ muscles complain)

Aching or stiff muscles must be taken care of so that they do not become stiffer, weaker or indeed, leave you open to further injuries.
What can help? Generally, increasing blood flow to the muscles involved helps reduce stiffness and improve flexibility. Examples of activities that can lead to this, include:

A good massage never hurt. If you can afford it, give yourself a spa treat and relax under the magical hands of a masseuse and feel the pains, stiffness and soreness flooooaaaat away 🙂

A warm shower may not go amiss too. Just feel the muscles relax under a steady spray of warm water 🙂 A heating pad or hot water bottle can also work some magic.

Nice, gentle stretches can also help ‘iron’ out the kinks in the muscles. Be sure to get some pain relief with analgesics, if pain is persistent.
Good night, people 😀