Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with soreness

Stiff and sore

Anonymous — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 15:27:32 -0800

Are stiffness and aches and pains a pretty normal part of just being 48 years old? How about muscle cramps? Last few years I've noticed that my joints are pretty ache-y when I move after not having moved for a while (30 min, say). It pretty much goes away after moving around, but it's hard to get up off the couch and I'm literally limping a bit for a few minutes afterwards. My history is that I've never been in great shape. I weigh about 300 lbs but it's not as bad as it sounds as I'm about 6'4". But, I know, 300.

When I first wake up and go downstairs, I'm so stiff I have to kind of walk sideways down the stairs. (I did break my right leg pretty severely about 15 years ago and also about 25 years ago) I also get random muscle cramps all the time, all kinds of muscles, in my arms, chest, back, legs, anywhere. Sometimes I'll be standing at a cocktail party and have to leave the room because suddenly the muscles in my ribcage will start spazzing, or I'll have to pull over driving because it's so painful. Or in the dentist chair, or while getting busy .So: stiffness, cramping. Overweight, old.

Will losing weight and getting more exercise fix this? Or do I simply need to be younger?

Why doesn't it hurt so good?

bicyclefish — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 14:38:43 -0800

Can exercise be good if it doesn't make me sore? Like so many in this modern world, I'd like to fitten myself up.

This summer, I've traded in my Metropass for a bike, and suddenly become that guy who shows up everywhere with a helmet in his hand and his pant leg tucked into his socks. (One of many, here in Toronto.)

I do ride at a good pace, trying to push myself one step beyond where I'm comfortable, and I keep it up. I feel great afterwards, and enjoy my endorphins as much as the next cyclist.

But I've noticed that, even on days where I'll bike across town twice, sometimes riding for hours, I'm not sore the next morning. Runs and even strenuous 6-hours walks certainly do.

What does this say about the exercise I'm getting? Am I not pushing myself hard enough? What does soreness really denote? Is there gain without pain?

My Office Is So Cold the Lactic Acid FREEZES.

Medieval Maven — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 12:11:54 -0800

So I've started a new, pretty hard-hitting exercise regime (bootcamp, if you wanted to know) and I'm sore as crap, and my office is excruciatingly cold. I'm trying to figure out how to mitigate this, since the cold is making my muscles clench up and that, you know, does not feel good. Things I can't do-

1) Turn the thermostat up past 72. People will bitch and then turn it back down.

2) Space heater, for obvious reasons.

3) Not work out until I am no longer sore.

FWIW, I did not have this problem yesterday, but yesterday I went home where I can make sure the house is not so cold as to send me into gales of shivering.

I was thinking blanket for my legs (I am already wearing a sweater), maybe an electric blanket. Is this a really awful idea for reasons I don't know? I know that hot yoga is supposed to be good because it facilitates better stretching with the being hot part, and I don't want to get THAT hot, but even with getting up frequently, eating meals outside, and stretching today, my legs are ridiculous. Sorry if this seems stupid, but I've just not been in this particular situation before and I don't want to do something stupid out of ignorance. Any other suggestions that do not involve Ben-Gay (since I do have coworkers, who are apparently also Polar Bears) are very, very welcome.

There's a freeze up comin' (maybe)

activitystory — Mon, 19 May 2008 11:29:45 -0800

Post-marathon advice: I'm running my second marathon this weekend; I was very sore after my first and am convinced that an ice bath is probably my best bet post-race to combat soreness. Problem is, I'm more scared about the bath than the race. Does any one have any practical insights into how to make the ice bath a positive experience? Advice on how not to make a big mess, when/how much ice, what it takes to get in and out of the bath would be appreciated. I'd also love to hear some "my first ice bath" stories, even if they end in heartbreak.

What's cramping my style?

popcassady — Wed, 14 May 2008 02:35:30 -0800

Cramp, cramp, everywhere! I'm suffering from a rather tenacious bout of cramp. What the hell's going on? About a week and a half ago, I was finding it painful to laugh and take deep breaths -- my sternum felt a little tender. I'd slept on the floor the night before, and I believed that to have been the cause of my tender sternum. The tenderness passed after about a week. I was also getting cramp in my legs, I put this down to cycling in hot weather. Friday night, my back felt a little stiff.

This weekend my left hand seized up, I couldn't extend my fingers nor could I grip anything.

Monday, my ankles were sore, and my back was stiff -- I could hardly walk. My hand was fine and the tenderness in my sternum had gone. I saw the doctor, he told me to get more salt in.

Yesterday, the stiffness was in my hips and knees. There was a little stiffness in my back, and my sternum was feeling tender again. My knees were so stiff that my girlfriend had to help me put my pants and socks on!

Today, the cramp seems to be a little more general and not as intense, but I can't straighten my right arm without it hurting. That arm felt fine yesterday!

My experience of cramp is that it usually keeps to one place and subsides after a few days. This cramp is moving around. What's the deal?

You are not my doctor, but I am too lazy to go see one.

Large Marge — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 23:55:21 -0800

at night my legs get sore. It is enough that I will wake up too early and can't fall back to sleep. Sometimes I even dream about it, like I'm doing an iron man competition and am pulling an airplane or something. This isn't restless leg syndrome (is that even real?), they're just sore. Anyone know why this might happen and what I should do? I moved in august, but it's been going on over two different beds. Is it possible that I have too many blankets (cold winter)? too stiff a bed? Unresolved anxiety about nuclear war?

What could be causing morning leg soreness?

damn dirty ape — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 07:17:23 -0800

What could be causing morning leg soreness? For the last few months, perhaps last year and a half or so, I've been waking up with leg soreness, like I ran a couple miles before bed and didn't stretch. It usually disappears by the afternoon, but when its bad it may last longer. Sometimes its bad enough that I'm visibly walking a little funny. I'll bring this up next time I see a doctor but it happens infrequently enough that I keep forgeting.

Im in my 30s and have gained perhaps 10-15lbs in the last couple of years. I dont have restless leg syndrome. I'm not really doing any exercise other than walking around. Is this just a part of aging or is there another explanation?

How can I make the right side of my body feel as great as the left side of my body?

eighth_excerpt — Sun, 26 Feb 2006 12:08:58 -0800

For years, I've had mild soreness at various places on the right side of my body: jaw, shoulder, hand, hip, knee, and foot. Meanwhile, the left side of my body feels perfect. I'm going to be seeing a doctor about this soon but I'd like to hear people's thoughts on this even if YANAD. I'm 29, a righty, formerly a serious soccer player, but no longer involved in strenuous activities, and I never had a serious injury. How can I make the right side of my body feel as great as the left side of my body?

Wondering what hand stiffness / tingling is

dvjtj — Tue, 07 Feb 2006 15:15:18 -0800

Wondering what hand stiffness / tingling is I'm 26 y.o. male, moderate computer user. About 3 weeks ago my hands (all fingers and thumbs, both front and backs) started tingling off and on throughout the day. Went to a doctor, told me it wasn't carpal tunnel syndrome (after doing the tests), but could be tendinitis. Began doing some exercises, and saw an acupuncturist / acupressurist on the recommendation from a friend. She said the problem was in my neck, and that the hands were a symptom of this. When she pressed on certain points of my neck / upper back they were EXTREMELY tense. The treatment helped a little.

I saw an orthopedist hand-specialist just for a second (or third) opinion, and again he did a few tests and said it wasn't carpal tunnel syndrome, just watch your egonomics. I'm confused, however, because I've been waking up in the morning with overall hand stiffness and pins and needles. Not quite sure what to do besides some stretching exercises and maybe wearing a splint at night..Anyone else have any suggestions? Will this stuff go away (whatever it is?

How can I keep my hip joints healthy?

fenriq — Mon, 10 Oct 2005 11:53:30 -0800

BadJointsFilter: I'm predisposed to bad hip joints (my mother had one replaced a few years ago and my grandmother had both replaced) and will occasionally have a really achy hip day. What are some things I can do to keep my hips as healthy as possible for as long as possible? I've been thinking about glucosamine/chondroiton pills but would like to hear from people who have benefitted from them. I work out regularly, ride my bike between 10-20 miles a week and lift weights 3 times a week. When I ride my motorcycle sometimes, I get what I can only describe as hip-joint cramps where it feels like someone's holding a blowtorch to the muscles deep in my leg up close to my groin. And yes, it does hurt like a bugger. The only thing that can alleviate it sometimes is getting off the bike and walking around for a few minutes.

I'd like to find out if there's anything I can do to keep my hip joints in shape or if I should start picking out my replacement joints now?

Overstretching muscles and how to treat pain

patrickje — Wed, 15 Dec 2004 10:50:20 -0800

Not that this ever happened to me. But suppose one went to a weight-lifting class, which happened to have quite a few pretty women in it. And suppose that one tried to be all he-man and lift a lot of weight. And suppose that the next day this person could barely move his arms. What could this person do to get his arms bending again? My ears itch, and it's killing me!

How can I minimize soreness from these vaccinations?

yangwar — Tue, 05 Oct 2004 17:58:57 -0800

I was given a ton of vaccinations today (IPV, MMR, Tetanus, MGC, HEP A, HEP B, PPD). Any suggestions on how to minimize soreness in the days to come? I've heard that doing push-ups helps "spread" the vaccine and loosen up the muscles. Sounds like bunk to me. Is this true? Any other suggestions on what I can do now to minimize pain in the future?