How do athletes recover so fast?
In order to achieve their goals of increasing strength and speed, today's top athletes, weekend warriors, and even casual gym-goers understand the importance of not only exercising but also recovering from their exercises. We are inundated with recommendations for quick pain relief, from stretching and cryotherapy to protein smoothies and compression tights. Yet, determining the optimal course of action is not always easy. If you're looking to improve your performance, gain muscle, or simply maintain your current level of fitness, a sports scientist can help you sift through the recovery magic bullets from the real deal.
How do athletes recover so fast?
Food
Despite popular belief, it is not a good idea to cut back on food intake after an injury. For example, when we break a leg, our energy needs to be increased by about 15-20% merely to repair the tissue, and it can be somewhat higher to account for using crutches.
Minimize stress
Our neurological system handles all forms of stress in the same manner. When we're hurt, our brain adjusts how we make decisions, access memories, and engage with the environment to preserve the injured tissue. Our neurological system will have to work harder to compensate for increased stress, which slows down the healing process.
Load
Current medical practice does not advocate for complete bed rest following a non-life-threatening injury, such as a head trauma or a severe multiple-trauma injury. You should still be ready to move around within 12 to 24 hours after surgery. This is due to the fact that when tissues are loaded, new cells are better able to find their way, leading to stronger tissues and quicker healing. Injuries require loads that are proportional to the severity of the injury and the kind of tissue involved. That is why accurate diagnosis is crucial. In a healthy state, the load should inflict just enough microtrauma to promote tissue growth without damaging the tissues too much.
Performing stretches
Stretching is one way to heal that doesn't cost a pretty penny. It doesn't matter if you're in the gym or have just finished a marathon; everyone around you is active, flexing their muscles. Muscles that are warm and pliable after exercise can relax more easily and with less chance of damage if you stretch them out gently.
It is useless, unfortunately. Analyzing data from 12 studies, Australian scientists conducted a Cochrane review in 2011, which is an evaluation of prior study evidence. It was determined that there was no clinically significant reduction in delayed-onset muscle soreness in healthy individuals whether muscle-stretching was performed before, after, or both before and after exercise, according to the evidence from randomized trials. According to a scientific analysis conducted in 2016, stretching may increase flexibility over time, but it did not alleviate muscle pain or injuries experienced by runners after exercising.
Conclusion
One of the most remarkable things about professional athletes, is how they prioritise healing. This allows them to exercise consistently without missing a beat. Whether you're out with an injury or just want to step up your game, nothing beats a solid foundation. Doing so will help you heal more quickly and build muscle.