You have probably had the experience of trying a new workout routine, only to have sore muscles a day or two later.
Or you’ve gotten an acute muscle injury leaving a part of your body feeling sore and tender.
Or you’ve been under stress and have been unconsciously tensing a muscle to the that you are in pain when ever you try to move it.
In all these scenarios, the Sauna can provide some well needed relief.
Keep reading to learn:
- How the sauna helps heal muscle tissues.
- How the sauna can help prevent muscle injuries from occurring.
- How the sauna can even help your body to build muscle tissue.
Is the Sauna good for sore muscles?
Using the sauna (or steam room, hot tub, etc…) increases blood flow to muscles. Increased blood flow brings oxygen and nutrients to the muscles, allowing them to heal quicker. Heat causes the release of endorphins which reduce feelings of pain and have anti-inflammatory effects. Source.
The increased blood flow to muscles also remove the by-products of metabolism, like lactic acid, from the muscles. The sauna will reduce lactate accumulation in the blood and muscle. Source.
What Causes Sore Muscles?
There are numerous causes of sore muscles. There are a host of illnesses, diseases and health conditions, which have muscle soreness as a symptom. Alternatively, and as you’d expect, muscle soreness is caused by exercise and injury, as well as stress and tension.
Soreness caused by health conditions tend to cause system muscle pain, meaning soreness occurs throughout the body.
Soreness caused by exercise and injury tend to be localized to the specific muscle exercised or injured. Soreness from tension and stress also tends to be localized in the body.
Illnesses, Diseases and Health Conditions
There are many illnesses, diseases and health conditions that can cause muscle soreness, including: Chronic fatigue syndrome, lyme disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and the flu. For a more comprehensive list, read this article from mayoclinic.com.
Although the sauna generally provides relief to sore muscles. Illnesses, diseases and health conditions could cause complications, and you should consult with your doctor before using the sauna under these circumstances.
Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness
It is very common to experience muscle soreness 24 to 48 hours after starting a new exercise regimen. This is known as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (“DOMS”). The soreness usually goes away after a few days. The soreness does not usually recur so long as exercise is repeated regularly.
Many people believe that this soreness is caused by breaking down or tearing muscle during exercise. The thinking is that exercise breaks down the muscle and then your body builds it back stronger.
This is a myth. If it weren’t, then soreness would be temporary hurdle to get over at the beginning of a new workout regimen, it would be present for as long as you continue to exercise. Soreness, however, normally goes away after the first week of a sustained exercise regimen.
If destroying muscle was a prerequisite to building muscle, then you cease getting stronger after the first week of exercise. This is the opposite of what will experience. In reality most of your strength gains will come weeks and months after delayed onset muscle soreness has subsided.
Acute Muscle Injuries
Unlike DOMS, acute muscle injuries are the result of sudden muscle strains and tears, causing immediate pain and soreness. These strains and tears are localized to a specific muscle tissue which has been subject to an excessive burden. Blood vessels in the area of injury are likely to break and you may experience swelling and bruising.
Treating Muscle Soreness With the Sauna
Sauna heat will do your body good whether you are suffering from DOMS or an acute injury because the increased blood flow will sooth the muscles and allow them to heal quicker. This advice, however, comes with one huge caveat..
NEVER Use The Sauna If You are Experiencing Swelling
You do NOT want to apply heat immediately after an injury, while it is still swelling and bruising. Heat will increase the blood flow to these areas and make swelling and bruising worse. This is why you apply ice immediately after an injury–to reduce blood flow.
Once the swelling has stopped, then you should definitely get to the sauna and get your blood flowing.
Is it better to use the sauna or a heating pad for muscle soreness?
The sauna, which heats the entire body, inside and out, is more beneficial than items like heating pads which only provide localized heat. Applying heat to a small area of the body is not enough to affect whole body systems like the circulatory system and the immune systems.
How long to use and when to use the sauna?
To achieve most, if not all of the benefits of the sauna, you should aim to use the sauna at least three times a week. Use it daily if you can. A sauna session should last between 10 and 20 minutes.
The sauna can be used at any time of the day and it can be used before or after exercising. If you are using the sauna either before or after working out, be careful to drink plenty of water and give yourself time to absorb it.
Read this article for more information about the sauna and dehydration.
Can the Sauna Prevent Injuries?
Conventional wisdom warns that if you don’t warm up before exercising, you’ll get injured. Of course, by “warming up,” they mean light exercise and stretching, not using the sauna–something to get the blood flowing, but not literally heating the body.
Like exercise, the sauna increases blood flow to the muscles. If warming up muscle tissue with increased blood flow from light exercise prevents injury, then it seems like the sauna should accomplish the same thing.
So can “warming up” in the Sauna prevent muscle injuries? YES. In a recent study in the Asian Journal of Sports Medicine, test subjects that spent 15 minutes in the sauna prior to doing strenuous exercises showed significantly less symptoms associated with muscle damage than the control group. Here is a link to the study.
Does the Sauna Help Build Muscle?
The proteins in your muscle cells are constantly being degraded and broken down. At the same time, your body is creating new proteins in your muscle cells. In order for your muscles to grow, you need to make new muscle proteins at a faster rate than old proteins are being broken down.
In her excellent article on the Tim Ferriss Blog, Dr. Rhonda Patrick explains that the sauna can help you do this in three ways:
First, heat exposure to heat will cause your body to produce heat shock proteins. Heat shock proteins have been shown to prevent the degradation of protein in your muscle cells.
Second, heat causes your body to produce growth hormone.
Third, heat exposure will increase your insulin sensitivity. Insulin triggers your muscles to absorb glucose from the blood–feeding the muscle with blood sugar. It causes your muscles to absorb amino acids (the building blocks that proteins are made of) from the blood.
What about the Steam Room? The Hot Tub?
Is the steam room or hot tub also effective at relieving sore muscles? Absolutely. Like the sauna, the steam room and hot tub are effective ways to raise core body temperature. Raising the core body temperature (hyperthermia) is what stimulates blood flow to the muscles and triggers the creation of heat shock proteins.
Is one better than the other? Saunas, steam rooms and hot tubs all operate at different temperatures, so the amount of time you will have one over the other will very. The key is getting the hyperthermic effect.
The best one is the one which is convenient. It is the one you enjoy the most it is the one that you will actually use on a consistent basis.
Bottom Line
Saunas are great for relieving and preventing muscle soreness. Because the sauna will stimulate blood flow to the muscle tissue, they will help injured and sore muscles quicker.
Heat will also cause your body to produce heat shock proteins. Heat shock proteins provide tremendous benefits to muscle tissue. They help to prevent the breakdown of existing muscle and promote muscle growth.
The only time you should avoid the sauna is when you have an illness or health condition or when you have an injury that is swelling. If you have a health issue, you should talk to your doctor before using the sauna. If you are actively swelling, you should avoid the sauna, but once swelling stops, the sauna is a great way to promote healing and general health.
