A sportsman who, after practicing with a certain weapon, switches to techniques with another weapon that is usually heavier (e.g. if after practicing with a stick he/she switches to a katana or sai daggers etc.) can also experience muscle inflammation.
An acute or short-term muscle inflammation is one which happens near the end or immediately after training. Your muscles swell and you feel tiredness and tension, as if they were pumped up.
This sensation is present because blood vessels expand and water is retained in the muscles. This type of inflammation recedes after a couple of hours, so the expert's advice is to drink as much water as you can. Apart from drinking water, it is important to stretch the muscles well. Take 15 minutes of your time and the inflammation will shortly go away.
Many people who experience muscle inflammation usually take painkillers (analgesics such as aspirin, ibuprofen, etc.) which is a big mistake.
By taking analgesics you will rid yourself from pain, but you are stopping a series of chemical processes in the body (especially the macrophages – you are stopping the cells that take away the waste material) that lead to repair, recovery and growth of the muscle. This is how you get a counter effect which leads to the muscle being stagnated and damaged.
To be continued. Look for Part 2 in the nect isue of Masters of Health Magazine