Your Lifestyle Causes Pain.

And you wouldn't have it any other way.

For you, perpetual motion is the natural order of things. But the reality is that the pace of your life and the passion for your activities often cause muscle soreness, stiffness and bruising.

And the first step in dealing with the pain is to know its cause.

  • Muscle Soreness
    Muscle soreness is thought to be the result of microscopic tearing in your muscle fibers. Micro-tearing occurs when a muscle contracts1 beyond its usual capacity. This happen most often when we demand more from otherwise underused muscles (first day of skiing, physical therapy, new sport), or when the goal is to increase the muscle itself. Muscular tissue respond to micro-tearing by increasing in volume.

    Untreated muscle soreness will gradually go away over the course of 3 to 7 days. And evidence shows that it will be less likely to occur if you maintain the activity that caused it.
  • Stiffness & Swelling
    Stiffness2 and a lack of flexibility often accompany muscle soreness. Swelling—the body's natural defense in response to injury—can occur around the site of the micro tears. Inflammation in a muscle, connective tissue or joint, in turn, causes increased stiffness and decreased flexibility.

    Like soreness, stiffness and swelling will ease with time as the body rids itself of inflammation.
  • Bruising
    While bruising can occur as the result of mild to moderate exercise, it is most often an indication of more serious trauma than mere microscopic tears of muscle fiber. When bruising is the result of an acute muscle tear, it is often preceded by sudden, abrupt pain and a decrease in function.

    Regardless of the cause, bruising occurs as blood from damaged blood vessels collects near the surface of the skin. Mild bruising and the accompanying pain will gradually diminish with time.

1. Contraction: the muscle gets shorter. Microscopic tearing occurs during overexertion of a muscle. Tearing stimulates muscle growth and repair, but produces inflammation, pain and soreness.

2. Stiffness: results from accumulation of lactic acid and a decrease in muscle glycogen reserves; the muscle is less able to contract.


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