Time to Heal

Popping a few painkillers after a strenuous workout may seem like a good idea, but a new study suggests these pills do little to relieve post-exercise soreness.

Researchers at Coventry University in the United Kingdom examined the responses of 60 healthy adults to treatment with aspirin, codeine, acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol) and a placebo after exercising the biceps to exhaustion using free weights.

Subjects received treatment for eleven days, but none of the three drugs relieved the subject’s pain.

A normal adaptation to exercise, muscle soreness (as opposed to muscle pain, which may signal an injury) may be a good indicator that you've overextended yourself and that you should ease up a bit on your next workout.

This appeared in ACE FitnessMatters, ACE's official magazine.
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