Allotments 4 All

After thoroughly double-digging a gigantic 6 x 4 bed on an area that has had weeds growing on it for 3 years, I hurt!!

How does everybody soothe their aching muscles after a hard day's gardening?

Ten x

Don't just sit. That will make the muscles seize up. Do some gentle exercise, and I mean gentle - no more digging!, to keep them from cooling down too quickly.

Also have a hot bath. If you have any particularly bad aches, sit with a hot water bottle.

I also find directing the power shower at aching muscles helps relax them - it's like having a warm massage!

Expect to feel worse two days after digging. But after that you'll feel better!

Oh you poor thing Ten, I know how you feel it is so easy to get carried away and want to complete the whole lot if possible. Maybe before bedtime if you apply some deep heat to the affected spot hope that might soothe it a bit. Anyway since it is a nice sunny day, if you must do something how about a bit of gentle pottering instead, to allow the sore muscles to recover.

Yes to a long hot bath......with a long cold alcoholic beverage  ;D

My new edition of Kitchen Garden arrived so I soaked in the bath until I was a prune! I will try some ralgex and a rest until next weekend :-)

Ten x

Stretch in bed Ten, start with wiggling toes and work up!  It does work!  Don't have to start moving arms and legs, just concentrate on muscles and get em to tense and relax!

You can all shout at me if you wish but in such cases don't apply muscle relaxant sprays or creams, (including the 'deep heat' type) don't have a (very) hot bath and don't use heat on affected muscles. All of these draw blood to the muscle, the blood then sits there! ( we only have a heart which pumps blood away from it'self, not back!) Congealed blood = cramp. Obviously the answer is to cut back a bit on the extra activity, but if you do find yourself suffering, one self help is to have a warm/hottish bath into which you put a cupful of Epsom salts. Gentle one finger strokes (towards the heart) helps with circulation of blood to/and away from the muscle. If it's legs, sleep with your feet on a pillow. (Sorry to be boringly professional.)

Are you a professional massagerologist, KenKew?

My bath was not too hot I promise :-)

Ten x

my recipe for aching muscles:

1)call up toyboy
2)get him to run the bath and pour cooled glass of fizz
3)have bath
4)get toyboy to massage away remaining aches and pains
5)drink rest of bottle

...Blow.....think i've just woken up

Oh well a girl can dream  ::)  8)  ;)

Ragged Robin; You trying to put me out of biz or what! (Your remedy should be on the NHS.)

Robin, your remedy will do it for me everytime.  Just one error in number 3  toy boy can jump in too ;D

Best thing for achy muscles is

have bath to relax
lie on ice pack/frozen peas for 15/20 mins
stretch gently by lying on floor and pulling knees up to chest, one leg at a time
do the cat yoga pose (difficult to explain) - kneel down and put your forehead on the floor and your bum on your heels
Don't stay still for long - move about as much as possible

Try not to sleep on your front, sleep on your back or side

If all else fails, do all this and go to the chiropractor...

Stretch muscle you just froze? If you do all that on top of a muscle problem you'll need more than a chiro!