Warm Baths for Sore Muscles After Exercise

Sore muscles after exercise or participating in sports are common.. A warm bath can help ease the ache in your muscles while reducing muscle tension. A few different warm bath variations can help your body relax while reducing or eliminating soreness and fatigue in your muscles.

The combination of a warm bath and self-massage can ease tension and soreness in your muscles. Use two tennis balls in the bathtub to massage sore, tight muscles by placing the balls between your body and the bottom of the tub. The water buoys your body weight in the water so you can apply just the right amount of pressure against the tennis balls and slowly move around to release knots in your muscles as the warm water relieves tension..

Many essential oils naturally help reduce inflammation, ease muscle spasms and relieve pain caused by a strenuous or intense workout. Although you can apply essential oils directly to your skin after they're mixed with a carrier oil such as olive or almond oil, you can also add them to a warm bath. A mixture containing 2 tablespoons of almond or olive oil, three drops of rosemary essential oil, five drops of lavender and four drops of marjoram oil can be added to your warm bath to relieve muscle soreness. Soak for at least 12 to 15 minutes.

You need only go as far as your kitchen to find an inexpensive ingredient to effectively relieve sore muscles. Mix 1 cup of baking soda into a warm bath so the powder is completely dissolved. Relax in your baking soda bath for half an hour.

There isn't always time to take a full bath to ease muscle soreness. Use a foot bath to soothe the tired muscles in your feet.

Place a shallow bucket or container on the counter or tabletop and soak sore arm, hand or finger muscles.

You can also mix up one of the bath soaks and use it to make warm compresses to apply to your skin. Resoak the compresses every five to 10 minutes and reapply at least one to three times more to soothe your muscles.