What to do about sore muscles: Safety related (?)

[C-10 simplex]

i think this qualifies as safety related. Also, i'm not nessesarily saying this is what to do when you have sore muscles---especially so. But more of a question/discussion as to what to do.


As you may or may not know from another thread, i had to replace a starter motor. If you are not used to "overhead" kind of work, this can really make your arms tired.

In addition in my particular case:

a) 4 cyl starters weigh about the same as a stock small block/big block starter.

b) the area is very tight---thus more time, MUCH more time, spent working overhead. It literally took all day. (front wheel drive)

c) i did not carefully check the new one against the old, therefore i had to take the new one off after i installed it in order to put pieces from the old one on the new one

Anyways, after finishing my right arm was killing me---i couldn't do anything but lie down and watch tv, but really i could not do that either because i had to close my eyes because the pain was really THAT bad. i was literally virtually un-functioning.

i decided to try ice, because i had no bengay and it was a little too late(in my opinion) to go to the drugstore (despite they're being open 24 hours). This seemed to help a little and only temporarily.

i then decided, and this probably wasn't right, to use a pill for pain prescribed to me by my orthodontist for when i got a root canal 2 summers ago. i still had it in the cabinet. It contained, among other substances, acetomenaphen (sp?) probably in higher doses than regular, over-the-counter sleep medicine.
i know this probably wasn't right(taking prescriptions for uses not prescribed for) but i figured that this would not be harmful since it's just pain medicine and really i was in SERIOUS pain.

i was worried that i wasn't going to sleep very well, but i did ok considering the circumstances----i think the pain medicine was the only thing that really made sleep resembling anything close to normal normal possible last night.

My arm is ok now.

[vin63]

Sorry to hear about the soreness. Other than some acetaminophen/Tylenol, it's important to drink lots of water before, during and after strenuous activity. The water helps flush out the build up of lactic acid.

[cdowns]

too bad you didnt have a floor jack to hold up the starter in place while working on it

[donut]

I've always drank plenty of fluids. Ice (or a bag of frozen peas works well), ibuprofen to help reduce inflammation and pain relief. In the future, work smart. (ie. cdowns and the floor jack) I've used blocks of wood, rope, jack, bungee cords.. whatever it takes.
The pain today will make you learn for the next time.

[ETsC10]

Great thread C-10 simplex! It is indeed related to shop safety.
Whatever we can do to avoid hurting ourselves counts.
Good tips guys.
IMHO- As with any exercise, warming up prior
to taxing our muscles always helps too.

[C-10 simplex]

BTW, the ice only worked temporarily----as soon as i would remove it, the pain came back.


As far as the floor jack, good idea but the way it was laid out----too many components and exhaust in the way such that using a floor jack just wouldn't be possible in this case; The starter had to be removed/installed by "snaking" it into place---couldn't just lift up/down. Remember, just one of the disadvantages of FWD. Still can't recognize any real advantages of FWD.....

[donut]

No rear u-joints? I've had to get "creative" on how I braced up a few fixes. (wire, wrenches wedged in, blocking on the jack...)

Ice is temporary, it's supposed to help reduce swelling, not just numb it up. I think, the last time I pulled my back, it was ice for the first 24hrs., heat after. Can't remember 100% though. Times may be off.

[100%Chevy]

For me,I take the longest,hottest shower I can stand and ibuprophen.
I just in the last 2 days dug 32 post holes,so I know how your arm feels!
Put concrete and posts in today.
And 330 foot of field fence tomorrow!
Mike.

[odog]

When I was playing football, we would go into the training room after practices during two a days and sit in the wirlpools full of ice water. We would also ice the sore area for 15 minutes and then heat for 15 minutes and repeat for about an hour. This seemed to work and get us through the next practices until our muscles became accustomed to the workouts.

[NorrisC10]

Originally Posted by odog

When I was playing football, we would go into the training room after practices during two a days and sit in the wirlpools full of ice water. We would also ice the sore area for 15 minutes and then heat for 15 minutes and repeat for about an hour. This seemed to work and get us through the next practices until our muscles became accustomed to the workouts.

x2

Obviously you do not have a whirpool im sure, neither do I, but after a workout its helps to get in the shower and switch between about 5 minutes between hot and cold water.

I usually do hot/cold/hot/cold/hot/cold. Works pretty well

and then of course ibueprofren and stretch it out if you can

[PanelDeland]

Saw this again and realized.No one has mentioned warming up first.Do some stretching and twisting and light warm up exercises to get ready.There will be less chance of getting sore muscles or hurt.