Hansaplast Sport Cooling Gel - Cool down after your workout

The benefits of exercise for mind and body are undisputed, but it’s easy to end up with sore muscles after a session. Learn how to handle tensed muscles, avoid injuries and effectively cool down after a workout. So warm up, play hard and cool down!

Amazing benefits of exercise

Strength, endurance, flexibility and balance all follow the same principle: Use it or lose it! If we don’t move, our fitness levels could drop significantly.Here are 9 health reasons to break a sweat today

We all know that exercise is useful when managing your weight – and not just cardio. Adding some muscle training to your routine will help in the long run. Regular trips to the gym are great, but don't worry if you can't find the time to exercise regularly – aim to stay active throughout the day.

Of course, exercising doesn’t mean that you can eat whatever you want and still lose weight. A balanced diet rich on proteins, low on fat, low on carbs and with no junk food can help shed those kilos even faster!

Need an emotional lift after a stressful day? A quick gym session or even brisk walking for 30-minutes can do wonders! Getting regular exercise reduces your stress levels, can decrease anxiety, and improve the quality of your sleep. Studies have even connected increased physical activity with increased cognitive performance and psychological well being. The benefits of exercise really are incredible.

WARM UP AND COOL DOWN AFTER YOUR WORKOUT

Most of us know the importance of properly warming up and preparing to exercise, but experts say that incorporating a cool down routine is just as important. This is especially true when you are not used to physical activity or have had a long break from exercise. Start slowly. If you begin too quickly and at a high intensity, you could land up with severe muscle pain and discomfort. Sore muscles could discourage you from returning to your workout routine. Instead, start with smaller and smarter goals.

5 tips for preventing injuries:

Warm up your muscles before every activity
Make sure your equipment is in good condition
Avoid wet, slippery or poor surfaces
Concentrate on correct technique and get appropriate training
Ensure adequate fluid intake before your workout

Listen to your body

It’s important to remember that your muscles need the chance to regenerate after every workout session. If you ignore your body, you could end up with tired and sore muscles. In this state your body won’t perform at it’s best. Give your body the chance for a post workout muscle recovery. This can help avoid injuries caused by tired and over burdened muscles.

There are many things you can do to help your body regenerate faster. First of all, it’s important to stretch the muscles you have been working hard on during your workout. After an intense workout, try ending it with a short and easy run, or simply treat yourself with a cooling massage!

Hot or Cold?

For a long time, it’s been commonly believed that the application of heat is most effective to boost post workout muscle recovery, but a recent French study indicates that actually, cold also helps!

The new Hansaplast Sport Cooling Gel with menthol and caffeine cools down your tense and tired muscles.

Relieving Sore Muscles

Even after a good warm up and cool down regime, muscle aches are likely to appear. In case of an acute sport injury, in most of the cases the so called R.I.C.E.R. method has proven useful:

Rest:

Avoid as much movement as possible to reduce the risk of further damage.

Ice:

Helps reduce pain, swelling, and bleeding by reducing the blood flow and metabolic processes in the affected area. You can apply a cold pack or some ice spray.

Compression:

Apply a tape or bandage to the injured area (not too tight) to re- duce bleeding and swelling.

Elevation:

Place the injured area higher than the rest of the body to reduce bleeding and swelling.

Referral:

See your doctor for a precise diagnosis. This makes a full recovery more likely.

The Amazing Effect Of Menthol On Sore Muscles

Oliver Pütz

> Specialist for Orthopaedics
> Team physician for the German basketball team
> Member of the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society

“Menthol is a natural counterirritant that can help to reduce discomfort caused by muscle fatigue and pain” Pütz explains. Scientists have found that menthol application on the skin results in a cooling sensation and can help in reducing the sensation of pain.

This works through special receptors, which are activated by cold temperatures and cooling agents such as menthol. Pütz adds: “Another important point is that menthol doesn’t change the skin’s temperature, so it can’t cause any frostbite on the skin like ice could.” It’s an ideal solution for post workout muscle recovery.

Benefits of cooling in the regeneration process

“Athletes usually want to quickly go on with their training, and reducing the perception of muscle soreness can help to achieve this goal”, describes Pütz. “If you want to recover in a shorter time after a hard workout, try cooling formulas with support of ingredients like menthol.”

Hansaplast Sport Cooling Gel offers 100% Cooling care for your sore muscles. Learn more about it here