State of constant soreness..is that weird?

ERIN6907 started this discussion · 11/25/2013

I have really been struggling lately with sore/stiff muscles and also my ribs moving out of place. I mean usually I only get stiff and sore when I try a new form of exercise or push a certain muscle group beyond it's comfort zone. Or like the first couple times you take a Spin class all you can think of is MY CROTCH hurts! Then after a few weeks you don't even notice it because you have “conditioned” that area. I just keep waiting for that day when my body finally get's “used” to pole and only on my really hard days of practice I will get sore....but that doesn't seem to be happening! LOL I am sore all the time. Even with a 1/2 hour warmup and stretch before I practice. Has anyone else experienced the same constant soreness?

23 replies

chemgoddess1 · 11/25/2013
I don't know how old you are, but I can say that the days that I don't wake up sore are few and far between. It has gotten worse as I have gotten older and have come to terms with it.
poledanceromance · 11/25/2013
Are you poling seriously every day or most days during the week? If so the constant soreness is a huge challenge. Truth be told some of this is inevitable as chemmie said...however I have also come to learn that three factors hugely impact my body's recovery: 1. Drinking enough WATER. I mean tons. GALLONS. As much as you can. Your body's water consumption when you're exercising a lot goes through the roof. And your body needs tons of water to build muscle and maintain the fluids that lubricate and protect your joints. 2. Diet. Protein. Fatty acids. Good fats. Research the nutrients your body uses to build muscles and make sure your diet gives you enough. 3. Adequate rest. Not just sleep, but also sleep. But rest in general. You have to take it. I personally am much more prone to post-workout soreness when I don't get enough sleep. I also find using ibuprofen and hot baths really helps me get going when I wake up sore. These are just my observations based on realizing that the more we intend to train, the more important our self-care is.
Kobajo84 · 11/25/2013
How long has this been going on? I ask this because long term soreness is actually a diagnosable condition. Of course there are other symptoms that go along with it, however the additional symptoms can often be overlooked and thought to be for other reasons. If this has been persistent for at least three months chronically, I would recommend you talking to your physician to rule out a medical condition.
makasha · 11/25/2013
I am experiencing the same type of thing. Lately I've been poling 3 days a week, and I turned 40 this summer. I keep hoping my body is going to "man up" so-to-speak! Last weekend I took a workshop and the instructor said when he's travelling and teaching up to 6 hours a day, he loads up on magnesium. I had thought potassium was my problem, and another woman in class said she takes both! So I'm going to give that a try for a while and see if it helps.
Phoenix Hunter · 11/25/2013
I am 34, didn't think that was old... I stay sore. I pole three times a week for over three months. I was wondering if I was normal in this area. Also my bruising is bad. I bruise instantly from the first move that I do on the pole and every move after. You can watch the bruises form. It is not getting better. I take multivitamins. I'm not anemic, no medications. What the hell! Bruising is preventing me from progressing. And yes, soreness is not getting better. Very frustrating. No one else in my studio looks as beat up as i do. Ribs are sore and it hurts to inhale.
leyrose · 11/25/2013
I pole 6 days a week for around 2 plus hours each time so I am sore towards the end of the week. I take BCAA supplements which helps me quite a lot. I also bruise quite a lot.
ERIN6907 · 11/25/2013
Oh I just love all of you! It is so nice to have some pole friends to bounce this off of. I KNOW I'm not drinking enough water so tomorrow I shall carry the gallon jug with me until it's gone. Some vitamins are probably a good addition too. I eat very clean, lean proteins, veggies, complex carbs and fruit. I have been seeing a physical therapist once a week for about 6 weeks and that is helping. She just looks at me and says "so what trick did you learn this week?!?" LOL I will get her on a pole someday I swear! Anyway...SQUIRREL! ha No really though....THANK YOU ALL and I am taking each and every suggestion into consideration. Oh and I am 33 years young :)
chemgoddess1 · 11/26/2013
It has gotten to the point where I take ibuprofen BEFORE I go to class. Natural Calm is a great magnesium supplement if anyone is looking to add Mg, you just need to be careful as too much will make you run for the bathroom. It is amazing what it does for your sleep quality.
ERIN6907 · 11/26/2013
Oh man, I hear ya. I have been taking 3-4 Ibuprofins 2-3 times a day since roughly JUNE. Which is not good for me, I know. I'm going to try way more water, some magnesium, more good fats and a partridge in a pear tree :)
Lina Spiralyne · 11/26/2013
@robinb: Do you bruise easily in general or is it something that you notice only when pole dancing?
Veena · 11/26/2013
Listen to your bodies…..If you are sore all the time, you need a break. Eat well after your workouts and throughout the day. A colorful plate is a healthy one. SLEEP, don't skimp on zzzz's. Poling 6 days a week for 2 hours is a lot, if you are working that hard you really need to make sure you eat well and rest. :)
poledanceromance · 11/26/2013
Just tossing it out there that NSAID's like ibuprofen say right on the bottle not to use them so heavily for so long because they are very hard on your digestive system and can give you ulcers with long term use. Just something to be aware of, I'd definitely suggest having dr. supervision if you're wanting to use ibuprofen or other NSAIDs daily to manage soreness.
hookedonpole · 11/26/2013
Couldn't believe when I saw this post. I recently started having this constant soreness! I've always worked out and didn't have this problem till maybe few months ago. I do boot camp workout two days a week (Monday & Wednesday) and pole two days a week (Thursday & a weekend day). I know it's not the workouts because like I said, I've always worked out in some way. I used to do boot camp 2-3 days/wk WITH a private that kicked my butt. Didn't have this constant soreness. I KNOW I don't drink enough water, and I KNOW I skimp on sleep/rest. So that's something I'm going to work on. I used to take Natural Calm long time ago, guess I should get back on it. I wish I could soak in a hot, epsom salt, mineral bath every day all day long. You know, I will say I have noticed the additional soreness now that I am working on putting choreography, routine, dance into my pole journey. DANG, that takes A LOT of physical work, as well as mental! Oh, maybe being 58 yrs old has something to do with it?!?!?!
Phoenix Hunter · 11/26/2013
Lina Spiralyne- I really only notice bruises from pole. And forget taking ibuprofen! if I took that I would bleed to death under my skin! Ibuprofen makes me bruise even when I don't pole. Those are the only things I notice causing me to bruise,pole or Nsaids. so I don't take Nsaids. I am a natural redhead, I have heard we bruise more but I thought that was just a myth.
Lina Spiralyne · 11/26/2013
Could be because you're a natural redhead. I remember one girl in my beginner's class who complained about bruising and she also had red hair. But well I was quite well-covered too! I'm sure it will get better, you've only been on for short yet. Maybe you'll bruise a bit more than most others, but it does decrease for everyone after a while.
caralai · 11/27/2013
I've been poling for 2yrs and its only recently started where im constantly sore and easily bruised. Moves that I use to find relatively easy are now painful. Im taking ibuprofen before class now too hoping to numb the pain a little. Its very frustrating especially after 18 months of moderate bruising and just the discomfort pain from learning a new move to the giant black bruising and almost feel like crying pain.
SV26869 · 12/3/2013
Omg..ibuprofen is not good for you...While trainig your muscles you are just killing your liver-(. If you so hard bruised just do different exercise,train another group of muscles! When I bruised my hand so bad I could hardly hold a cup of tea I just stoped poledance for 1,5 week and worked on my splits...Why take all these medicines, there is absolutely no need in it.
chemgoddess1 · 12/3/2013
There is absolutely no proof that occasional nsaid usage is harmful. If you are taking 2000 mg a day for months on end you will develop issues but a few hundred mg for a few days is not going to hurt you.
poledanceromance · 12/4/2013
Chem that's not totally true for everyone. If you have liver issues like lupus or digestive issues like UC or Chron's or IBS even the dosage on the bottle can be an issue. But mostly I only posted based on some people's mentions of taking more than the max dose every day on a continuous basis. I didn't mean to get everyone whipped up scared about OTC NSAIDs, just wanted to remind everyone to check the dosage information on the labels and consult with your doctors if you feel the need to exceed it, just to be safe because some people out there can be sensitive to the side effects and not know it. The future lawyer in me can't help but gently urge everyone not to undertake anything that qualifies as a drug regimen without going over that with their doctors.
chemgoddess1 · 12/4/2013
PDR, yes, for some people it can be bad, I will agree. My response was directed at the post right before mine that basically stated that ibuprofen + exercise will cause liver damage,
Jacki C · 12/4/2013
I pole 2-3 hours a session 2-5 times a week. When I do pole 3 days in a row I get extremely sore. I also have to watch out for tendonitis in my shoulder, those consecutive days can get me. At 39 I probably don't recover as fast as I would if I was 19 however I try not to let my age be an obstacle. I try and listen to my body. Muscle soreness from working out is tolerable for me, in fact I get disappointed if I don't experience it. However, joint soreness is an entirely different beast. To help stave off inflammatory issues with my joints I take AR-ENCAP by Thorne in lieu of a traditional NSAID. I love it. Plus I think it helps me make more progress with flexibility. It's slightly spendy and does have MSM (which upsets some people's stomachs) but I think it works great. I included a picture. You can find this on Amazon and at some Chiropractor's offices depending on state law (I found out the hard way they can't sell them in Washington). I also do BCAA's before the workout and a protein shake afterwards. I hope that these might be an acceptable alternative to ibuprofen for some of my fellow polers.
Jacki C · 12/4/2013
PS Although I use these for my joint issues they do contain curcumin which is supposedly a decent anti inflammatory. Could be worth a shot for muscle soreness issues.
aliceBheartless · 12/4/2013
Can also make Turmeric tea! Turmeric also contained curcumin, and I really like it. Not sure how much one would need to drink to get specific amounts of curcumin though. I mostly just like drinking it, so the fact that it might help with inflammation is just a side bonus. http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/turmeric-tea-recipe.html