if you do a physically demanding job and end up with sore and painful legs, does it help to run before / after your shift?
if you do a physically demanding job and end up with sore and painful legs, does it help to run before / after your shift?
so I'm a nurse and today was my 5th day on a row and I don't understand why my legs hurt. I didn't work harder today than other days, nor did I have to work with fat patients. I just had to walk a lot, but not much more than other days.
On my free time I like jogging and doing yoga, and right after I feel how my legs are looser and more relaxed. I however cannot go jogging every day. Today was my second day on a row not jogging.
Can this be the reason I'm in pain?
If running before my shifts actually helps me not to have pain after my shifts, how can that be? I'm basically using the same muscles.
Cycling might help. The impact of running will likely hurt not help.
I think stretching might help, but running seems counter intuitive. But hey, you're the nurse, you prolly know better than me.
Running is different than walking, kinesthetically. I've had lower body injuries where walking was painful, but running wasn't, docs weren't at all surprised, expected it actually.
Also you're getting everything moving by running. Exercise like this (using the large muscles) also triggers a hormonal shift (I forget the details), and you're triggering some anti-inflammatory processes.
I've found myself much less sore from walking after starting to swim regularly, maybe that would help
Before or after, whatever works for your life. The overall lifestyle is what is important. Try to be consistent. Honestly I think you might need to focus on muscle growth, do some squats. If you can stress your legs and posterior chain of muscles more in a controlled environment then when you are in the real world it shouldn't be as painful. You don't have to go crazy with the weight but you should be tired after doing something like 3 sets of 10. Your muscles will grow and your normal work day won't seem that strenuous.
If you like running, try to focus on sprints and interval training. The point is causing your muscles stress in a manner that they will grow back strong. Distance running is good for cardio, but the muscles don't pump or get as strong when doing distance. Compare marathon bodies to sprinters.
Exercise is known to reduce inflammation. Maybe you have some inflammatory (t)issues? Maybe your immune system attacking something? I'm not a doctor, so this is not medical advice.
I'm not a physician or physical therapist, but have been an amateur athlete in a variety of individual sports and have done some coaching of youth sports. All of this advice is based off of personal experience and observing what has worked for others. Every body and mind is different, and ultimately whatever feels physically and mentally best for you is what you should go with.
That said, I've had service jobs where I've had to move around quickly and lift moderate to somewhat heavy things. I've also worked jobs where I'm standing in more or less one position the entire 8 hour shift. I'm currently working a job where I sit all day in front of a computer. The all around fitness routine that has worked for me in each of these has ended up being hatha yoga. It's become for me a maintenance routine, and so that's what I recommend. If that's not for you, then perhaps some light spinning on an indoor bicycle would help with circulation.