Saunas are not just for relaxation. They also have many health benefits, including helping to relieve joint pain and inflammation- but are they good for pulled muscles?
Using an infrared sauna twice/week for 15 minutes can reduce pulled muscle pain for up to 8 hours. Using a steam sauna twice/week for 20 minutes can stimulate healing by penetrating deep muscle tissue layers and releasing heat shock proteins. Avoid either sauna for 72 hours after your injury, as immediate heat can lead to more inflammation.
Keep reading to find out if saunas help with pulled muscles, if heat plays a positive role, and how to use the sauna to alleviate sore muscles!
Does the sauna help with pulled muscles?
A good sweat session can make you feel (and even look) better. The positive impact a sauna has on your mental status is convincing enough for me, but does the sauna help with pulled muscles?
Saunas help with pulled muscles by increasing the flow of white blood cells to damaged areas and inducing the production of heat shock proteins, which further protect your cells from harm. Additionally, a study from 1986 showed that sauna bathing increases hGH (which helps to repair injured muscles) by 150%.
Furthermore, heat from the sauna increases insulin sensitivity which enhances your body’s ability to produce lean muscle.
On the contrary, in order for muscles to rebuild, our body needs fluids. Excessive sweating can deplete electrolytes and diminish hydration, so be sure to drink lots of lemon water.
Does heat make pulled muscles better or worse?
For thousands of years, heat therapy has been used by many different cultures, including the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans, who believed in its healing properties. However, is there a downside to using heat for pulled muscles?
Heat may help pulled muscles, but it can also hurt them. The general rule of thumb is that if you are suffering from an acute injury- ice it for the first 72 hours. According to Dr. Daniel Trimberger II, avoid using heat during this time as it can lead to a temporary increase in swelling and inflammation.
According to a 2013 study, wet sauna bathing has the fantastic ability to relieve muscle tension. However, that reduced tightness also increases the odds that you may pull your muscle further.
This elevation in elasticity will be more beneficial once the strain has progressed further in the healing process.
Do steam and humidity make pulled muscles better or worse?
Due to the moisture levels of most saunas, we have to address- do steam and humidity make pulled muscles better or worse?
While heat at any level (dry or wet) is harmful during the beginning stages of healing, steam and humidity prove advantageous 3-days post-injury. This is because moist heat is able to penetrate muscular tissue layers better than dry heat in 25% less time.
While moist heat works faster, a study from 2013 also found that the effects felt from wet heat only last 2 hours as compared to dry heat effects, which last around 8 hours.
What this means is from a pain perspective, you may get more relief from dry heat, though from a healing perspective, wet heat works best.
Should you use a sauna, infrared sauna, or steam room for sore muscles?
Ultimately, should you use a traditional sauna, infrared sauna, or steam room for sore muscles?
According to the research discussed above- steam saunas are the most effective treatment for speeding up the healing process of sore muscles. Infrared saunas, which heat our bodies from the core, do the best job of reducing pain for extended periods of time- otherwise known as delayed onset muscle soreness.
If you pair either sauna session with light stretching (for sore, not pulled muscles), you can also limit next-day muscle pain.
Using a combination of infrared and steam saunas is the best recipe for muscle-rebuilding and discomfort relief.
How to use the sauna for sore muscles
While traditional saunas aren’t the most impactful, the heat and minor humidity will definitely still help your sore muscles.
Follow these steps to use a traditional sauna for sore muscles:
- Hydrate before and after.
- Wait at least 72 hours after an acute injury.
- Use twice per week for 30 minutes each session.
- Incorporate stretching.
- Take advantage of the bench (especially for pulled muscles).
- Ice your muscles in 20-minute intervals on the days you aren’t using the sauna.
How to use the steam room for sore muscles
Steam saunas are a great remedy for sore muscles.
Here’s how to use a steam sauna for sore muscles:
- Hydrate before and after.
- Wait at least 72 hours after an acute injury.
- Use twice per week for 20 minutes each session.
- Incorporate stretching.
- Take advantage of the bench (especially for pulled muscles).
- Ice your muscles in 20-minute intervals on the days you aren’t using the sauna.
Also, switch off with infrared saunas to decrease pain.
How to use the infrared sauna for sore muscles
Infrared saunas offer the most benefits as far as pain relief.
To use an infrared sauna for sore muscles:
- Hydrate before and after.
- Wait at least 72 hours after an acute injury.
- Use twice per week for 15 minutes each session.
- Incorporate stretching.
- Take advantage of the bench (especially for pulled muscles).
- Ice your muscles in 20-minute intervals on the days you aren’t using the sauna.
Mix with steam sauna use to get the best healing results!
Related Questions
Will the sauna help muscle knots?
The heat from saunas is able to relax muscle fibers and make it easier to get knots out.
The best practice is to combine heat therapy with massage therapy. The sauna is able to loosen your muscles, while physical pressure can help get rid of knots. Drinking enough water after a sauna session is necessary because dehydration can worsen muscle nodules.
What if you have sore muscles after the sauna?
There’s no getting around that after pushing the limits of your body, your muscles will inevitably be sore- whether you use a sauna or not.
However, soreness, specifically after using the sauna (without exercising beforehand), is likely due to dehydration. If you aren’t increasing your fluid intake, your muscles are more prone to spasms- like the dreaded Charley horse.
Step up your game by drinking an extra 4-glasses of water before and after each sauna session.
What if you have sore muscles after the infrared sauna?
If you have sore muscles after using an infrared sauna, this is also a result of dehydration.
You may start to feel light-headed, achey, and experience low blood pressure. This can all be fixed by re-hydrating. Also, infrared saunas work faster, so you only need to spend around 15 minutes inside.
If you feel like this continuously, consult your doctor and lower the time spent in your infrared sauna. Always listen to your body so as not to push it too far.
In conclusion, it’s important to know the pros and cons of each kind of sauna to determine if the sauna is good for your pulled muscle.
In order to avoid the negative effects of inflammation after an injury, it is recommended that you don’t use any heat therapy within 72 hours of an accident.
Always consult your doctor to make sure sauna treatment is the right remedy for you!