Recover faster, reduce soreness
Lactic acid buildup is a common challenge for the athletes amongst us! If you play sports, dance, run long distances, or otherwise move your body with intensity, you’ll know the pain and muscle weakness that can creep up during games, runs, and training sessions.
Did you know that severe lactic acidosis can even result in nausea, vomiting, and breathing difficulties? This is not something the average person needs to worry about, but it’s good to know the signs.
Why does it happen and how can you recover from it? We’ve put together a quick guide to lactic acid buildup and how using a lymphatic pump can help with recovery for athletes training hard towards a goal or game.
How does lactic acid buildup happen?
The process of lactic acid building up in your body happens as follows:
- During intense exercise, you may use energy faster than oxygen can be supplied to your muscles.
- The oxygen-starved muscles change from aerobic to anaerobic respiration. Both use glucose, but the former has water and carbon dioxide as byproducts while the latter has lactic acid as a byproduct.
- Lactic acid is removed from the body primarily by the liver and kidneys. When it is produced faster than it can be removed, it accumulates.
- The excess lactic acid (in mild amounts) causes muscles to burn. It can also cause cramps.
What are the risks for athletes?
Having sore and weakened muscles, even temporarily, can be a challenge for athletes, particularly as they try to push harder during training. It can also contribute to delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Lactic acid buildup is usually nothing more than a painful annoyance, but when it tips over the line into acidosis, the consequences can be more severe.
When a large amount of lactic acid accumulates, or the kidneys and liver are not working effectively and clearing it, there are long-term risks including nausea, vomiting, exhaustion, respiratory compensation, organ failure, and death. These are extreme consequences; your average F45 session, sports match, or even marathon is certainly not going to cause anything more than burning muscles. However, it’s a good idea to keep an eye out for any issues if you’re partaking in regular intensive exercise.
The benefits of a lymphatic pump
The lymphatic system contributes to draining excess fluid and waste products from the body, including lactic acid. The connection here is clear; encouraging the flow of lymphatic fluids and the waste removal process gets rid of the buildup faster.
Hurrying along the removal of lactic acid can help athletes to reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness and make recovery quicker. For those in training, every little bit helps!
Lymphatic massage is a great way to support lymphatic flow and aid recovery, but for athletes who need treatment on a regular basis, it is a significant investment. We have trained and talented massage therapists on staff who can provide this service, plus a more affordable and accessible option: our self-administered lymphatic pump. Once you have learnt how to use the pump, you can book sessions in a private room to use it. These start from just $15 for a 20-minute session.
To use the pump, you will don the inflatable garments. These fill and deflate in sequence to apply pressure in a gradient, lightly squeezing and giving stagnant lymphatic fluid the encouragement it needs to begin moving. The carefully-designed rhythm of pressure mimics the natural contractions of lymphatic muscles.
Book your lymphatic pump session today!
If you could do with regular lymphatic drainage to perform at your very best, there’s no time like the present to get started. Get in touch with the team on 09 534 5686 or fill out the contact form here to ask about learning how to use the pump, and from there you can book your sessions and reap the benefits. We always recommend adding the occasional lymphatic drainage massage with one of our therapists to your schedule for a very thorough hands-on treatment.