Sore Thighs - still can't walk after three days - what to do?

[chargad]

Hi, I'm a 46 year old female, sedetary lifestyle, wanted to get to a gym to start working out for weight loss and to get in shape. Hired a trainer at the gym, told him my age and my lack of exercise history. He immediately started me with 20 full lunges holding 20 pound weights (no warm up, and shame on me, but I didn't know to ask), then proceeded to run me through an hour of intense training, including more lunges and squats holding 25 pound weights. When I "walked" out of the gym my legs were burning and wobbly but no severe pain. It has been 72 hours since this workout and I still can't sit or stand without holding on to something. Going up and down stairs is almost impossible. The tops of my thighs are more than just your average post-workout sore (THAT I could deal with). They hurt to touch. Any suggestions? I've done a little bit of stretching but afraid to do much more, also using icy-hot. Thanks!

[Idoru]

Erm ... Seeing a doctor comes to mind.

[Dtloweca]

Should do some MINOR workouts on the muscles you worked on with the trainer.It may hurt but I personally work my muscles rest for a day then work them a little more and then im usually good the next day.

[darthawesome]

I think your diagnosis and solution comes in the form of getting off WoW

[Deleted]

It seems like you just have a really bad case of DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness).
Especially if you have been squatting and lunging you're going to get "jelly-legs".
Give it 3-4 days and if the soreness hasn't gone away then see a doctor.
Also make sure you're eating enough protein so your body can repair the muscle fibres you just tore apart.

[sabbath032]

1. Don't go back to that trainer. He/she is an idiot. You don't take someone who's living a sedetary lifestyle and throw them into a gauntlet on day 1.

2. As others have mentioned, do some very minor exercises and stretch if you can. It sounds like walking is just about all you can muster at this point, which is probably fine. Just try to keep moving around, it helps.

3. Your legs are probably going to hurt for at least a week. Personally, I wouldn't go to the doctor unless you have extreme pain in a specific spot (inside of knee etc). They aren't going to be able to do anything for a pulled hamstring etc, just tell you to rest/ice and not to overdo it like that, then take your money.

4. Stairs are your mortal enemy after a leg work out. They just plain suck. Even if your legs feel fine walking around the gym after doing some squats or lunges, if there are stairs down to the locker room etc you'll probably surprise yourself with how much your legs feel like jello when you try to go down them. (Railings are your friend ).

5. Don't give up based on a shitty experience from a bad trainer. Go back and take it at a pace that works for you. You want to push yourself, and being sore is not a bad thing, but being out of commission for a week does you no good and just ruins the feeling of accomplishment you get.

[volescue]

Honestly, he just worked you out too hard. Even doing light excercise after months of not doing anything would make you really sore. If you have pain in a specific region and it is more of a sharp pain than just a burn, I would say consult a doctor. Make sure you get plenty of protein in you to help your muscles repair themselves.


Also, tell your trainer about the situation and ask to start off easier. If he has you doing that much again without easing into it, get another trainer.

[sabbath032]

Also, tell your trainer about the situation and ask to start off easier. If he has you doing that much again without easing into it, get another trainer.

I'd ditch that trainer so fast. If she explained her lack of exercise history and the trainer threw her into that with no warm-up then he/she fails at his/her job. Any other job where you have the knowledge about the subject and you do the opposite and screw over your client, you're gonna get dumped.

Depending on how you found the trainer, I'd possibly even bring it up with your gym management. It's bad for you, and it's bad for them having someone train un-experienced people like that. It doesn't exactly inspire you to continue with their establishment/business.

[Deleted]

This is, unfortunately going to be the case for a wee while - try and go for a swim after gym (and steam/sauna if possible). Will kill most of the soreness. DO stretch out though, it IS just muscles protesting at being sore. I've been back into gym most of this year and after the first month of being perma-sore past it's been ok. Been on holiday for 10 days, came back, went rock climbing - my lats, triceps and tops of thighs are VERY sore. Keep at it, it will pass (the swiming will help a lot as will getting good protein into the muscle immediately after your workout).

[Bloodrose]

Yeah, your first issue was that trainer being a moron. You have to ease into it, give yourself some time to adjust, then you can ramp things up as you feel comfortable.

[Baene]

Hi i think i know what happened my strength coach (respected very highly and ufc/boxers come to him to work out) but anyway i worked out with him for a while then i stopped during off season while my other teamates were lifting still but i come back and the first day we do biceps my tendants got inflamed so basically your going to be sore but its nothing bad it means you worked hard which is great

[-Zait-]

If it's the first time you've worked out ro done something like that, that should be normal. Also the older you are the longer it'll take to recover. Just try and stretch, it helps a lot.

[Medivh the Prophet]

Every time with my trainer once I was done my workout he would have me do 3 hours of cardio even if the days training was on legs so yea your legs turn to jello for a while after but since you haven't done much exercise you should probably just relax get a massage and/or go to a spa. Also sleep lots and eat well!

[Deleted]

I had the same experience, only with my knees when I first started jogging on the treadmill. I'm female, and was 27 at the time and had no previous experience of actively exercising. After jogging the first time for about 20m(no warmup), I though "oh, this is easy". But when I got up the next day, I could barely put any weight on my knees and my left knee started making a clicking sound when climbing stairs. Needless to say, I was very worried and thought about going to see a doctor.

I had to wait for over a week till I could try it again and I heal very fast but then I started up again slower, with warmup and massage before jogging and it went fine.

[Homies]

Dear god lunges are a bitch. Don't worry about it, in track they had us doing lunges the week before Thanksgiving break and let me tell you thats one of the sorest ive ever been

[fixit]

Seeing as this is a gaming site i guess i don't have to be a doctor to answer medical questions.My suggestion is drink half a bottle of scotch,it worked for me after i played paintball in the forest and had chaffing of the crotch and had to walk like a cowboy.

[Mustakrakish]

Your body will adapt. Trust me. I was hugely overweight and started doing sit-ups. After the 2nd day or so my abs killed me, squatting and sitting down to take a shit hurt like hell but you will adapt. Same thing after going for a jog, my thigh muscles ached for a few days, much like the symptoms you're describing, it'll all be fine. Keep up the good work!

[Projali]

It's DOMS.

Eat more protein, drink more water, do some passive and active stretching. Don't let this scare you away from working out, it's normal.

[skeebopshapow]

oh well youre probably going to listen to the "that sounds too hard and pain cant be good!" crowd, because that is easier to hear but here's the truth:

20-25 pound weights may seem like a lot, and would certainly be over the top if you were working on your arms, but since you were doing leg exercises you need at LEAST that much weight to get a real work out. i'm assuming that you are significantly overweight and already have a good bit of leg muscle to support said weight, therefore you have to throw a good amount on top of that to get a "real" workout.

after a long time of doing nothing, if your legs didn't hurt like that when he was through with you, he didn't do his job. grit through the pain for the first couple of weeks and you'll start feeling much better.

good work making a positive life change and please please stick with it! its very true what they say "no pain no gain", and what you went through is totally normal. just tell your trainer how bad it felt and im sure he can give you more advice and/or adjust your program, thats what you're paying him to do!

[Deleted]

It's not about it being hard and that it hurts. It's about it being way too hard which resulted in unnecessary pain.
If you don't ditch the trainer, just tell him to go easier on you next time, because it was too much to begin with.
If the pain is still there the day after tomorrow I'd call your doctor and arrange a meeting asap to get them checked to see if using them will extend the pain or if you just need to "walk it off".