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Dear Chris,

Ibuprofen will relieve the inflammation and soreness promptly. You can even take some pre-exercise. However, there are several small studies which hint that the gains in muscular strength may not be as much as expected if one is taking NSAID (non-steroid anti-inflammatory drug) such as ibuprofen. The theory is that the inflammation is the necessary stimulant to muscle fiber strengthening. This has NOT been proven.

Some of the soreness can be warmed up and stretched out. A gentle, brief workout can alleviate any residual soreness after 20+hours. Keyword=gentle. Your actual body requires 24-48 hours  to relieve the inflammation of sore muscles (actual cause is bleeding between the fibers) and rebuild the muscle fiber to be stronger. The older the muscle the longer it takes.

Both early cold and later warm applications are comforting. Massage is helpful.  There are no supplements or special foods, to my knowledge, proven to speed up the normal muscle recycling.

George L. Dixon, Jr., M.D.