Workout Recovery Tips to Improve Performance

Training hard is only one part of getting stronger, fitter, and more athletic. What you do after a workout can be just as important. Your body needs time, nutrition, hydration, and sleep to repair the stress created by exercise and prepare you for your next session.

Good workout recovery can help you maintain better energy, support muscle growth, improve training quality, and stay consistent with your fitness routine. On the other hand, constantly training without enough recovery may leave you feeling unusually tired, sore, or unable to perform at your normal level.

Whether you are dealing with muscle soreness after a new workout, trying to figure out how to recover from leg day, or wondering how much protein and hydration you need after training, recovery does not have to be complicated. A few basic habits can make a meaningful difference.

Your ideal recovery routine can also depend on several factors, including workout intensity, the muscles you trained, your age, sleep quality, nutrition, hydration, stress levels, and training experience.

This guide explains the muscle recovery process, realistic recovery times, ways to manage soreness, the role of protein and supplements, and practical strategies you can use to recover well and train better.

What Is Workout Recovery and Why Does It Matter?

Understanding the Muscle Recovery Process

Every workout places some level of stress on your body. Resistance training, running, sports, and high-intensity exercise can temporarily fatigue your muscles and other body systems.

During strength training, muscles are challenged by resistance. Your body then begins adapting to that training stimulus during the recovery period. This involves repairing and rebuilding muscle tissue while restoring energy and preparing the body for future activity.

It is useful to distinguish between muscle fatigue and muscle damage. Feeling tired during or after a workout does not necessarily mean your muscles have been significantly damaged. Exercise can create fatigue simply because your muscles and nervous system have been working hard.

The muscle repair and adaptation process is one reason recovery matters. Your body needs adequate resources to respond to the training stimulus. If you repeatedly train hard without giving yourself enough time to recover, performance may suffer.

Recovery also involves more than your muscles. Your energy stores, nervous system, connective tissues, and overall stress levels can all influence how ready you feel for your next workout.

Why Recovery Is Important for Consistent Training

A good recovery routine helps you maintain consistency rather than constantly feeling run down.

Important benefits include:

• Restoring energy after exercise
• Supporting muscle growth and adaptation
• Managing excessive soreness
• Maintaining workout quality
• Supporting better exercise performance
• Giving your body time to repair itself
• Reducing the chance of accumulating excessive training fatigue

Think of training and recovery as two parts of the same process. Exercise provides the stimulus, while recovery gives your body the opportunity to adapt.

Your muscle recuperation time may also vary from one workout to another. A light upper-body session may require a different recovery period than a high-volume leg workout involving squats, lunges, and deadlifts.

How Long Does It Take for Muscle Recovery?

There is no single recovery time that applies to everyone.

Someone who is new to resistance training may experience more soreness after a workout than an experienced lifter performing a similar session. Likewise, a high-volume workout can require more recovery than a moderate training session.

The question of how long does it take muscles to recover depends on the amount of stress placed on the body and how well you support recovery afterward.

How Long Do Muscles Need to Recover After a Workout?

After strength training, muscles may feel tired, stiff, or sore. The recovery period can vary significantly depending on the exercise and individual.

For example, a demanding lower-body workout may create substantial fatigue because exercises such as squats, deadlifts, and leg presses involve large muscle groups. A lighter workout may produce much less fatigue.

Rather than relying only on a specific number of hours, pay attention to how your body is responding.

You may be more ready for another hard session when:

• Normal movement feels comfortable
• Your strength has largely returned
• Soreness is manageable
• Your technique is not being affected by fatigue
• You feel mentally and physically prepared
• Your performance is not noticeably declining

Training a muscle while it is extremely fatigued may make it harder to perform exercises with good technique or your usual intensity.

Muscle Recovery Time: What Factors Affect It?

Several factors can influence muscle recovery time, including:

Training volume: More sets and repetitions can create greater fatigue.

Workout intensity: Heavy or high-intensity training can require more recovery.

Exercise selection: Compound movements involving multiple muscle groups can create considerable overall fatigue.

Age: Recovery needs can change as you get older, although age is only one factor.

Nutrition: Adequate calories, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals support normal recovery.

Sleep: Consistent, high-quality sleep is essential for physical recovery and overall performance.

Hydration: Fluid loss can affect how you feel and perform, particularly after intense or sweaty workouts.

Training experience: Beginners may experience more soreness when they introduce unfamiliar exercises.

Stress: Work, poor sleep, and other forms of stress can influence how recovered you feel.

So, if you are asking how long for muscles to recover, the better answer is to consider the entire recovery picture rather than looking for one universal number.

Muscle Recovery Time by Age: Does Age Change Recovery?

Recovery can change with age, but there is no specific age at which everyone suddenly needs a particular amount of recovery.

Training history, nutrition, sleep, stress, exercise selection, and overall health all matter.

A younger beginner may recover differently from an experienced 40-year-old athlete, just as two people of the same age can have very different recovery needs.

Instead of assuming age determines your recovery, focus on how your body responds to your current training program.

Best Ways to Recover From Workouts at 30 Years Old

If you are around 30 and training regularly, some of the most useful recovery habits are surprisingly simple.

Prioritize protein. Include quality protein sources throughout the day to provide amino acids needed for muscle maintenance and repair.

Get consistent sleep. Aim for a regular sleep schedule and create an environment that makes quality sleep easier.

Manage workout volume. More training is not automatically better. Increase your workload gradually.

Stay hydrated. Drink enough fluids throughout the day and pay particular attention to hydration after sweaty workouts.

Include recovery days. Rest days and lighter training days can help manage accumulated fatigue.

Avoid rapid increases in intensity. Increasing weight, volume, frequency, and intensity simultaneously can make recovery more difficult.

How to Maintain Muscle Recovery as You Get Older

As you get older, recovery may require more attention to the basics.

Regular strength training can help maintain muscle and physical function. Adequate protein and overall nutrition remain important, while sleep becomes especially valuable for maintaining training consistency.

Mobility work can also help you maintain comfortable movement, although mobility exercises should not be used to push through an actual injury.

Consider including:

• Regular strength training
• Adequate daily protein
• Balanced meals
• Recovery days
• Gentle mobility work
• Consistent sleep
• Proper hydration
• Gradual increases in training load
• Better management of overall training stress

If you are wondering how long does it take to regain muscle, remember that rebuilding lost muscle can take time. Consistent resistance training, sufficient nutrition, and patience are generally more useful than trying to accelerate the process with excessive workouts.

How to Recover From Leg Day Without Losing Progress

Leg workouts can be some of the most demanding sessions in a training program. Squats, lunges, deadlifts, leg presses, step-ups, and other lower-body exercises can challenge several large muscle groups at once.

That is why leg day recovery deserves attention.

Being sore after a challenging lower-body workout does not necessarily mean something is wrong. However, immediately repeating another intense leg session while you are severely fatigued may make it harder to train effectively.

Leg Day Recovery Essentials

One of the easiest ways to support recovery after leg day is to keep moving lightly.

A relaxed walk can increase general movement without placing the same training demand on your legs. Gentle mobility can also help you feel less stiff.

Other important recovery habits include:

• Drinking enough water
• Replacing fluids after heavy sweating
• Eating sufficient protein
• Including carbohydrates in your meals
• Getting adequate sleep
• Using gentle mobility exercises
• Managing lower-body training volume
• Allowing enough time before another hard leg session

You do not need to completely avoid movement after leg day. In many cases, light activity can feel more comfortable than sitting still all day.

What to Do After Leg Day

Immediately after training, allow your heart rate to gradually come down with a short cool-down or easy movement.

Then focus on hydration and a balanced meal. Your meal can include a protein source, carbohydrates, vegetables or fruit, and fluids.

The following day, consider walking or another form of light activity instead of immediately performing another demanding lower-body workout.

If soreness is severe enough to change your normal movement or technique, give yourself more recovery time rather than forcing another hard session.

How to Soothe Sore Muscles After a Workout

Delayed onset muscle soreness, commonly called DOMS, can occur after unfamiliar or especially demanding exercise. It often becomes noticeable several hours after training and can be more noticeable during the following day or two.

Soreness is not a perfect measurement of workout quality. A workout does not need to make you extremely sore to be effective.

What Helps Sore Muscles After a Workout?

Several simple strategies may make normal post-workout soreness more manageable.

Light movement: Walking, easy cycling, or gentle daily activity can help you avoid becoming overly stiff.

Hydration: Maintain normal fluid intake, particularly if you lost a lot of fluid through sweating.

Protein: Adequate protein supports the body’s normal muscle repair and adaptation processes.

Sleep: Quality sleep gives your body time to recover from physical stress.

Gentle mobility: Easy movement through a comfortable range can help you feel less stiff.

Massage: A gentle massage may temporarily reduce the feeling of muscle tightness or soreness for some people.

Foam rolling: Foam rolling may help some people feel more comfortable, although it is not a substitute for adequate rest and nutrition.

How to Make Sore Muscles Go Away More Comfortably

There is no guaranteed method for making normal soreness disappear immediately.

Instead of trying to completely eliminate it, focus on making the recovery period more comfortable.

Keep moving gently, eat well, stay hydrated, sleep enough, and avoid immediately repeating the same high-intensity workout.

If pain is sharp, sudden, severe, or associated with swelling or weakness, do not assume it is ordinary soreness.

How to Reduce Muscle Pain After Workout

Normal post-exercise soreness generally develops gradually and affects the muscles that were trained.

In contrast, a sharp pain that occurs suddenly during an exercise may indicate an injury and should be treated differently.

Muscle Soreness Relief After Workout

For ordinary exercise-related soreness, useful approaches can include:

• Light walking
• Gentle mobility
• Adequate hydration
• Balanced meals
• Sufficient protein
• Quality sleep
• Gentle massage
• Foam rolling
• Temporarily reducing training intensity

The goal is to support recovery rather than attack the soreness aggressively.

Remedies for Muscle Soreness

A warm shower or bath may feel relaxing when your muscles are stiff. Gentle stretching can also be comfortable for some people, provided it does not cause pain.

Balanced meals are another important part of recovery. Your body needs adequate energy and nutrients to support normal repair processes.

There is no single best treatment for sore muscles that works for everyone. The fundamentals—sleep, nutrition, hydration, and appropriate activity—usually matter more than any individual recovery trick.

How to Get Rid of Muscle Soreness After Working Out

Trying to completely eliminate soreness by exercising harder is usually not a good recovery strategy.

Instead:

1. Reduce the intensity of activities that aggravate the sore muscles.
2. Keep moving lightly if comfortable.
3. Eat enough protein and overall calories.
4. Stay hydrated.
5. Get sufficient sleep.
6. Wait until the muscle is ready before performing another demanding session.

If symptoms continue to worsen instead of gradually improving, consider whether the problem could be an injury rather than ordinary soreness.

Does Protein Help With Soreness?

Protein plays an important role in muscle maintenance, repair, and adaptation. But does protein help with soreness directly?

Protein is not a magic soreness cure. However, getting enough protein supports the processes your body uses to repair and adapt after resistance training.

Protein and Muscle Repair

Protein provides amino acids that your body uses to build and maintain tissues.

Resistance exercise stimulates muscle protein synthesis, and consuming adequate protein throughout the day helps provide the building blocks needed for this process.

This does not mean you need to consume protein immediately after every workout to avoid soreness. Your total daily protein intake and overall diet are more important than obsessing over a very narrow post-workout window.

Useful protein sources include:

• Eggs
• Chicken
• Turkey
• Fish
• Greek yogurt
• Milk
• Cottage cheese
• Beans
• Lentils
• Tofu
• Protein powders

Protein-Rich Foods vs Protein Supplements

Whole foods can provide protein along with other nutrients. Eggs, poultry, fish, dairy products, and legumes can all fit into a balanced diet.

Protein supplements can be useful when convenience is a priority or when it is difficult to get enough protein from meals.

A protein shake is not inherently better than a protein-rich meal. It is simply another convenient way to consume protein.

Post-Workout Supplements for Muscle Recovery

Recovery supplements can be convenient, particularly for athletes, people with demanding schedules, or anyone who has difficulty eating a complete meal shortly after training.

However, post workout supplements for muscle recovery should complement a good diet rather than replace proper nutrition, hydration, and sleep.

What to Look for in Recovery Supplements

When evaluating a recovery product, look at the entire ingredient label rather than relying only on marketing claims.

Depending on your training needs, useful considerations may include:

• Protein content
• Carbohydrate content
• Electrolytes
• Hydration support
• Ingredient transparency
• Serving size
• Added sugars
• Total calories

Different products serve different purposes. A protein-focused product may make sense after strength training, while a carbohydrate-and-electrolyte-focused product may be more useful after prolonged endurance exercise or heavy sweating.

Recovery Supplements for Athletes

Athletes may have greater recovery demands because of frequent practices, games, competitions, or multiple training sessions.

Recovery supplements for athletes can be convenient after:

• Team sports
• Endurance training
• Strength workouts
• High-volume training
• Long practices
• Tournaments
• Post-game sessions

The most useful product depends on what you need to replace. Someone finishing a long, sweaty game may prioritize fluids, electrolytes, and carbohydrates, while someone finishing a resistance workout may focus more heavily on protein and overall nutrition.

Muscle Recovery Water and Hydration Products

Hydration is a fundamental part of recovery.

Water is generally sufficient for everyday hydration, but electrolytes may be useful when you lose substantial amounts of sodium and other minerals through sweat.

Muscle recovery water products and electrolyte beverages can be convenient after long workouts, outdoor training, hot-weather exercise, or sports sessions involving heavy sweating.

However, you do not necessarily need a specialized recovery drink after every workout.

Amped Repair Post-Workout Supplement Tropical Punch

A product such as Amped Repair Post-Workout Supplement Tropical Punch can be evaluated as a convenient recovery option within a broader post-workout routine.

When considering a product like this, look at its ingredient profile, serving size, protein or carbohydrate content, electrolytes, added ingredients, and how it fits with your overall diet.

A recovery supplement may be useful when convenience matters, but food-based recovery remains an important option. A balanced meal containing protein, carbohydrates, and fluids can provide many of the nutrients your body needs after training.

The best approach is to choose a product based on your actual training demands rather than assuming every workout requires a supplement.

How Do You Know If You Need Muscle Repair?

Not every sore muscle needs rehabilitation. Normal post-workout soreness is different from an injury.

Understanding the difference can help you decide when to continue with light activity and when to stop training.

Signs of Normal Workout Soreness

Normal exercise-related soreness often:

• Develops gradually after exercise
• Affects muscles that were recently trained
• Causes general tenderness
• Creates temporary stiffness
• Improves as the days pass
• Does not cause major loss of function

You may feel uncomfortable while moving, but your normal range of motion is generally still available.

Signs You May Need Muscle Rehab

Some symptoms deserve more attention.

Consider stopping the activity and seeking professional evaluation if you experience:

• Sudden or sharp pain
• Significant weakness
• Noticeable swelling
• Bruising
• Major loss of movement
• Pain that continues to worsen
• Pain following a specific injury
• Difficulty using the affected muscle normally

If you suspect a serious muscle injury, do not attempt to heal muscle tissue by simply pushing through the pain.

Pulled Muscle Recovery: How Long Does It Take?

A pulled muscle is commonly used to describe a muscle strain. The severity can range from a relatively minor strain to a more significant injury.

Because strains vary in severity, pulled muscle recovery time is not the same for everyone.

How Do I Heal a Pulled Muscle Fast?

The safest approach is not necessarily the fastest-looking approach.

Start by protecting the affected area and avoiding activities that make symptoms worse. Depending on the injury, professional guidance may be appropriate.

As symptoms improve, movement and exercise can usually be reintroduced gradually.

Avoid returning immediately to heavy lifting, sprinting, jumping, or other activities that place significant stress on the injured muscle.

Pulled Muscle Recovery Time

Recovery depends on factors such as:

• Severity of the strain
• Location of the injury
• Your overall health
• Previous injuries
• Rehabilitation
• Sleep
• Nutrition
• Whether you return to activity too quickly

A mild strain may recover considerably faster than a significant muscle injury.

How to Speed Up Pulled Muscle Recovery Safely

If you are searching for how to speed up pulled muscle recovery, focus on gradual progress rather than aggressive treatment.

Useful principles include:

1. Reduce activities that aggravate the injury.
2. Follow appropriate professional guidance.
3. Gradually restore comfortable movement.
4. Rebuild strength progressively.
5. Maintain adequate nutrition.
6. Get enough sleep.
7. Do not return to full training before the muscle is ready.

How to Heal a Torn Muscle Safely

A muscle tear is more serious than ordinary post-workout soreness. Significant tears may require professional assessment and a structured rehabilitation plan.

How to Heal Muscle Tears Faster

The first priority should be an accurate assessment of the injury.

Depending on the severity, treatment may involve protection, temporary activity modification, rehabilitation exercises, and a gradual return to normal movement and strength training.

Nutrition and sleep also remain important because your body needs adequate energy and nutrients during recovery.

Why Trying to Heal a Torn Muscle Fast Can Backfire

Trying to rush back into training can increase the chance of aggravating the injury.

Returning too soon may:

• Reopen or worsen the injury
• Reduce strength
• Alter movement patterns
• Increase reinjury risk
• Extend the overall recovery process

If you have significant pain, swelling, bruising, weakness, or difficulty moving the affected area, professional evaluation is more appropriate than attempting to self-treat aggressively.

How Long Does It Take for Sore Muscles to Heal?

For ordinary exercise-related soreness, symptoms generally improve as your body adapts and the muscles recover.

However, soreness can last longer after unfamiliar exercises, unusually high training volume, or a particularly demanding workout.

How Long Does It Take Muscles to Heal?

There is no universal answer to how long does it take for sore muscles to heal.

Recovery can be affected by:

• Workout intensity
• Exercise selection
• Training experience
• Sleep
• Nutrition
• Hydration
• Stress
• Training volume

New exercises can sometimes cause more soreness because your body has not yet adapted to that movement.

When Is Soreness Taking Too Long?

Soreness deserves additional attention when it does not gradually improve or when it is accompanied by other concerning symptoms.

Seek professional advice if you experience persistent or worsening pain, significant weakness, major swelling, bruising, or substantial loss of movement.

How Long Do Triceps Take to Recover From a Workout?

The answer to how long do triceps take to recover from workout depends on the amount and intensity of training.

The triceps may be trained directly with exercises such as pushdowns, skull crushers, and overhead extensions. However, they also work during pressing exercises such as bench presses and overhead presses.

This means your triceps may receive more training stress than you realize.

What Affects Triceps Recovery?

Important factors include:

• Number of sets
• Exercise intensity
• Training frequency
• Exercise selection
• Sleep
• Protein intake
• Overall training fatigue
• How much indirect triceps work you perform

If your triceps remain severely fatigued and your pressing performance is declining, reducing training volume or allowing additional recovery may be appropriate.

Best Ways to Recover After Games and Intense Training

Recovery is not only important for gym workouts. Athletes and recreational sports players can also benefit from a structured post-game routine.

Post-Game Recovery Basics

After a demanding game or practice, focus on:

• Replacing fluids
• Replacing electrolytes when heavy sweating occurs
• Eating protein
• Eating carbohydrates
• Gradually cooling down
• Getting adequate sleep

Carbohydrates can help replenish energy stores after prolonged activity, while protein supports normal muscle repair and adaptation.

Recovery Supplements for Athletes

Recovery supplements for athletes can be convenient after games when a complete meal is not immediately available.

Protein shakes, electrolyte drinks, carbohydrate beverages, and combination recovery products can all serve different purposes.

The key is to match the product to your actual needs rather than automatically using multiple supplements after every training session.

How Can You Recover Sore Muscles Faster?

If you want a practical approach to how to recover sore muscles faster, start with the basics before looking for advanced recovery techniques.

1. Prioritize Quality Sleep

Sleep is one of the most important parts of physical recovery.

Maintain a consistent sleep schedule and create a comfortable environment that supports uninterrupted rest.

2. Eat Enough Protein

Include protein-rich foods in your daily meals.

Chicken, fish, eggs, Greek yogurt, dairy products, beans, lentils, tofu, and protein supplements can all contribute to your daily protein intake.

3. Stay Hydrated

Drink water regularly throughout the day.

If you have completed a long workout or lost significant fluid through sweat, an electrolyte beverage may also be useful.

4. Use Active Recovery

Light walking, easy cycling, and gentle mobility can help you stay active without adding significant training stress.

5. Manage Training Volume

More exercise is not always better.

Gradually increase your training workload and avoid suddenly adding large amounts of weight, sets, repetitions, or training days.

6. Give Muscles Enough Recovery Time

If a muscle is severely sore or fatigued, do not automatically perform another maximum-effort workout for the same area.

Depending on your program, you can rotate muscle groups or use a lighter session while the affected area recovers.

How to Get Rid of Soreness Overnight: Is It Possible?

If you are searching for how to get rid of soreness overnight, it is important to set realistic expectations.

There is no guaranteed method for completely eliminating normal muscle soreness in one night. However, you can take steps that may make you feel more comfortable the following morning.

What You Can Do Before Bed

Consider:

• Drinking enough fluids
• Eating a balanced protein-containing meal
• Performing gentle mobility
• Taking a relaxing shower
• Avoiding unnecessary physical stress
• Getting adequate sleep

Your goal should be to support normal recovery rather than trying to force the soreness away.

What Not to Do

Avoid:

• Another intense workout for the same sore muscles
• Aggressive stretching that causes pain
• Extremely forceful massage
• Ignoring sharp or sudden pain
• Training through symptoms that suggest an injury

Build a Post-Workout Recovery Routine That Works

A simple recovery routine can make it easier to stay consistent.

Immediately After Training

Start with a gradual cool-down and rehydrate.

If you will not be eating a full meal soon, a convenient protein-containing snack or recovery drink can be useful.

Within the Next Few Hours

Have a balanced meal containing:

• Protein
• Carbohydrates
• Vegetables or fruit
• Fluids
• Healthy fats as appropriate

You do not need to obsess over a tiny post-workout nutrition window. Consistent daily nutrition is more important.

The Evening After Training

Use gentle mobility if it feels comfortable, relax, and prioritize quality sleep.

Avoid adding unnecessary high-intensity activity simply because you are trying to recover faster.

The Following Day

Assess how you feel.

If soreness is mild and movement feels normal, light activity may be appropriate. If you are still significantly fatigued or experiencing concerning pain, adjust your workout accordingly.

When Should You Stop Training and Seek Professional Help?

Stop training and consider professional evaluation if you experience:

• Sharp or sudden pain
• Significant swelling
• Bruising
• Major weakness
• Limited movement
• Pain that continues getting worse
• Suspected muscle tear
• Symptoms that do not improve as expected

Muscle Soreness vs Muscle Injury

Normal Muscle Soreness	Possible Muscle Injury
Usually develops gradually	Often begins suddenly
General muscle tenderness	Sharp or localized pain
Temporary stiffness	Significant loss of movement
Usually improves over time	May worsen or persist
Usually follows demanding or unfamiliar exercise	May follow a specific injury
Normal strength is mostly maintained	Significant weakness may occur

When in doubt, it is better to be cautious. A workout can be modified, but returning too early from an injury can create a much bigger setback.

Frequently Asked Questions About Workout Recovery

How Long Does It Take Muscles to Recover?

Recovery time varies depending on workout intensity, training volume, muscle group, sleep, nutrition, hydration, stress, and training experience. Instead of relying on one fixed number, assess your soreness, strength, movement, and overall readiness.

How Do You Get Rid of Sore Muscles After a Workout?

Light movement, adequate hydration, sufficient protein, balanced nutrition, quality sleep, and gentle mobility can help make normal soreness more manageable. Avoid aggressively training a severely sore muscle.

What Helps With Sore Muscles After a Workout?

Sleep, hydration, protein, adequate calories, light activity, and gentle mobility are useful foundations. Massage or foam rolling may also provide temporary comfort for some people.

Does Protein Help With Soreness?

Protein supports muscle repair and adaptation after exercise, but it should not be viewed as an instant soreness treatment. Adequate total daily protein intake is more important than relying on a narrow post-workout window.

How Long Does Leg Day Recovery Take?

Leg day recovery varies according to training volume, intensity, exercise selection, fitness level, sleep, nutrition, and other factors. Wait until soreness and fatigue are manageable and your movement and performance have largely returned before another demanding leg session.

How Long Do Triceps Take to Recover From a Workout?

Triceps recovery depends on direct and indirect training volume. Pressing exercises can also fatigue the triceps, so consider your entire workout rather than only direct triceps exercises.

How Do You Know If You Need Muscle Repair?

Normal soreness usually develops gradually and improves over time. Sharp pain, significant weakness, swelling, bruising, major movement limitations, or worsening symptoms may indicate an injury that deserves professional evaluation.

Can You Get Rid of Soreness Overnight?

You cannot guarantee that normal soreness will disappear overnight. Hydration, a balanced meal, gentle movement, relaxation, and adequate sleep may help you feel more comfortable while your body continues its normal recovery process.