Dehydration: the Muscular System and Tight Muscles
Part 2 of Why are My Muscles Always Tight?
At one point or another, we have all been dehydrated and felt the repercussions. Headaches, fatigue, dry mouth and confusion are just a few. Even with these obvious signs, some people may not realize they are dehydrated. Even if you do drink water regularly, you can become dehydrated. In this second blog of a four-part series, I am going to explain the role dehydration plays on the muscular system and muscle tightness.
How Much Water Should I Be Drinking?
Studies have produced varying recommendations for water consumption over the years. But your individual water needs depend on many factors, including your health, how active you are and your weight to muscle density.
There is no one size fits all but having an idea of what your body requires will help you estimate how much to drink each day. The Mayo Clinic recommends:
About 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids for men
About 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women
Again, there are many variables to consider with water consumption. Where you live, can impact how much you need to drink. For example, Florida’s humidity and heat index in the summer compared to Colorado in the summer.
Even if you do drink water regularly,
you can become dehydrated.
Related > Part 1 – Muscle inhibitions role in chronic tight muscles
Dehydration and Impact on the Muscular System
The National Athletic Training Association conducted a study of dehydration and the Symptoms of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) in normothermic men.
The study stated these effects on the muscular system with dehydration:
Exercise performance decreases as less blood is available for perfusion (the passage of blood) of active skeletal muscle. Blood flow to exercising muscles is significantly reduced with dehydration due to reductions in blood pressure and perfusion pressure. Sweating is maintained by intracellular water shifting to the extracellular space, resulting in cell dehydration and adversely affecting skeletal muscle cell function. Dehydration negatively affects muscle performance by impeding thermal regulation, altering water movement across cell membranes, and interfering with actin-myosin cross-bridge formation.
We must remember that tight muscles are not a diagnosis. Tight muscles are a symptom. When your body tightens up it is in protection mode and trying to tell you that something is wrong. Stretching may help temporarily, but until the real cause (in this case dehydration) is addressed your body will return to its original state.
Tight muscles are not a diagnosis.
Tight muscles are a symptom.
Water May Not be Enough
When you discharge fluids from your body naturally, you also get rid of electrolytes and minerals. If you are severely dehydrated the water-electrolyte balance may be off leaving you even more thirsty than you were before.
Water makes us go to the restroom and if you’re doing so every 30 minutes you are losing more and starting to feel worse even though you been drinking water all day. Therefore, I recommend electrolyte water or Gatorade to my personal training clients. Gatorade has a lot of sugar so I often suggest to dilute it.
Personal Training Helps with Tight Muscles
M.A.T. training can help you improve tight muscles and significantly improve your range of motion.
I can identify chronically inhibited muscles that may be caused by dehydration. Don’t wait! Contact me today to see how medical personal training can improve your lifestyle. Contact me for customized personal training services at my South Tampa studio!