Sometimes it feels like everything hurts after a difficult dance class. Muscle pain and soreness are common post-workout complaints, particularly after strength-building workouts. Tiny, microscopic tears in the muscles occur when the body is pushed past its limits. These tears later heal and the muscles become stronger in the process. It isn’t much fun living in your own body while this is going on, but there are some simple remedies to both alleviate the pain and speed up the healing process.

1. A long, hot soak with Epsom salts. Most dancers turn to the tub, first and foremost. A warm bath with Epsom salts quickly soothes tired muscles. You’ll feel (mostly) human again in no time.

2.Tiger balm. The popularity of Tiger balm in the dance world may be because of the groovy little jar that this pain panacea comes in, or its bright, colorful label peppered with indecipherable Asian words. Regardless, it’s an integral part of any dancer’s tool kit.

3. Bromelain. Most people associate Bromelain as a digestive enzyme, something to pop post-meal to settle the stomach. However, taken on an empty stomach, Bromelain takes on an entirely different purpose: it eats up stray proteins in the body, like those present in sore muscles and injuries. Nutritionist Krispin Sullivan even recommends the use of Bromelain for both pre-op and post-op patients to help speed the healing process. (To read more from Krispin, visit: http://www.krispin.com)

Any dancer or athlete should have a few remedies to counteract sore muscles. Use them and the motto “no pain, no gain” gets a simple rewrite to “no pain”.