This Wednesday, I very stupidly injured myself at a track meet. I’m not quite sure what I did to my ankle, I just knew that it hurt badly. So, when my coach was offering me advice on how to treat my injury, he mentioned Epsom salt. Never hearing of this before, I was intrigued.
Epsom salt is useful when trying to stop inflammation, but you don’t need to just use it for injuries, it can help ease any sort of aching ailment. All you need to do is add a few cups of this to a warm bath, and you’re good to go. After soaking my ankle, I can say Epsom salt did have positive effects.
Epsom salt is as magical as it is because it is high in magnesium, a mineral that many do not get enough of. Magnesium helps with sleep and stress control, as it helps your body produce serotonin. These soothing effects are what make these baths good to reduce inflammation. However, you could take an Epsom salt bath if you want to help your body relax.
On the performance side, magnesium helps the body produce glucose and lactic acid. This helps reduce pain and inflammation, as previously stated. Especially since athletes are prone to low magnesium levels, this is especially beneficial. The next time you have a hard workout, maybe an Epsom salt bath can help ease your soreness.
Anecdotally, the two Epsom salt baths I had helped greatly. The day after I took my first one, the pain and inflammation in my foot decreased greatly. I did not think it was going to work, as when I was soaking my foot it just felt like a normal bath. However, I am shocked by the results and will be trying it again when a situation like this arises again.
Epsom salt is fairly easy to obtain- you can find it at any grocery store or pharmacy. In addition, all you need to do is add it to a warm bath, making use of it uncomplicated. It’s relaxing to take a few minutes to yourself, and having an Epsom salt bath is a perfect excuse.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/epsom-salt-benefits-uses#what-it-is
Hi Maeve,
I’ve had an ankle injury before, and was also recommended to soak it in epsom salt water! I swear by epsom salt and use it whenever I feel muscle tension or soreness. It’s also a great exfoliator, can treat canker sores, and is overall amazing good for your skin ! It’s basically a miracle salt. Anyway, it was super interesting to hear about the actual biological/chemical properties in the salt to give it such soothing effects!
Hi Maeve! I relate to your claim of “very stupidly injuring myself at a track meet” as I too always seem to have some sort of ailment while running/jumping. I’ve tried a lot of remedies to the various aches and pains subsequent to running track, however using Epsom salt was never one of them. My mom actually mentioned Epsom salts before, but I assumed it was another essential-oils like fad that wouldn’t produce any substantial results. However, your blog post changed my mind, and I especially enjoyed your breakdown of the science behind the salt and how it produces these various positive effects. I’ll have to try it the next time I’m sore after a meet!