I haven't lifted weights for a really long time, and just the other day and friend and I went to lift. I ended up lifting a lot and doing lifts that I haven't done before. Now a couple days later, I can't even straighten my arms out. They hurt to move, and I even have troubles putting on a jacket or my backpack. I was wondering if there was anything I could to relieve my muscle stress and pain.

Your symptoms are consistent with muscular strain secondary to overuse. This is actually a not uncommon affliction in weight lifters, and the cause is doing "too much, too soon". The muscles respond by becoming sore, stiff and movement is restricted. Typically the symptoms last only for a few days, after getting worse for 1-3 days after the weight-training bout.

The use of anti-inflammatories, such as ibuprofen, is usually helpful if the medication is tolerated and doesn't upset your stomach. Rest from the activity that caused the problem is, of course, appropriate. Cool packs may help (ice packs applied over cold, wet cloths to the areas of discomfort for 15-20 minutes at a time, 3-4 times per day).

If the symptoms don't start to calm down in a day or two, you ought to be seen by a physician. If your urine turns dark (e.g. coffee-colored) you should be seen by a physician, as this could indicate excessive muscle destruction and the liberation of myoglobin (a muscle component) into the circulation.

The best treatment is to prevent the condition from happening in the first place. Gradual imposition of stress when exercising muscles, avoiding excessive stress on muscles especially when they have not been conditioned to it, and using moderate weights and limited numbers of repetitions to start an exercise program are important ways to minimize the likelihood of having a recurrence.