Workout Tips for Muscle Soreness

A tough workout can leave its mark. The next day, even routine activities like turning over in bed or standing up can make your muscles protest.

You might want to jump right back into exercise, but you're left wondering if it's wise to do so when you're this sore.

The answer varies.

“Soreness isn’t inherently negative,” according to exercise physiologist Alyssa Olenick.

Experiencing some soreness is common when you push your limits or engage your muscles in new ways.

This sensation is known as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), where discomfort usually peaks around 48 hours after exercising and fades within about 72 hours.

It results from subjecting your muscles to new or more intense demands, which can cause tissue breakdown and trigger an inflammatory response.

(Rest assured, this breakdown isn't harmful; in fact, the subsequent repair process is how muscles grow stronger.)

“Your body deploys a lot of immune cells to the affected muscle tissues to clean up the breakdown,” Olenick explains.

“The soreness you feel is due to the swelling and the pressure these cells exert on the nerves within your muscles.”

It's important to gauge just how sore you are. If the discomfort ranks around a “three” on a one-to-ten scale, pushing through is generally okay, suggests Rick Richey, a faculty instructor at the National Academy of Sports Medicine.

You might just need to modify your workout according to your soreness level, such as opting for lighter weights or a gentler pace, Olenick notes.

However, if the soreness exceeds a mild ache, it’s a cue to ease off. “Your body has its wisdom—it signals soreness to prevent you from repeating the same strain,” Richey advises.

In such cases, it's crucial to allow your body some recovery time, even if your fitness tracker is urging you to push hard.

Some trackers provide a “recovery” or “readiness” score based on heart rate variability, reflecting your body's overall stress levels. (A lower variability between heartbeats indicates your nervous system is in a heightened state of alert.)

“Your heart rate response doesn't necessarily account for muscle soreness,” Olenick points out.

Attempting to work through intense soreness can disrupt recovery and undermine your efforts.

“Recovery is when protein synthesis occurs, building muscle and strength,” Richey emphasizes. “Cutting recovery short means you're missing out on the benefits.”

Additionally, exercising on particularly sore muscles isn't very effective. “Severe soreness reduces muscle strength,” notes Carol Ewing Garber, a professor of movement science and education at Columbia University Teachers College.

Sore muscles can't exert as much force and tire faster, meaning those 20 push-ups might be a struggle, or you might not achieve the usual depth.

Richey adds that extreme soreness can compromise your form, potentially diminishing the effectiveness of your exercises and increasing injury risk.

There's also a rare but serious condition called rhabdomyolysis, or “rhabdo,” that can occur.

“It happens when exertion leads to considerable muscle damage,” Garber explains. Rapid muscle breakdown can damage the kidneys, potentially endangering life in severe cases.

When you're so sore it limits movement, heed your body’s signals and take a rest day.

This doesn't mean you have to be inactive. Gentle activity, like walking, light cycling, or mild yoga, can be beneficial.

Though it might initially be uncomfortable to move, you’ll likely feel better once you’re back at rest.

“Boosting blood flow to those tissues aids the body in its cellular cleanup,” Olenick says. Massage might offer similar benefits, Garber adds.

If you’re eager for another challenging workout, focus on muscles that aren't sore—opt for leg exercises if your arms are aching, for instance.

“Soreness in one muscle group is localized,” Richey explains. “You have other parts of your body to train.”

Even if you're committed to a specific workout plan or training for an event like a triathlon, taking a day or two off won't derail your progress.

Remember, recovery is when the real improvements occur. “A little muscle soreness is beneficial in the long run because as the muscles repair, they grow stronger and more resilient to future soreness,” Garber says. Allow your body the time it needs to heal. “Patience is key.”

Source: time

The opinions shared in the GymNation blog articles are solely those of the respective authors and may not represent the perspectives of GymNation or any member of the GymNation team.