Avoid Post-Workout Muscle Soreness and Stay Injury-Free

We’ve all felt muscle soreness at some point, especially after a workout. It can happen during or right after exercise, but what’s really annoying is delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS). This usually hits 24 to 48 hours after a tough workout and can make it hard to keep exercising.

So, what causes this delayed muscle soreness? It’s believed to come from small tears in muscles and surrounding tissues caused by strenuous exercise. Your muscles contract and stretch under tension, leading to these micro-tears. This then triggers an inflammatory response, releasing white blood cells and prostaglandins to help repair the damage. Additionally, lactic acid builds up in the muscles, adding to the pain and discomfort.

To treat sore muscles, some experts suggest reducing inflammation and promoting healing. You can do this with ice packs, massages, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). But the big question is: should you keep exercising when your muscles are sore?

There are different views on this. Some experts recommend resting for 5 to 7 days since muscle soreness usually eases up by then. Others suggest doing light exercises, known as active recovery exercises, to help with the soreness.

Active recovery exercises are low-intensity activities done after high-intensity workouts. There are two types: the cool-down phase right after a tough workout, and activities done after a competition or intense workout session.

Doing active recovery exercises right after a workout, even if you’re sore, can speed up recovery from inflammation and injury. It helps reduce muscle lactate levels quicker, easing soreness in a few days. Studies also suggest that low-intensity exercises after a hard workout can help you relax better than just resting.

Active recovery exercises can help prevent more severe muscle soreness by improving blood flow and speeding up the removal of lactic acid from your muscles. This quickens recovery. Another way to manage mild muscle soreness is through stretching. Stretch before, during, and after your workout. Take it slow, and once you feel your muscles reaching their limit, hold the stretch for about 10 seconds, then relax and repeat. Proper stretching can prevent injuries and aid recovery.

So, should you exercise when you’re sore? It depends. If the soreness is mild and tolerable, you can try stretching or active recovery exercises. But if the pain is too much, it’s better to rest and seek medical advice if it doesn’t get better within a week.