Muscle soreness is a side effect that puts stress on your muscles when you exercise. It is commonly called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, or DOMS, and is normal. DOMS usually begins within 6-8 hours after a new activity or a change in activity, and can last up to 24-48 hours after the exercise. The muscle pain is due to inflammation within the muscle, which is one of the main triggers muscle soreness.
You can experience muscle soreness after one of the following:
- Starting a new exercise program
- Adding a new activity or workout to your routine.
- Increasing the intensity of your workout (increasing amount of weight, increasing number of repetitions, or increasing the speed)
- Overtraining (performing the activity repeatedly without any breaks)
- Not taking a rest day or active recovery day.
- Injury
Is muscle soreness good or bad?
Muscle soreness can be good. Normal muscle soreness is a sign that you’re getting stronger, and is nothing to be alarmed about. During exercise, you work your muscles and the fibers begin to break down. As the fibers repair themselves, they become larger and stronger. This means that your muscles will be better prepared to handle the work the next time you workout.
Severe muscle soreness is where things can go bad. If you are experiencing pain that prevents you from carrying out daily activities associated with living or working or the pain lasts for more than 72 hours, then the exercise was too much.
How can you relive muscle soreness?
- Perform gentle exercises (Walking, Light Stretching, Swimming)
- Heating pad or a warm bath
- RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation)
If the pain begins during or immediately after the exercise, it is not normal. Pain that occurs during an exercise is a sign that there is a problem with the exercise. This type of pain should be stopped before serious injury occurs. Overall, don’t let muscle soreness stop you from completing your exercises try your best to work through the first couple of days without getting discouraged. Remember all the signs of what is normal muscle soreness and what is severe muscle soreness as you work through your exercise routine.
-Olivia Callan
Health Fitness Specialist