Key takeaways:
Delayed-onset muscle soreness typically occurs after a new or vigorous exercise.
Generally, it's not serious, but your symptoms can help you decide if you should continue exercising.
Some research suggests that methods like ice or heat therapy may help relieve muscle soreness.
As many athletes will tell you, muscle soreness can be a common side effect of exercise. The pain often strikes after you do a new or strenuous workout. And when it does, it might be hard to maintain your fitness routine. So you may wonder: Is it safe to exercise when your muscles are sore? Learn more about muscle soreness and recovery methods to help you decide.
Why is your body sore after a workout?
When you work out, you challenge your muscles to handle mechanical tension or stress. Afterward, you might feel sore as your muscles adapt and recover from new, repetitive, or vigorous exercise. This is referred to as delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Exercise-induced muscle damage triggers an inflammatory response that may cause DOMS.
Delayed muscle pain shouldn't be confused with acute soreness that occurs during a workout. Acute or immediate muscle soreness usually stops shortly after exercise. DOMS may start hours later and peak around 48 to 72 hours after training. Then, it subsides and usually stops after 5 to 7 days. It tends to set in after you try a different or high-intensity workout because your muscles have to adjust to new stress. Symptoms may include:
Muscle pain and swelling
Muscle tenderness
Joint stiffness
Reduced range of motion and muscle power
Although DOMS can happen after any intense physical activity, it's closely linked to eccentric exercise. During an eccentric muscle contraction, your muscle lengthens as it contracts. Examples of eccentric movement include lowering a dumbbell during a biceps curl, lowering into a squat, and running downhill.
Can you have an effective workout without experiencing muscle soreness?
Yes, you can have an effective workout without experiencing muscle soreness. So the saying "no pain, no gain" is not true. DOMS can signify microscopic muscle damage that occurs when muscles get stronger. But research shows that this damage doesn't always cause soreness. Genetics may make some people more likely to experience DOMS than others. Some muscles may be more prone to soreness.
Is it safe to work out while sore?
It depends on your workout and the severity of your symptoms. Generally, delayed-onset muscle soreness is benign and doesn't require medical attention. But if you have severe or persistent muscle pain that lasts longer than a week, it's best to contact your healthcare provider. Your provider can assess your symptoms, provide treatment if necessary, and advise you about when it's safe to resume exercise.
If you experience mild aches or stiffness, you might not have to stop all physical activity. Instead, you can rest your sore muscles by working around them. For example, if you feel minor soreness in your quadriceps (a group of muscles in the front of your thigh), you might focus on upper-body exercises until the muscles recover. Or you can try low-impact workouts like yoga or swimming until the soreness stops. Exercise scientists suggest waiting 2 to 3 days before working the same muscle group. If you target the same weak, achy muscles too soon, you may make the pain worse or increase your risk of injury.
Most importantly, you should always listen to your body and rest when you need to. Doing so can help you avoid a common exercise mistake: pushing yourself too hard. It can also help you prevent overuse injuries.
What is an active recovery?
Active recovery is low-intensity exercise designed to help replenish your muscles after higher-intensity workouts. There are three ways to add active recovery to your fitness routine:
During your workout: Active recovery is part of interval training, which alternates between bouts of high-intensity exercise and brief low-intensity recovery intervals.
After your workout: You can practice active recovery with a low-intensity cooldown sequence immediately after your workout.
On rest days: You can take advantage of weekly rest days by doing gentle exercises like walking, cycling, or tai chi.
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The recovery method supports muscle adaptation, which can help you achieve your fitness goals. It may also boost your athletic performance by increasing your endurance. But research on active recovery and delayed-onset muscle soreness is conflicting. Some studies show that active cooldowns don't significantly reduce DOMS. Others suggest that active recovery temporarily relieves muscle soreness immediately after exercise.
If you decide to try active recovery with mild muscle soreness, be sure to monitor your symptoms.
What are the best recovery remedies for sore muscles after working out?
Much of the research on how to treat delayed-onset muscle soreness is mixed. So the best remedy may vary from person to person. Limited but ongoing evidence suggests that several treatment methods may help, including:
Ice or heat therapy applied within one hour after exercise
Caffeine supplements taken before exercise
Kinesiology tape after a strenuous workout
Compression socks, especially when worn after exercise
Other alternatives have highly contradictory results for muscle recovery. They include:
Vitamin C and E supplementation
The bottom line
Delayed-onset muscle soreness can be an uncomfortable but benign side effect of exercise. It often happens as your muscles adapt to a new or high-intensity workout. The decision to continue exercising with muscle soreness depends largely on your symptoms. So listen to your body. If you have severe or persistent pain that lasts longer than a week, contact your healthcare provider.
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