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Is muscle pain after a workout worth worrying?

08/24/2023

Pain that occurs 1-2 days after exercise is considered normal muscle soreness, while sudden pain, which occurs immediately after exercise, can be a sign of injury or overtraining.

Muscle soreness will definitely occur in beginners. Muscles are getting used to not working and so will need time to adjust to the new routine. For active people, switching to new sports, or simply lifting a higher weight than usual, will also impact muscles and cause aches and pains.

It is normal to feel a little sore after a workout. However, practitioners should still know how to distinguish between normal muscle aches and severe pain caused by injury or overtraining.

With post-workout muscle pain, the pain will gradually increase over several days (called late-onset muscle soreness). This condition occurs when you do new exercises that your body is not used to, causing temporary muscle damage and inflammation, the body will need time to adapt and grow stronger. This condition leads to aches, soreness, and stiffness.

The main way to distinguish between pain and pain from injury is to determine when pain starts and how long it lasts. Muscle pain takes several hours or days to develop and lasts 1-3 days, sometimes longer, depending on the extent of your last workout. Muscles are soft to the touch but there is a feeling of soreness or tightness. The pain usually begins after the athletic activity ends (not until a day or two later).

Traumatic pains usually occur immediately, and during exercise, the pain lasts longer and affects your ability to perform routine activities. A sign of traumatic pain is a sharp pain at rest or right during exercise, sometimes additional swelling, inflammation, signaling muscle damage.

Coping with pains

If the pain is severe and lasts more than a week, you should consult a doctor. If the muscles have to work too hard or do not have enough time to recover, muscles, joints and tissues can be damaged. The doctor may advise the patient to apply hot or cold compresses, pause exercise, or take measures to restore the body.

One of the effective ways to reduce muscle soreness is to ensure adequate stretching after each training session. By holding stretches, you will improve muscle flexibility while aiding in the recovery process. Add gentle activities on the day off such as walking, yoga to increase blood circulation and help muscles recover faster.

Drinking water to ensure your body stays hydrated is also one of the ways to help prevent post-workout muscle pain. Getting enough electrolytes also contributes significantly to muscle recovery. If you exercise a lot in the summer, sweat a lot, you can face the risk of dehydration, leading to increased cramps and aches and pains. Using a muscle roller can help muscles relax and recover faster.

Mild pain and stiffness in muscles and joints is normal if you are new to exercise or increase the intensity of exercise. After a few weeks of regular exercise, your muscles will begin to adapt as they get stronger. If you experience pain that makes you uncomfortable, do not forget to use Acocina to help reduce muscle pain, muscle aches after each training session.

See more product information here.