Understanding Post-Workout Muscle Soreness
Regardless of whether you’re a beginner doing your first workout or an experienced lifter on a strict regimen, one thing you will encounter is post-workout muscle soreness. If you’re pushing yourself, you can count on experiencing some sort of soreness following a grueling workout.
Muscle soreness, in this instance, is also known as delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS). This is the pain and stiffness that occurs in your muscles following a workout that might not show until the following day or even two days after a workout. This post-workout muscle soreness can last as little as a day or span across several days, depending on how much you stressed the muscle during your workout.
But what exactly is post-workout muscle soreness, what causes it, and how can you help alleviate some of the discomfort you experience? This article will break down all those topics and give you a better understanding of DOMS and muscle recovery.
What is Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness?
Have you ever experienced soreness that comes on suddenly after a tough workout — generally 24-48 hours after? Or all of a sudden wake up with a muscle ache that lingers for days on end? You’re not alone. In fact, this muscle soreness is called delayed-onset muscle soreness, or DOMS. It is a normal part of training and will happen to you no matter what your fitness level is. More importantly, it is a sign that you thoroughly taxed your muscle fibers.
While some people can tax their muscles and not really feel any sort of post-workout muscle soreness, they aren’t the norm.
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A muscle that’s been stressed and damaged (meaning, creating micro-tears in the muscle fibers) will have a harder time repairing itself than a rested muscle. As a result, the process of repairing that stressed muscle tissue after you’ve worked it out takes longer than it would if the muscle hadn’t been worked and stressed at all. This is why you’re more sore the day after a hard workout than you are the day after taking a day off or doing a low-intensity workout.
Post-workout muscle soreness can range from minor to severe, depending on the intensity, duration, and type of exercise you performed, as well as your conditioning level. For example, if you do high-intensity training for the first time, you’ll probably be pretty sore for two to three days afterward. Soreness from running a marathon won’t last nearly as long but will be more intense at first.
What Causes Post-Workout Muscle Soreness?
Post-workout muscle soreness is a natural part of exercise, although it can be annoying and even painful at times. It’s important to understand the common causes of muscle soreness so that you help minimize it.
Here are some reasons you may be feeling post-workout muscle soreness:
• Tight Muscles: After working out, your muscles have been put through a stressful experience. They’re going to be tight and stiff as they recover.
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