How to relieve muscle soreness after a workout?

November 9, 2024

What causes muscle soreness after exercise and how can we relieve it?

We know we need to move to stay healthy.

Cardio workouts burn fat and improve heart health, while strength training builds muscle, improves metabolism, helps avoid injury and benefits bone health.

And.

All this is necessary for an active and healthy life.

Unfortunately.

Muscle soreness after exercise is a common condition and most often a normal, albeit unpleasant, reaction of our body.

How to relieve this uncomfortable feeling?

That’s what this article is about.

What causes muscle pain after exercise?

It is usually caused by several factors:

Microscopic damage to muscle fibres – during exercise, especially during strength training or unusual activities, small tears occur in the muscle fibres. This is a normal part of the muscle-building process.
Inflammation – the body reacts to this muscle fibre damage with inflammatory processes, which in turn can cause swelling, tenderness, and discomfort in the muscles.
Lactic acid build-up – lactic acid is a by-product of anaerobic metabolism and, although it is widely believed that lactic acid causes soreness, it may cause a burning sensation only during or shortly after exercise and not on the second or third day after a workout.
Intensity and duration of training – the more intense and longer your training is, the more likely you will experience muscle soreness (especially if you change the type of training or exercise you do).
Eccentric movements – activities that involve lengthening muscles under tension (e.g. lowering a weight) cause more soreness than concentric movements (e.g. lifting a weight).

When does muscle soreness start and how long can it last after a workout?

Muscle soreness usually starts about 12 to 24 hours after a workout and can peak within one to three days.

Why muscle soreness is delayed in onset is not yet clearly answered.

However.

The intensity and duration of the pain probably depend on the intensity of the workout. In other words, the more intense the workout, the longer the time it takes for the muscle to heal and recover.

What to do before a workout to reduce muscle soreness afterwards?

Here are some effective techniques and how they work:

Activity	Effect
Have a snack containing carbohydrates and protein about an hour before exercise.	Provides energy and supports muscle recovery (proteins are very important in muscle recovery).
Warm-up – 5-10 minutes of light aerobic activity (walking, jogging, cycling, etc.).	Improves blood circulation and supplies muscles with more oxygen and nutrients promoting performance and recovery. Improves the flexibility of muscles and joints, thus preparing them for more intense activities.
Dynamic stretching exercises (e.g. leg raises, arm circles or deep lunges).	Improves muscle flexibility and range of movement, reducing the risk of sprains and other injuries.
Drink water before and during exercise.	Helps maintain muscle function, reduce the risk of cramps and effectively get rid of metabolic by-products such as lactic acid.
When starting a new training programme or increasing the intensity, do it gradually – over several days or even weeks.	Giving muscles time to adapt to new exercises and/or intensities.

How to relieve muscle soreness after exercise?

To relieve muscle soreness after exercise, do the following:

Activity	Effect
Cool down – 5-10 minutes of low-intensity exercise (e.g. walking or slow jogging).	Gradually restore normal heart rhythm. Helps to prevent the accumulation of blood in the muscles and promotes the gradual elimination of metabolic waste.
Static stretching – stretching the muscle groups involved in the workout.	Improves flexibility and reduces muscle tension.
Drink plenty of water.	Helps flush out metabolic by-products produced during exercise.
Eat something containing carbohydrates and protein within 30 to 60 minutes after exercise.	Replenishes glycogen stores and provides the body with the amino acids it needs for muscle recovery.
Massage (massage, self-massage or use a massage roller or other massage tools).	Relieve muscle tension and improve blood circulation – promote blood flow to painful areas (provide substances necessary for the recovery process).
Ensure adequate rest between workouts and prioritise sleep.	Rest is crucial for muscle recovery and much of this takes place during sleep.
Cold therapy (ice packs or cold water baths).	Helps reduce inflammation and soothe pain. Constricts blood vessels and can reduce swelling and speed up recovery (especially after very intense exercise).

Possible signs of injury

If you feel severe pain that significantly limits your ability to move, walk, or perform everyday tasks, especially if the pain persists for more than 3 days, you may have overtrained or suffered an injury.

Signs that indicate an injury may include:

Sharp localised pain during movement.
Swelling or bruising.
Prolonged pain lasting more than 3 days.
Limited range of motion of any part of the body, especially if the mobility of joints is impaired.

If you suspect a possible injury, see a sports doctor, physiotherapist or surgeon.