9 Things You Need to Know About Muscle Soreness

Here are 9 important things you need to know about muscle soreness:

1. Causes of Muscle Soreness:
   • Muscle soreness occurs when muscle fibers and the connective tissue around them get damaged during exercise.
   • It can be a result of overexertion, higher intensity workouts, longer workouts, or introducing new exercises to your routine.
2. Types of Muscle Soreness:
   • Acute muscle soreness: Felt during or immediately after exercise.
   • Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS): Peaks 24 to 72 hours after exercise.
3. Mechanism of Muscle Soreness:
   • DOMS is not caused by lactic acid buildup, as previously believed. It is more likely due to microscopic tears in the muscle fibers that occur during exercise.
   • The body heals these tears, leading to muscle growth and increased strength.
4. Duration of Muscle Soreness:
   • Muscle soreness usually begins 12-24 hours after exercise and peaks around 24-72 hours .
   • The pain should start to go away after this time .
5. Managing Muscle Soreness:
   • Gradually increasing the intensity of your workouts may help minimize muscle soreness .
   • Applying heat immediately after exercising or using moist heat therapy can reduce delayed onset muscle soreness.
   • Cold therapy, such as using ice packs or soaking in a cold bath, can reduce swelling and nerve activity.
   • Foam rolling and massages can help relieve muscle soreness and improve muscle performance.
   • Wearing compression garments for 24 hours after exercise can reduce DOMS and speed up recovery.
6. Hydration and Nutrition:
   • Staying hydrated can help reduce muscle soreness.
   • Some evidence suggests that eating antioxidant-rich foods, such as watermelon, may provide relief from muscle soreness .
   • Milk protein supplementation and arnica creams have also shown promise in treating muscle soreness .
7. Stretching and Warm-up:
   • Stretching before or after exercise does not lead to a noticeable reduction in muscle soreness .
   • Dynamic stretching, which involves moving muscles and joints, is more beneficial than static stretching.
8. Continuing Exercise with Muscle Soreness:
   • It is possible to continue exercising with muscle soreness, but it can be uncomfortable
   • If the pain is severe, it is recommended to exercise at a lower intensity or switch to another muscle group for a day or two .
9. When to Seek Medical Attention:
   • Muscle soreness is normal and rarely requires medical attention.
   • However, if the pain lasts more than a week, keeps coming back, or is accompanied by extreme weakness, dizziness, or trouble breathing, it is advisable to see a doctor.