Myths about muscle soreness after a workout
08.25.2023

Muscle pain after sports practice is an effective measure of the level of exercise, absolutely do not play sports when suffering from pain are incorrect views.

The feeling of soreness after exercise is called late-onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Muscle soreness that occurs with intense exercise, trying new movements, appears after 6-8 hours and gets worse after 48 hours.

Sports players often experience soreness, weakness in the muscles after training, but there are incorrect interpretations of this condition.

Muscle pain due to lactic acid accumulation

Some people claim that lactic acid is the cause of muscle soreness. However, lactic acid is a byproduct of metabolism, which works by breaking down molecules for energy. This process always occurs and is not the cause of muscle burns.

Pain after exercise is often caused by the muscle-building process that creates small tears in muscle fibers, causing pain and inflammation.

Stretching before and after exercise helps reduce pain

In 2011, the George Institute for Global Health (Australia) conducted research on the effects of stretching before or after exercise on late-onset muscle pain. For their assessment, the scientists used data from 12 studies. In it, there was a real-world experiment with more than 2,300 participants. The results showed that stretching exercises did not reduce muscle soreness before and after physical activity.

To avoid soreness, muscles have time to adapt, recover, it is recommended to perform new exercises with light intensity. Warming up before the training session, applying ice after each session helps relieve pain.

Absolutely do not practice when in pain

Many people want to rest when they are sore. However, recovery exercises with low intensity promote blood circulation, reducing pain will be beneficial. Some suggestions for people with muscle pain include squat, lunge, plank, yoga. If the pain is a lot, you can walk gently.

Exercise with high intensity non-stop

Some people perceive soreness as a sign of increased physical strength, so they rush into exercise. According to Jon Mike, an exercise scientist at the University of New Mexico, soreness doesn't have much to do with muscle adaptation. Therefore, late-onset muscle soreness is not a measure of how effective the workout is.

Muscle pain and traumatic pain are two different conditions. Muscle pain occurs several hours after physical activity, with a feeling of tightness, slight soreness within a week. Traumatic pain usually appears as soon as the incident occurs, lasts longer, gradually increasing if not treated.

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