Sore Muscles After Exercise and What Actually Helps
You try a new class or push harder at the gym. The next morning feels fine. Then a day later, walking down the stairs suddenly hurts.
This is delayed onset muscle soreness, often shortened to DOMS. It is a normal response to unfamiliar or harder exercise. Knowing what causes it can help you train smarter and worry less.
What delayed onset muscle soreness is
DOMS is the ache and stiffness that turns up hours after exercise rather than during it. According to Ken Nosaka, a professor of exercise and sports science at Edith Cowan University, it usually develops several hours later. It then tends to get worse over the next few days. It can hang around for several days before it fades.
The muscles may feel tender to touch. They can feel tight or a little weak. You might notice it most first thing in the morning or when you get out of a chair. The healthdirect service lists muscle pain first thing in the morning, sensitive muscles and a feeling of weakness as common features of muscle aches.
Why it happens
The main trigger is eccentric work. That means a muscle is working while it lengthens. Walking down stairs or a steep slope is a classic example, because your thigh muscles lengthen as they brake your body weight. Slowly lowering a heavy dumbbell does the same thing to your arms.
Concentric work is the opposite, where the muscle shortens as it works. Walking up stairs or lifting a dumbbell falls into this group. Professor Nosaka notes that this kind of work does not bring on DOMS. That explains why a hike down a hill can leave your legs sorer than the climb up.
The exact cause is still not fully understood. Research suggests the pain may come mainly from the connective tissue around the muscle, called fascia, rather than the muscle fibres. Fewer than one per cent of fibres appear to be injured. The delay in pain is thought to be linked to inflammation.
Is soreness a sign of a good workout?
Many people treat soreness as proof that a session worked. There is no scientific evidence for the old “no pain no gain” idea. Eccentric training can build strength and muscle size well. However, those gains are not necessarily tied to muscle damage.
So you do not need to chase soreness. A session that leaves you pleasantly tired is still doing its job. If you want a guide to weekly activity targets, our piece on how much exercise you really need covers them. Steady, regular training tends to be easier to keep up than the occasional punishing session.
Easing the ache
The good news is that DOMS settles on its own. Moving the sore muscles can ease the pain and does not slow recovery. A gentle walk, an easy swim or a light cycle are all reasonable choices. Keep the effort low and stop if the pain sharpens.
The healthdirect advice on muscle aches and pains includes resting the affected muscles and applying heat to the sore area. It also suggests continuing gentle exercise in a way that does not increase your muscle pain. Pain relief medicines can play a part too. Ask a pharmacist or doctor which option suits you, especially if you take other medicines.
- Gentle movement such as walking or easy cycling
- Heat on the sore area
- Rest for the worst affected muscles
- A lighter session or a rest day before training hard again
Light bodyweight work can also help you stay active while sore muscles recover. Our guide to fitness workouts that do not require equipment has options you can scale right down. Pick moves that use different muscle groups from the ones that ache. That way you keep your routine without loading the sore areas.
Reducing soreness next time
Your muscles adapt quickly. DOMS tends to be milder when you repeat the same eccentric exercise. It is one reason the second week of a new program usually feels easier than the first.
The simplest way to limit soreness is to build up slowly. Increase the intensity and volume of new exercise gradually rather than jumping straight in. This matters most after a break or when you try something new, such as hill running or a new weights routine. A slower start also makes it easier to stick with the plan.
Good nutrition supports your training as a whole. Plenty of people turn to protein shakes after a workout. If you do, it pays to check the label, as our article on what is in your whey powder explains. Supplements are a personal choice rather than a requirement for getting over normal soreness.
Starting a new activity sensibly
Soreness often catches people who return after a holiday or time off. The temptation is to pick up exactly where you left off. Starting at a lighter load for the first few sessions gives your muscles time to adapt. You can then add weight, distance or speed in small steps.
The same idea applies to a new sport or class. Downhill running, lunges and slow lowering phases in weights all involve plenty of eccentric work. Try a shorter session or fewer sets the first time. Then judge how you feel two days later before adding more.
When soreness is something else
Normal DOMS is a dull, spread out ache that eases over a few days. Sharp pain during exercise, pain in one specific spot or pain that keeps getting worse is different. These are worth getting checked by a health professional. Ongoing pain around a joint such as the outer elbow may need its own approach, as covered in our article on taking care of tennis elbow.
The healthdirect guidance says to see a doctor if muscle pain is severe and affects your daily life. You should also see one if the pain does not improve with time and rest. If aches start soon after beginning a new medicine, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Rarely, extreme exertion can lead to rhabdomyolysis. This is a serious condition where muscle cells break down and their contents enter the bloodstream. Symptoms include muscle pain or swelling, weakness, fatigue, fever and dark red to brown urine. Seek urgent medical attention if you notice these signs, and call triple zero in an emergency.
Frequently asked questions
How long does DOMS last?
It usually starts several hours after exercise and builds over the next few days. Most people find it settles within several days. If it keeps getting worse or does not ease with rest, see a doctor.
Should I exercise with sore muscles?
Gentle movement is usually fine and can ease the ache. Keep the effort light and avoid hard work on the sorest muscles. Stop if the pain becomes sharp or one area hurts much more than the rest.
Why are my legs sore after walking downhill?
Walking downhill makes your thigh muscles work while they lengthen. This eccentric work is the main trigger for DOMS. Walking uphill uses shortening contractions, which do not bring it on in the same way.
Will I get as sore next time?
Probably not. Soreness tends to be milder when you repeat the same exercise. Building up gradually also helps keep it under control.
This article is general information only and is not medical advice. Please speak with a doctor or qualified health professional about your own health.