Why do we feel muscle pain after exercising? Who is subjected to this kind of pain? Learn with us from the following article about the causes of muscle pain after exercise, how this pain can be treated and prevented, and is this pain a sign of strength of exercise or not?

Muscle pain after exercise

Post-exercise muscle pain is a normal reaction that occurs in many cases after exercise. It is referred to as delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS). This pain is not felt during exercise.

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, DOMS symptoms usually begin within 12 or 24 hours after completing exercise, and muscle pain tends to last for 1 or 3 days from the day of exercise, then gradually subsides.

Some signs and symptoms of this condition include:

• Muscle pain, especially when touched.
• Decreased ability to move, as a result of feeling pain and stiffness when moving.
• Swelling in the affected muscles.
• Muscle fatigue.
• Short-term loss of muscle strength.

It is worth noting that the pain that some people feel directly after exercise is a different type of muscle pain, and it is known as acute muscle pain, which is a burning or tingling sensation that is felt in the muscles during exercise as a result of the rapid accumulation of metabolites during strenuous exercise, and this usually disappears. Pain shortly after finishing exercise.

Causes of muscle pain after exercise

Strenuous exercise can cause microscopic tears in muscle fibers, and the body responds to this damage by increasing inflammation, which in turn may delay muscle soreness.

Any high-intensity exercise can cause muscle soreness, and this pain can happen to anyone, whether it’s a beginner or an experienced person and people who haven’t exercised for a long time.

Examples of exercises that can cause post-exercise muscle soreness include:

Is muscle pain evidence of good exercise?

Many believe that feeling pain in the muscles is evidence of the quality and strength of the exercises, but in most cases, when starting a new exercise or making a great effort, the person will feel pain in the muscles, but by continuing to exercise, the body begins to adapt to the pain with the strength of the exercises, and the person begins to feel Pain less each time.

Also, adapting to pain over time does not mean not benefiting from exercises, so do not stop performing exercises, especially if you feel muscle pain. So you can continue.

Treating muscle pain after exercise

Waiting is the best treatment for muscle pain after exercise, but there are some steps that can also help you relieve pain and stiffness while waiting for muscle recovery after exercise, the most prominent of which are the following:

1- Massage

Some studies indicated that people who get a massage after 24, 48 or 72 hours after performing strenuous exercise, felt a great relief from muscle pain, compared to people who did not get a massage. You can try massaging the following places:

• Calf muscle (back leg muscle).
• thighs.
• buttocks.
• The arms.
• shoulders.

To massage the muscles, some oil or lotion can be placed on the affected area, then gently massage, pressure and squeeze the muscles.

2- Topical analgesics

They are products that are used to help reduce pain, and topical analgesics that contain menthol are among the most popular types that are used to relieve muscle pain after exercise.

3- Cold bath

A study published in 2016 indicated that immersing the body in cold water for 10 to 15 minutes can reduce muscle soreness after exercise. This method is one of the most popular methods used by athletes.

4- A warm bath

A warm bath or a warm, moist compress can help relieve pain and stiffness in the body and muscles after exercise.

When do you consult a doctor?

This type of pain does not usually require a doctor’s consultation, but the American Board of Sports Medicine advises to consult and visit a doctor in the event that the pain interferes with other daily activities. He should also be consulted immediately in the following cases:

• If the pain persists for more than 7 days.
• If the color of urine becomes unusually dark.
• If there is swelling in the hands and legs.

Tips for preventing muscle pain after exercise

You can try the following tips to reduce the incidence of muscle and body pain during and after exercise:

• Maintaining body hydration, as men who were keen to drink water before, during and after exercise, experienced less pain compared to others who were not interested in drinking enough water.
• Make sure to warm up or warm up. You should spend 5 or 10 minutes warming up the body before performing any strenuous exercise.
• Cooling down the body. Approximately 20 minutes of low-intensity bike riding after performing high-intensity exercises, especially for the lower body, helped reduce pain and swelling in the muscles and body. It is preferable to perform some stretching exercises after completing the exercises.
• Increase exercise intensity slowly and gradually, as this can help build gym strength and endurance safely, and reduce the chances of muscle soreness after exercise.