Should You Be Sore After Every Workout & When to Push or Rest

After an intense workout, you can expect to feel some soreness. But if you are consistently too sore to train hard or to perform the movements correctly at your next workout, you are likely doing something wrong. As an athlete, you may have heard that soreness is a sign of progress or that you didn't train hard enough if you aren't sore after a workout. These statements are misleading at best. Soreness is a natural part of training, but it isn't something to chase after or to gauge your workouts by. This article will answer the question, Best Recovery Tools for Athletes, should you be sore after every workout?, and help you understand precisely what muscle soreness means about your training and recovery. 

Pliability's mobility app can help you achieve these objectives by providing customized routines to help you recover, improve your mobility, and decrease your risk of injury after pushing your limits in training. 

What Causes Muscle Soreness After Workouts?

Getting back into a fitness routine can feel exhilarating. You meet your goals. You get a plan together. And after your first workout, you feel terrific. This isn’t so bad, you think. Why have I been putting this off for so long? Fast forward to the following day when it hits you like a ton of bricks. Everything hurts. The stairs are torture, and lifting your arms to blow dry your hair is excruciating. 

“Good intentions can quickly die in the face of muscle soreness,” says Dr. Brian Toedebusch, an MU Health Care sports medicine doctor with a background in exercise science. “Any time you work your muscles in new ways, you’ll inevitably feel sore. But if you let muscle soreness keep you from sticking to your plan, you may feel a little deflated.”

The good news is that muscle soreness, also known as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), doesn’t have to be severe or debilitating. It also doesn’t have to keep you from achieving your exercise goals. 

What is DOMS, & Why Does it Happen?

As its name suggests, “DOMS is muscle soreness that becomes evident six-to-eight hours following activity, peaking around 24 to 48 hours post-training,” says Jon Mike, an exercise scientist at the University of New Mexico. While the symptoms will often start to diminish at about 72 hours, “the precise time course and extent of DOMS is highly variable,” Mike says.

DOMS is most pronounced when you introduce a new training stimulus, a new activity, increased intensity, or volume, or if you are new to physical activity.

“Your body is making adaptations to better prepare your muscles to do that activity again,” says Lauren Haythe, certified Kinesis Myofascial Integration Practitioner and yoga teacher. That’s why on Day 1 at the gym, after doing squats or lunges with 10-15 pound weights, you can be brutally sore the next day.

“But, as you continue on, you can build up from there, and you won’t be so sore,” she says.

What Causes DOMS?

While all kinds of muscular contraction can cause soreness, eccentric contraction – where the muscle lengthens as it contracts, is most often associated with DOMS, according to Mike. This includes running downhill, lowering weights, or lowering into a squat or push-up position.

“There is also some evidence that upper body movement creates more soreness than lower body exercises,” says Mike.

Muscle discomfort is the most common characteristic of DOMS, but there are other symptoms. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, these may include a reduced range of motion and joint stiffness, local swelling and tenderness, and diminished muscle strength. These symptoms appear gradually following exercise (not to be confused with acute pain that may arise during physical activity).

Myths Associated With DOMS

No pain, no gain. Lactic acid build-up. An indicator of muscle growth. These are all phrases that we tend to associate with DOMS. While you may think you know everything you need about the condition that has you waddling like a duck, you may be surprised by what’s happening in your body. 

Myth #1: DOMS is caused by the build-up of lactic acid.

The verdict: Not true.

During exercise, your body needs energy, breaking down molecules. As a result of this metabolic process, your cells naturally become more acidic, which makes your muscles feel like they’re burning. But this isn’t caused by lactate. Lactate is a by-product of the metabolic process, serving as a buffer and slowing down the rate at which the cells become acidic.

“People produce lactate all the time, even at rest. It clears your system 30-minutes to one-hour after working out,” says Mike.

A Clinics in Sports Medicine study found that DOMS results from microtrauma in the muscles and surrounding connective tissues, which causes inflammation. Eccentric muscle contraction (think lowering a dumbbell back down in a biceps curl) is more likely to be the culprit because it places a higher load on your muscles than concentric contraction.

“It’s the active lengthening of muscle fibers under load. It’s like you’re pulling on a rope, and there’s so much force that the rope starts to tear and pull apart,” says Mike.

Myth #2: It’s Not a Good Workout Unless You Get DOMS

We often wear our DOMS as a badge of honor and believe that if we’re not sore, we’re not doing enough during our workouts. But that’s just not true.

“It doesn’t mean that you’re not getting as good of a workout because you’re not crippled the next day,” says Monica Vazquez, NASM certified personal trainer. “You should feel [soreness] 24 hours to three days after the activity. If, after three days, you try to do the same exercise and you cannot because you go immediately to muscle failure, you’ve done too much.”

According to Mike, studies have shown that soreness (using a scale from 0 to 10 to assess the level of soreness) is a poor indicator of muscle adaptation and growth. Many factors influence how DOMS presents itself in individuals.

“There is great variability, even between people with similar genetics and even among highly-trained lifters [and athletes],” he says. While comparing notes (and commiserating) is all part of the process, soreness and DOMS aren’t the best gauge of your workout's effectiveness or who’s in better shape.

Myth #3: The More Fit You are, The Less Susceptible You are to DOMS

You will indeed start to feel less sore as your body adapts to your workouts and learns to distribute the workload more effectively across your muscle fibers. That’s why you should regularly change up your exercise routine.

However, there is also a genetic component to our sensitivity to pain and soreness.

“People can be no-responders, low-responders or high-responders to soreness,” says Mike. If you’re a high-responder, you will experience DOMS more acutely than a no- or low-responder when given the same training load. While you can’t change your genes, knowing where you fall on the spectrum is important to understand how your body may respond to changes in your workouts. 

Myth #4: Muscle Damage is a Bad Thing.

DOMS appears to be caused by trauma to your muscle fibers, but it’s not a definitive measure of muscle damage. A certain degree of soreness seems to be necessary.

“When muscles repair themselves, they get larger and stronger than before so that [muscle soreness] doesn’t happen again,” says Vazquez.

While these mechanisms are not entirely understood, Mike notes that some muscle trauma is needed to stimulate protein production and growth.

Myth #5: Pre- and Post-Workout Stretching is a Good Way to Prevent and Treat DOMS.

No. A review of studies for the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews on the effects of stretching before or after exercise on the development of delayed-onset muscle soreness found that pre- and post-workout stretching did not reduce the effects of DOMS in healthy adults. Research has found that static stretching before working out does not safeguard you against injury and may decrease your power and strength.

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Should You Be Sore After Every Workout?

Soreness after a workout doesn't necessarily mean you had a practical session. Sure, muscle soreness, significantly delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) can indicate your muscles are adapting to new stressors. But just because you’re sore doesn’t mean you need to be.

While DOMS is shared, the reason it happens remains poorly understood. Researchers do have a few theories about what’s going on. The current scientific theory is that DOMS is linked to a combination of:

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• Mechanical damage to the protein structure of the muscle fiber
• Damage to the membrane encasing the muscle fiber
• Damage to the connective tissue surrounding the muscle fibers
• The body’s inflammatory response causes further muscle protein breakdown and stimulates specific nerves that cause pain
  
  

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A certain degree of exercise-induced muscle damage is necessary to help build larger, stronger muscles. While muscle damage from exercise may reduce how healthy muscles work after a workout (sometimes even for up to two weeks), you’re less likely to experience DOMS to the same degree the next time you exercise. This may also explain why people who exercise regularly don’t experience DOMS as often.

Regular Training Reduces Soreness

Regular weight training, focusing on eccentric exercises (such as squats, deadlifts, and bench presses), has also been shown to reduce the damaging effect of exercise on the muscles after ten training sessions. There are several reasons for this, but one is that the muscle becomes better at protecting against damage.

How Often And How Severe a Person Experiences Doms Varies from Person to Person 

However, older people may be more susceptible to exercise-induced muscle damage and DOMS, possibly because their muscles cannot recover after strenuous exercise. Research has also shown that people with a specific genetic makeup can recover from eccentric exercise better than those who did the same workout.

If you’re starting a new exercise program and your first workout is particularly intense or long-lasting, avoiding DOMS is tricky. Adding more eccentric exercises into your training program may also lead to DOMS. But again, being sore doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve had a more practical session; it just means you’re doing something your muscles aren’t used to.

Soreness Doesn’t Indicate Future Gains

If you regularly exercise and aren’t feeling as sore later in the day or even days after your workout, rest assured that your workout is still working your muscles; you have just gotten better at dealing with the damage and recovering from it.

Concentrate on progressive overload if you want to get fitter and more substantial instead of feeling like you need to work out until you’re sore. This is where you gradually increase your exercise each time, such as performing extra reps on an exercise or adding additional weight. Not only is progressive overload shown to be an effective way to build muscle and strength, but it may also decrease how often you experience DOMS. Studies show that even a few weeks of regularly using progressive overload during workouts is enough to see this effect.

Measure Progress with Progressive Overload

Instead of measuring how effective your workout has been based on how sore you are, try to gradually increase the number of reps you do each week or the amount of weight you lift. These incremental gains in fitness and strength will show you just how effective your previous workouts have been.

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How to Recover From Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

There are several ways to alleviate those can’t-make-it-up-the-stairs symptoms. A sports massage is one good way to reduce the effects. “A massage will move the fluid and blood around in your body which can help heal the microtrauma in your muscles better,” says Haythe. A study in the Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation found massage beneficial for both gait and feelings of post-workout soreness.

Roll It Out: Foam Rolling for Sore Muscles

Foam rolling is another form of self-myofascial release that can indeed help ease the pain of DOMS. “Foam rolling can help increase blood flow to sore muscles, facilitating recovery,” explains Haythe. “It may also help reduce the severity of soreness.” Try incorporating foam rolling into your post-workout routine and doing it daily until your soreness subsides.

Contrast Showers: Alternate Hot and Cold Water

A contrast shower, or alternating between hot and cold water, may also help reduce DOMS symptoms. “The theory is that the temperature changes help flush out the lactic acid and other metabolic byproducts that contribute to soreness,” explains Haythe. “While research on this is limited, it’s an easy recovery method to try.” Aim for 10 to 15 minutes, starting and finishing with cold.

How Hot Epsom Salt Baths Help Soothe Sore Muscles

Another popular recovery remedy is a warm bath with Epsom salts containing magnesium. “Magnesium is thought to help reduce muscle soreness, and there’s some evidence that soaking in warm water can help reduce DOMS,” Haythe says. Epsom salt baths may also help you relax and sleep better, further supporting recovery.

Nutrition for DOMS Recovery: Protein, Omega-3s, and Saffron

Nutrition can help recovery from DOMS. Research shows consuming protein following exercise can help reduce muscle soreness and speed up recovery. “That’s because protein helps repair the microtears in muscle that occur during exercise,” Haythe explains. “I recommend getting 20 to 40 grams of protein within two hours of completing your workout.” Omega-3 fatty acids may also help reduce muscle soreness, so consider upping your intake of fatty fish or walnuts following intense exercise. 

New research in the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine suggests that supplementing with saffron may help alleviate DOMS. Regardless of your preferred Rx, Haythe recommends looking at your diet to ensure you take in nutrients to help your body heal. “Find a diet that can really help you feel the best that you can feel,” she says.

Just Keep Moving: Why Resuming Exercise Is Best for Sore Muscles

Exercising may be the last thing you feel like doing when you’re sore. But resuming exercise after a day of rest is often the best way to get past the soreness phase. “As soon as you get into a routine, the soreness response will gradually decrease over time,” says Dr. Brian Toedebusch, an MU Health Care sports medicine doctor with a background in exercise science. “You might feel sore after every workout during your first week, but the more frequently you exercise, the less soreness you’ll develop over time.”

If you don’t trust yourself to stick to your exercise plan once soreness sets in, set yourself up for success:  

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• Define realistic goals: Trying to exercise at high intensity five days a week can feel overwhelming if you are sore after day one. Start small. 
• Find a partner: Choose someone at the same exercise level. 
• Keep your eye on the prize: Remember what you’re trying to achieve long-term. Write your goal or a motivational quote somewhere that you’ll see it daily.

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Soreness is Not the Same as Pain: When to Seek Help

Muscle pain during exercise is not the same thing as soreness. Recognizing the signs of overtraining, an injury, or a more severe condition is critical to getting treatment. Consult your doctor if you experience: 

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• Dramatic change in your strength: Significant and sudden weakness could be the symptom of an underlying issue. 
• Severe muscle cramps with exercise: Severe muscle cramps with exercise could indicate rhabdomyolysis, a serious condition that can eventually affect your kidneys. Severe pain while exercising and dark, bloody urine are two common symptoms. 
• Trouble with weight bearing: Your body weight might be injured if it hurts when you put it on any joint or limb. 

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“The goal of exercising is to improve your health without experiencing injury or severe soreness,” Dr. Toedebusch says. “Soreness is inevitable, but when you approach exercise in a smart way, it’s absolutely manageable.”

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Pliability is an app that focuses on improving mobility, flexibility, and recovery for athletes. The app offers a unique take on yoga by providing a library of high-quality videos and recovery routines that target performance-oriented individuals. The exercises help reduce pain, improve flexibility, and enhance recovery so you can perform better and move better. 

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