How Did I Get Sore Muscles?

Sore muscles can be an expected part of a good exercise regimen. Nevertheless, severe muscle soarness can be an indicator of more serious muscle damage that could need medical treatment.

Let's examine the main reasons for muscle pain and how this affects your body.

Lactic Acid Burn

You have most likely experienced times while you exercise that your muscles seemed to burn. Lactic acid is formed when not enough oxygen is available for the energy conversion process (metabolism). Your blood, flowing through your muscle cells removes lactic acid and waste products and supplies your cells with oxygen and nutrients. If the muscles are exercised vigorously enough, the blood flow won't be able to remove lactic acid at a rate equal to its production. Because of that it accumulates and the lactic acid irritates your muscles and produces the burning. The means to get rid of the lactic acid burn is to slow down or rest until ample oxygen can get to your muscles and the acid can be removed.

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)

A day after vigorous or energetic workouts your muscles might become sore. This is because you were exercising your muscles beyond the their comfort zone. This creates micro tears and bleeding in and around the z-band filaments that hold your muscles together during exercise. When enough of your muscles and filaments become damaged in this way your muscles will feel sore.

The repair procedure gets underway as satellite cells are attracted to the muscle fibers. In addition, white blood cells and other fluids and nutrients collect by the damaged fibers. Consequently the area neighboring the damage swells. Some of the satellite cells fuse to the muscle fibers, strengthening them. The muscle cells increase in thickness and in number. The swelling is what causes the muscle soreness. It takes eight to 24 hours for this repair procedure to fully get active. The effect is delayed onset muscle soreness or DOMS. But, this soreness is a indicator that the muscles are being repaired and are getting stronger.

A number of people maintain that a gentle massage, cold packs or warm compresses will help lessen the soreness. Some studies reveal some relief with these treatments while other studies show little if any relief. But, the swelling is a part of the repair process and will last 2 to 3 days while the repairs are completed.

Vigorous exercises or resistance training can lead to muscles burn because of the increase in lactic acid. Athletes training for improvement frequently do several sets of exercises trying for the burn in every set. Following several sets of such vigorous or strenuous exercise the muscles begin to feel stiff. At this point you should discontinue exercising. Athletes then perform milder or complementary exercises for a few days while the DOMS pain vanishes. For example, runners may run fast only two times a week. Many weightlifters fully exert themselves only once in two weeks. After the DOMS soreness is gone they train vigorously again for a day to continue the improvement in their muscle structure.

Muscle Strains

Occasionally during exercise you will feel rapid soreness in a muscle. The soreness will persist while you are at rest. When you attempt to work or stretch the muscle there will be pain. You will notice definite weakness in the muscle, if you can use it at all. These symptoms are a sign of a more severe tear of the muscle. If the pain is accompanied by a popping sound or the pain is intense, you ought to go for emergency treatment.

Moderate soreness can often be handled at home. Reducing soreness at home involves the PRICE technique. Here you "Protect" the muscle from additional injury and "Rest" the muscle. Apply "Ice" to the tender area. Use modest "Compression" with elastic bandages. And "Elevate" the injured area to help prevent unnecessary swelling. If this home treatment does not decrease soreness in a couple of days you ought to go to see your doctor.

An effective way to prevent muscle strains is to exercise within reasonable limits and start with gentle exercises and stretching to get your muscles prepared for more intense exercise. You should also note that if you are transitioning from one sport to another you might be using different muscles; you ought to build these muscles up at a reasonable rate to perform well with no injury.

Taken as a whole, mild muscle soreness is your friend. It indicates you are increasing your muscle structure and are staying healthy. As a swimming coach once said, "Swimmers love pain." So, you will love pain as well, realizing that it is producing a healthful body.

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