Sore Muscles From Light Exercise

May 26, 2011 | By Rose Erickson

Anyone can experience exercise-related muscle soreness, no matter what your fitness level is. Sore muscles after exercise can be overly painful, making even simple movements such as walking or bending difficult. Fortunately, there are ways to treat and prevent muscle soreness from light exercise.

Causes

According to the "Doctor's Book of Home Remedies II," muscles get sore from overuse, trying out different types of exercise and by not exercising enough. Soreness occurs when exercise causes tiny tears in the fibers of muscles. The body then sends white blood cells to heal these tears, which creates swelling. This swelling affects nerve endings, resulting in muscle soreness. Muscle soreness typically feels the worst about 48 hours after exercise.

Treatments

To treat exercise-related muscle soreness, the Merck Manuals recommend resting to prevent injury and to reduce any swelling. Place ice on the sore muscles to help the blood vessels constrict, reducing pain and inflammation. Take an over-the-counter medication such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen or aspirin to ease pain. Soak sore muscles in hot water, or apply a soothing sports cream or balm to treat symptoms.

Prevention

To prevent exercise-related muscle soreness, practice stretching exercising prior to working out. Stretch out all of the major muscle groups, including your arms, back and legs. Because cold muscles are more prone to damage and soreness, it is important to warm up before exercising. Gradually increase your heart rate by taking a brisk walk or by slowly jogging. Vary your exercise routine, working on different muscle groups every day. For example, concentrate on your upper body one day and your lower body the next day. This can help prevent muscle soreness and overuse.

Tips

A massage can help ease muscle soreness because it stimulates the body's white blood cells, helping them to better fight off inflammation. Muscles become stronger after you recover from muscle soreness. This is because the tearing and repairing involved helps you to get in shape and build more endurance. To minimize soreness as much as possible, don't do too much exercise too soon.