Muscle soreness is known to anyone who has engaged in physical activity and exercise. In fact, sore muscles are the product of an increase in exercise intensity, or the start of exercise after a period of inactivity. Soreness in the muscles can vary widely depending on the intensity of the exercise that caused the soreness to occur. In order to understand when muscles are safe to exercise, it is important to understand how soreness develops.
Myths
Sore muscles used to be attributed to the buildup of lactic acid in the muscles. This is related to the fact that lactic acid accumulates in your muscles during exercise and contributes to the burning sensation you experience while you work out. But lactic acid does not stay stored in the muscles, and contrary to the popular myth, it does not lead to sore muscles in the days following exercise.
Soreness Cause
The cause of soreness in your muscles is actually quite simple -- when you exercise and place stress on your muscles, you cause microscopic tears in the muscle fibers to occur. These small tears take several days to heal, and the unhealed tears are the source of your muscle soreness and pain. The more intense your exercise is in relation to your normal level of physical activity, the more muscle soreness you are likely to experience -- this is the product of a greater number of muscle fibers being torn during physical activity.
Expert Insight
Most experts agree that you can exercise through muscle soreness, and some bodybuilders caution against ever reducing your exercise workload based on soreness. However, the small muscle tears that cause soreness can be worsened through intense physical exercise, so it is important to be mindful of the pain you are experiencing in your muscles when you work out. You should not exercise if the pains are sharp and/or sudden, or if you feel excessive pressure in the muscles. Preparing your muscles by warming them up can reduce the risk of additional tearing.
Treatment
Get your muscles warmed up by performing 15 minutes of light exercise intended to get the blood circulating through your body. Walking or light jogging can accomplish this. Light stretching can also limber up the muscles, making them less likely to tear during a workout. You might also want to consider applying a heating pad to the muscles for 10 to 15 minutes prior to exercise -- this will improve the elasticity of the muscle fibers.
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