Sore muscles are a regular occurrence in any type of committed fitness program, whether you lift weights or focus on cardiovascular exercise. In cases of light muscular soreness, working out can help relieve your discomfort. However, in more extreme cases of pain, working out can exacerbate trauma to your muscles and lead to a more serious injury.
Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness
Delayed-onset muscle soreness, or DOMS, is a condition in which you experience mild to severe muscle discomfort for 24 to 48 hours after intense exercise. According to sports physiologist Phil Davies on Sport-Fitness-Advisor.com, lactic acid, the buildup of fluid in muscle tissues and microscopic tears in muscle fibers are believed to cause DOMS. Authors Thomas Baechle and Roger Earle say in their book "Weight Training: Steps to Success" that performing a light workout and stretches of sore muscles are the best way to relieve DOMS.
Overtraining
Extreme muscle soreness that increases with each training session is a sign of overtraining, not DOMS. Overtraining happens when you don't allow enough rest between your exercise sessions. It's usually coupled with other symptoms, such as a loss of physical strength, lack of appetite and even depression. Dr. Mark Jenkins of Rice University suggests interrupting your training for three to five days if you develop muscles soreness and other symptoms of overtraining. If the soreness persists, only use light training until the overtraining symptoms are relieved.
Determining Soreness Type
The American Council on Exercise says you should be able to quickly tell if you're suffering from DOMS or overtraining within two workouts. This is because your body quickly adapts to the strain you give it. Therefore, you should not experience muscle soreness from a second workout at the same exercise intensity. If your workout hasn't changed but the amount of soreness you feel has, it's likely you are overtraining and need more rest between workouts.
Prevention
The best way to deal with muscle soreness so it doesn't derail your workout plan is to prevent it altogether. Only make gradual, weekly increases in the intensity of your workout program. It's also critical that you eat a healthy mix of carbohydrates, proteins and fats so your muscles can repair themselves after an intense workout. Allow a few days between workouts that focus on the same muscle groups and get plenty of sleep after hard training.
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