Exercising is a great way to help keep your body in shape. Stretching exercises work to promote muscle flexibility. Strength-training exercises work to boost muscle mass. Aerobic exercise helps enhance muscle tone and increase endurance. Experiencing some mild muscle soreness after exercising is normal. This is especially true for those who do not exercise on a regular basis. However, experiencing unusually severe muscle pain and weakness after exercising may be the sign of an underlying problem.
Muscle Injuries
The presence of severe muscle pain and weakness after exercise may mean that you have injured one or more of your muscles. Performing exercise moves incorrectly or using exercise equipment improperly can cause you to unintentionally pull, sprain, strain or bruise your muscles. If an injury has occurred, you may experience severe pain and your muscles may start to feel weak. Muscles that are already unfit tend to get injured more easily.
Medical Problems
If you suspect that the severe muscle pain and weakness that you experience after exercising may not be the result of an exercise-related injury, see your doctor right away. These symptoms can sometimes indicate the existence of an underlying medical problem like fibromyalgia or pinched nerves. If you have a pinched nerve, the movements and postures associated with some exercises can produce severe muscle pain and weakness. Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that can cause sufferers to feel significant muscle pain, weakness and fatigue after exercising.
Treatments
If you experience severe muscle pain and weakness after an exercise session, try taking an over-the-counter pain killer like ibuprofen. You can also try applying a topical pain medication that contains an active ingredient such as capsaicin, salicylates or menthol. If over-the-counter pain medications are ineffective, your doctor may choose to prescribe a muscle relaxer to help relax painful muscle spasms. Soaking in a tub of warm water may also help to soothe and relax your sore muscles.
Prevention
One way to help reduce your risk of experiencing severe muscle pain and weakness after exercising is to stay in shape. Keeping your muscles strong will make you less likely to suffer from an exercise-related injury. Always perform a proper warm-up right before each exercise session. You should also perform a proper cool-down immediately following each exercise session. Warm-ups help to make your muscles loose, flexible and less vulnerable to injury. Cool-downs help to calm your muscles and return them to a state of rest. Good warm-up and cool-down activities include light stretching exercises and brisk walking. Also, be sure to exercise caution at all times when using any type of exercise equipment.
