Feeling aches after weightlifting is a common experience. Mild soreness that happens right after a weight training session usually dissipates after one or two days. Soreness that comes on after a day or more is known as delayed-onset muscle soreness. The muscle ache from DOMS can last for several days, but it does not cause damage to the body. Aching muscles accompanied by redness, bruising and swelling means you have most likely injured your muscles. If the pain is severe or does not dissipate after three to four days, consult a doctor.
Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness
DOMS is a frequent cause of pain among weightlifters. It sets in within 24 to 48 hours after finishing a workout and usually dissipates after seven days. In addition to pain, DOMS can include other symptoms, like swelling, stiffness, weakness and loss of strength. The symptoms might appear at different times and not all of the symptoms will necessarily be present. What causes DOMS is not clear, but eccentric exercise -- lengthening of the muscle against resistance -- contributes the most to DOMS. Examples of eccentric exercise include lowering a weight during an arm curl and running downhill. Unlike an injury, working out with DOMS will not cause further damage to the muscle. Novice weightlifters and more seasoned athletes who increase their workout intensity are the most likely candidates to get DOMS. DOMS will usually cease to occur or will diminish significantly once you have built up more muscular endurance.
Injury
Injury to a muscle is usually in the form of a slight tear to the muscle -- what's known as a muscle strain. The soreness from an injury is usually first felt while you are lifting weights, but may not be present until after your workout is over if the injury is a mild one. In addition to soreness, an injury can be accompanied by swelling, bruising and stiffness of the muscle. The ache from an injury is typically more severe than the soreness from DOMS.
Mild Soreness
If your muscles start to ache immediately after working out and the sensation is relatively mild, you have probably overexerted yourself. Many novice weightlifters experience this type of muscle ache because they push themselves too hard. This type of ache is typically not very severe and will dissipate after one or two days, but may linger longer if you do not rest your muscles. You may also feel stiff and fatigued.
Treatment
Injuries should be treated with the RICE protocol -- rest, ice, compression, elevation. Rest the muscles to let them heal. Ice them for 15 to 20 minutes at a time, every three to four hours. Elevate the affected muscle or muscles above your heart and compress them with a bandage to reduce swelling. Taking ibuprofen or acetaminophen may help relieve pain from both DOMS and injury. Massaging your affected muscles and applying heat to them may help ease the pain in the case of DOMS -- and resting them can help speed the recovery process. According to Clayton South of BodyBuilding.com, taking protease enzymes and plant-based sitosterols can help reduce the inflammation caused by DOMS, and subsequently may help relieve pain. Mild pain from overexertion can also be treated with massage, rest and heat.
Prevention
The most effective way to prevent DOMS, and possibly injury, is to warm up and stretch your muscles before lifting weights. Perform a general warm up and a specific warm up. A general warmup includes performing cardiovascular exercise for 10 to 15 minutes, while a specific warmup includes moving your muscles through the same motions you will be performing during your workout but without weights. After warming up, gently stretch all your muscles. If you are a beginner, start slowly and gradually work your way up to more intense activity to avoid both DOMS and the mild soreness from overexertion. Use a smooth, fluid motion when you are lifting, avoiding jerking, uneven movements, to help avoid DOMS and injury.
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