Almost everyone who exercises has experienced muscle soreness, especially when starting a new program or trying new exercises. While soreness is common, many people misunderstand what it means and how to deal with it.
Understanding the science behind muscle soreness can help you train smarter, recover better, and avoid using soreness as a misleading indicator of workout effectiveness.
What Causes Muscle Soreness
Delayed onset muscle soreness, or DOMS, is caused by microscopic damage to muscle fibers during exercise. This damage is a normal part of the muscle-building process and triggers the repair and growth response.
Eccentric Contractions
The eccentric phase of exercise, when muscles lengthen under tension, causes the most muscle damage and subsequent soreness. Lowering a weight slowly or running downhill creates significant eccentric stress.
Novel Movements
New exercises or movement patterns typically cause more soreness because your muscles are not adapted to them. As you become accustomed to an exercise, soreness decreases even if the workout is equally challenging.
Does Soreness Mean A Good Workout
Contrary to popular belief, soreness is not a reliable indicator of workout effectiveness. You can build muscle and strength without feeling sore, and extreme soreness does not mean better results.
As you become more trained, your muscles adapt and experience less damage from the same workout. This is normal and does not mean your training is less effective.
How To Reduce Soreness
Gradual Progression
Increase training volume and intensity gradually to allow your body time to adapt. Sudden increases in workload cause excessive soreness and increase injury risk.
Adequate Sleep
Quality sleep is essential for muscle repair. Aim for 7-9 hours per night to support recovery and reduce soreness duration.
Light Movement
Active recovery like walking or light stretching increases blood flow to sore muscles, which can speed recovery. Complete rest is generally less effective than gentle movement.
Proper Nutrition
Adequate protein intake supports muscle repair, while overall calorie intake provides energy for recovery. Anti-inflammatory foods may also help reduce soreness.
When To Be Concerned
Normal soreness peaks 24-72 hours after exercise and gradually fades. Sharp pain during exercise, soreness lasting more than a week, or swelling may indicate injury and warrant medical attention.