Pain after exercise? Here’s how to manage it.
Maybe it was an intense spin class that put you over the edge, or hitting a personal best in the squat. Maybe it was dancing all night at a wedding reception, using muscles you haven’t exercised in years. Whatever the cause, the next day you’ll be stiff and sore and moving a bit slowly.
The reasons why the human body hurts are surprisingly mysterious, with various theories coming in and out of fashion. The cause of pain is complex, according to Gene Shirokobrod, physical therapist and CEO of Recharge Health & Fitness in Maryland. “The answer is we still don’t know.”
What we do know is that pain is an inflammatory response to damaged tissue. It generally doesn’t mean you’ve done anything wrong, or that you’re getting fitter. In most cases, it is just an unpleasant side effect of a tough workout, after which your body tends to recover on its own. But if you ignore a sore muscle and immediately return to hard training, you risk more serious injury.
Finding ways to reduce muscle soreness is a multi-billion dollar industry involving compression recovery boots, massage guns and ice trays. While many recovery aids will make you feel better, there is a difference between relief and actually repairing the damaged tissues.
Fortunately, you don’t need expensive or complicated gimmicks to get back on your feet. Simple techniques, combined with ‘inside-out’ thinking, will help you avoid pain, recover well and avoid injuries.
Use your fascia.
For more than a century, experts thought that pain was caused by lactic acid built up in muscle cells during exercise, but that line of thinking was largely debunked in 1980.
Today there are two schools of thought on the mechanism of pain. The theory of exercise-induced muscle damage says that pain is the result of small tears in your muscle tissue. More recently, however, experts have suggested that pain may be caused by irritated and inflamed fascia, says Jan Wilke, professor of sports science at the Alpen-Adria-Universität Klagenfurt in Austria, who do research this theory.
That’s why, he said, it’s helpful to consider fascia during your warm-up. A thick, supportive connective tissue, “fascia likes constant movement from multiple directions,” said Dr. Wilke. “So consider a dynamic warm-up that will make the tissue more resilient for the workout ahead.”
Prepare yourself for success.
It’s important to be honest with yourself about your fitness before exercising, especially if you’re new or returning after a break. Too often, people start a fitness routine where they left off months or even years ago.
“They have a time machine mentality and think, ‘Five years ago I could lift 20 pounds, so I can still do that,'” said Dr. Shirokobrod.
Instead, think about the minimum amount of exercise you need initially to get fitter. If it helps, write it down, make a plan – or have a coach make a plan – and stick to it. If you do get sore, try not to push through it during the next workout. Doing so will prevent your muscles from recovering and increase the risk of injury. Progress is also made when your muscles have time to recover.
Eat and sleep well.
Whether you’re new to fitness, returning after a break, or a seasoned, consistent athlete, you’ll deal with pain from time to time. Instead of tackling the pain from the outside, with massage guns or ointments, you start from within. Studies indicate that both are sufficient sleep and good power supply as factors in preventing injuries, including muscle pain.
At the first sign of pain, or after a particularly taxing workout, “think extra calories and protein, or some extra sleep,” said Dr. Shirokobrod. “They support your tissues and help you move forward.”
Force yourself to get moving.
Although it’s not good to exercise hard when you’re in pain, low-intensity exercise is helpful. Lighter exercises get the blood flowing and help move the recovery process forward.
Consider taking easy walks, swimming a few leisurely laps, or even doing a few sets of bodyweight squats if your pain is from weighted squats, for example.
“If I’m feeling sore and exhausted from an intense workout, I dial back and do a short, easy run the next day,” says Jamie Hershfang, 30, a Chicago ultrarunner who set a record for the fastest time on the Chicago Lakefront Trail in 2020. “This always loosens my muscles and makes me feel better.”
Relieving pain is not muscle recovery.
Resist the urge to take ibuprofen, which some research shows makes no difference or may even be harmful. “The research shows that NSAIDs will reduce your feelings of pain, but they will blunt actual healing,” says Jason Sawyer, director of the exercise and exercise science program at Bryant University.
What about bubble baths, massages, Epsom salt baths or hot/cold contrast baths? They don’t cause any damage, and you might the perception by to feel bettersaid dr. Shirokobrod.
But “understand that this is just a sensory relief” and does not affect the tense muscle or fascia itself, he added. You may come out of these treatments feeling less stiff and sore, he said, but they cannot penetrate the tissue at a deeper level.
Pay attention if it’s more than just pain.
Some post-workout pain may actually be an injury. One indicator is where you feel pain. If the pain is global (for example, in both legs), you probably overexercised. Damage, on the other hand, is usually localized. Moreover, injuries often cause immediate pain, while you usually only feel pain afterwards.
If you suspect an injury, reduce the aggravating activity and consult a doctor.
When it comes to defeating pain, simplicity reigns supreme. “Provide your body with the building blocks it needs to heal,” said Dr. Sawyer, “and it does the rest.”
Amanda Loudin is a freelance health and science writer.