How to Identify the Differences between Muscle Soreness and Muscle Pain

Because I earned the Presidential Fitness Award (yea me!) I get lots of email from them. This article was really interesting.......... How to Identify the Differences between Muscle Soreness and Muscle Pain By Marjie Gilliam It is not unusual to experience muscle soreness and discomfort after exercise, especially if you are unaccustomed to physical activity or if your workouts increase in intensity. When your body is at rest, the muscles begin a healing process where a reaction known as delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) may be felt, usually occurring about 24 to 48 hours after the end of a workout. Experts don't agree as to the exact cause of this soreness, but believe it is probably due to the build up of waste products in the muscle, along with microscopic tears that cause mild inflammation as a natural part of working out hard enough to produce an adaptive response. With mild discomfort, there is little cause for concern, but if you experience pain during or after physical activity, you should not try to work through it. Instead, listen to your body, stop exercising and consult with your doctor. Exercise soreness often occurs when increasing the duration, frequency or intensity of your normal routine. Examples are adding sets, reps or extra weight, trying new activities such as going from walking to jogging, doing a full hour of exercise when you are only used to doing a half hour, or running uphill when you are used to running on flat surfaces. Activities that cause the muscles to repeatedly lengthen often result in muscle soreness more than other types of exercise. If you are new to exercise, you may find that even after the a couple of days, soreness is still present, although it may still be mild enough so that it doesn't interfere with your ability to work out again. Often, this 'break-in' soreness decreases as your body gets used to the workout, and subsides after a few weeks of consistent exercise as long as you aren't overdoing it. To reduce your chances of over-taxing the muscles, avoid repeating exactly the same workout 2 days in a row, instead mix it up, alternating between 2 or 3 different types of exercise to work different muscle groups and in different ways. When strength training, avoid working the same muscle groups on consecutive days. At the end of your workout, take time to cool down and stretch. The longer the workout, the longer the cool down, generally 10 minutes or so of light intensity aerobic activity is sufficient. Increasing muscle temperature with heat, gentle stretching and massage can often help ease discomfort hours after the workout, as can keeping the muscle in motion to increase blood flow. Is it a good idea to take aspirin or other over-the-counter pain relievers if you have delayed onset muscle soreness? Joe Cannon, MS, well-known exercise physiologist and personal trainer states that aspirin and other over-the-counter pain relievers block feelings of pain by inhibiting an enzyme called cyclooxygenase, responsible for making compounds called prostaglandins. "It turns out that prostaglandins do a lot more than their involvement in feelings of pain. For example, they are also involved in making proteins. As it happens, some research does show that over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen and ibuprofen appear to inhibit muscle protein formation following exercise. Other research also hints that while they may reduce pain after exercise, they do not speed recovery to optimal athletic performance. So what is the take home message to all this? Well, if your muscles are really sore and you want some relief, then products like aspirin and other over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications may offer some relief. If you are a professional athlete involved in a sport where optimal muscle growth and strength are of paramount importance, then these pain relievers, in theory, might be detrimental to your athletic performance if you use them while competing. How much of a detriment these products might produce is unknown. Arguably, more study on athletes and exercise performance is needed but the writing on the wall is there. My advice is to grin and bear the pain if you are "in season" and really concerned about your athletic performance". It is important to learn the difference between normal muscle soreness and muscle pain that can occur from injury and/or chronic over-training. Although you may overdo it on occasion, your soreness should not be so severe that it stops you from performing everyday tasks or interferes with your ability to continue your workout program. You don't have to be sore to know you've had a good enough workout. Strength and endurance can be improved with or without experiencing soreness, and so it is not the best way to measure progress, although many people find that a 'good burn' during or after a workout gives them a sense of accomplishment and keeps them motivated to continue with their workouts. CFPTS supports the Presidents Council on Physical Fitness and Sports and Presidents Challenge concept that physical activity can be a fun and manageable part of everyday life for individuals of all ages and abilities. We are all unique in our goals, likes and dislikes, and what we are looking for when it comes to health and fitness. Regardless of your current level of exercise experience, you can join the thousands of people who have gone from inactivity to an active lifestyle, increasing strength, flexibility, energy levels, and cardiovascular fitness.

This was awesome to know! Thanks for posting this. I just recently started going back to the gym, and participating in the fitness classes and I am somewhat sore. It's glad to know why I'm sore. Once again Jill this was extremely informational. You are doing an phenomenal job in your weight loss journey. You are truly a motivation to myself, and I'm just getting started. Thanks once again and God Bless! Tiawna

Thanks Sporty !!! Good Info !!