If you are feeling sick after a race or gym session, you may be thinking if it is better to continue to strive or rest the body.
This feeling of pain or stiffness in the muscles after exercise is known as “late -start muscle pain”(DMT). Pain usually settles in the first 12 to 24 hours after the exercise session and often reaches peak 24 to 72 hours later.
In most cases, DMT disappears completely in three to five days. But what should you do in the meantime? Is it acceptable to exercise if you are still sore? See what the evidence says.
Why are the muscles sore after training?
When exercising, they occur small breaks (also called “microorrruption”) in the muscles. Then, as your body floods the area with fluids and nutrients to repair them, this causes inflammation. This is part of the normal recovery process and helps stimulate increased strength and muscle size.
But inflammation too stimulates pain receptorswhich makes you feel sore in the days following training.
The intensity of pain will depend on the exercise it practices. Dmit is more likely When you haven’t been exercising for some timepractices a new type of exercise or when it overloads the muscles (eg bodybuilding or running).
Basically, it is the response of your muscles to something more demanding or challenging than usual.
The more you practice the same type of exercise, the lower the likelihood of pain.
Should you feel pain after each workout?
Muscle pain is completely normal, especially if it is a beginner in exercise. But It is not necessarily a good indicator of progress.
All it really tells us is that our body is adapting to a new form of exercise or a sudden increase in the load.
It does not tell us whether this exercise was effective or not to build muscles and improve physical fitness – especially if it has done physical exercise in a consistent way and gradually increased load or frequency.
For example, it is unlikely that someone who runs regularly feels muscle pain after a single race session, but Still will improve your physical fitness.
Likewise, we lift weights regularly, use heavier weights than normal will cause at most only a slight DMT. However, each training session will still help you improve your strength and develop your muscles.
So should I exercise if you still have muscle pain?
It depends on whether you are concerned about injury or performance.
Exercise during DMT’s recovery will not hurt. But some evidence suggests that your strength and performance can decrease When you have muscle pain. This means that you will probably not be able to raise so much weight or run so fast while you have DMT.
Some research has also shown that muscle damage can negatively affect balance. This can increase the risk of falls or even injury, such as an ankle twist.
Another study found that muscle pain can also reduce its technical performance (in this case the accuracy of basketball releases). Therefore, you may notice an impact if you are doing exercise with certain performance goals in mind.
And the rest days?
Taking rest days for recovery between exercise sessions does not seem to make a big difference in long -term progress in developing strength or physical fitness.
Inquiries compared training on consecutive days-for example, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday-with non-consecutive days-Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
And that It doesn’t seem to make a difference.
For example, one study included two groups to perform the same training routine with total body weight for seven weeks, in three consecutive days or non -consecutive days. Both groups observed similar improvements in the development of strength and muscle size.
Similarly, another study compared two groups of cyclists to perform the same high -intensity interval training routine within three consecutive days or non -consecutive days. After three weeks, both groups presented the same general improvements aerobic conditioning and performance in the arrest of the counter -rerareological.
These were relatively short term studies. Therefore, it is also possible that over a year of training, taking a day of rest here and there helps maintain motivation and avoid injury.
Conclusion
Although it probably feels slower or more rigid, exercising with the painful muscles will not cause damage And it is unlikely to disturb your progress in training.
However, you may want to Avoid exercises that depend on balance – As heels and intense landings – because the risk of injury can be slightly higher.
If you are really sore, there is evidence that massages or even an ice bath can help with recovery, although the effect is small.
And although muscle pain is normal, it is still Important to listen to your body. Never force the bar with discomfort or intense pain as it may be a sign of an injury.
You should consult a doctor if:
- Your muscles are extremely sore and the pain lasts more than seven days;
- has visible muscle bruises at the pain site;
- Feel acute pain.
