How to Exercise If You’re Still Sore From Last Time
Perhaps the hardest part of sticking to a workout regimen is getting started, but the second hardest part is arriving at your next workout when everything feels like it’s on fire. However, you are not off the hook! Staying home is not really the best course of action.
Know what normal soreness is
Your first question might be: Am I seriously injured? Common next-day muscle soreness, called DOMS (which stands for delayed-onset muscle soreness), can seem pretty brutal. However, this is not a serious disease.
Regular DOMS:
-
It hurts most when you wake up in the morning or when you sit still for a while.
-
Feels better when moving
-
It hurts when you use your muscles and when you stretch them.
-
Usually begins the day after training and can last several days.
-
The worst thing happens two days after the training that caused it.
There are medical conditions that can also cause muscle pain, so consult your doctor if you think it may be something more than a common DOMS situation. One condition worth keeping in mind is rhabdomyolysis, which is muscle damage that becomes severe enough to cause muscle breakdown and kidney problems. Dark-colored urine (often described as “tea-colored” or “cola-colored”) is a serious warning sign. If you notice this, go to the emergency room. I’ve written more about the differences between normal soreness and pain that requires medical attention here .
But most likely, you have a normal case of DOMS. If this sounds right, let’s talk about what to do about it.
Don’t skip your workout
When you’re in pain, you’re probably tempted to just stay home and watch Netflix instead of carrying your sore body back to the gym. But in the long run, rest doesn’t really help. Getting rid of pain for good requires getting used to exercise, and you’ll never get used to it if you have to take a week off every time you get the idea to start again.
So go back to the gym, or go for another run, or whatever else is on your schedule for the day. Put some effort into sticking to the schedule you set for yourself, whether it’s a written program or a promise to yourself that you’ll go to the gym a certain number of times a week.
Do a warm-up first, but work your way up gradually. If you’ve been planning a run, start with a brisk walk and then see how an easy jog feels. If it’s a tough day, start with lighter weights than usual and only add as much weight as you think you can handle that day.
Even if you can’t do your usual workout, you’re still doing something , and it gives you insurance against future pain. Plus, after today’s workout, you won’t feel as sore as before. Scientists call this the repeated training effect : each training session (each series of training sessions) protects against the pain resulting from the next one.
Have an active rest
If your rest day comes and you’re still sore, you’ll probably think, okay, now ‘s the time to sit down. But DOMS feels better when you move, so even if you don’t have any training goals, you’ll feel better if you keep moving.
So go for a walk. This is my go to when I’m not feeling well. If you have access to an exercise bike, low-resistance leg movements can help relieve pain. Cyclists will talk about “flushing” their muscles; whether it’s scientifically reliable or not, it seems to help. If you’re into yoga, a day when you’re sore is a good time to do some gentle yoga; you can even find some videos on recovery yoga .
How to cope with pain
There are many myths associated with muscle pain, but there is one hard truth: nothing but time really helps get rid of pain. In the meantime, the best remedies we have are light activity, massage and heat. Activity is what I described above, so let’s look at the rest.
Heat
Heat helps relieve sore muscles, so now is the time to hit the sauna if your gym has one. You can also use an electric heating pad or take a hot bath. Epsom salts don’t do anything for your muscles, but adding them to your bath can make it smell nice (get the lavender scent ) and make it feel like you’re doing something special for yourself.
Massage
The pressure can feel good on sore muscles, so treat yourself to a massage or have someone rub your back. A foam roller is a good way to give yourself “myofascial release” (I’m convinced that’s nothing more than a fancy word for massage) or consider a massage gun .
Food and sleep
When you’re in pain, it’s time to pay more attention to self-care. Anecdotally, I find that sleep helps with soreness: if I stay up late, I’m more likely to be sore the next day. Eating plenty of protein won’t hurt either, since protein is important for building muscle.
One final note: pain relievers such as ibuprofen are popular among athletes, but they are not as good as the remedies mentioned above. If you get into the habit of taking ibuprofen regularly, it may interfere with your recovery . So, you can look at it as a short-term solution to help you get through a bad day, but try not to make it a habit. If your pain is so bad that you feel like you need medication to cope with it every day, it’s probably time to ask your doctor what else might be going on.