Sore muscles – what helps and how to prevent?

Anyone who has pushed themselves too hard physically or has strained their body differently than usual often gets sore muscles: the next day, the muscles pinch, especially with specific movements. They swell, harden and become tender, making you feel stiff. Unusual or heavy use of muscles causes muscle soreness – but what exactly are sore muscles? Should you train with sore muscles, and how can you eliminate them? Everything on the subject and how to prevent sore muscles can be read below.

What is muscle soreness, and how does it develop?

“muscle ache” presumably refers to the word “catarrh”. This is an inflammation of the mucous membranes. Even with sore muscles, inflammation occurs in the affected area, for example, in the muscles in the thighs, arms or calves.

In the past, it was assumed that sore muscles were caused by excess acidity in the muscles due to accumulations of salts of lactic acid (lactate). Because under heavy loads, the body needs more energy, which has to be made available quickly. The blood cannot transport enough oxygen, and the anaerobic metabolism, i.e. an energy metabolism without oxygen, is used. The end product is lactate. The more intense the muscle work, the more lactate is formed.

However, the acidification hypothesis was rejected for two main reasons:

• Muscle soreness only occurs with a time delay to actuation. At this point, the lactate has long since broken down.
• Muscle soreness usually only occurs when an untrained body is subjected to high loads. However, lactate is also formed in experienced athletes.

Today, sports physicians know that many tiny injuries in the microstructures of the muscle cause pain. In particular, these tears are caused by stress peaks during training, during which the muscle is stretched and then contracts (contraction) to counteract this tension. Some sports with extreme movements are, therefore, mainly “promoting sore muscles”, for example, those with solid running and braking movements such as squash or football.

Overloading damages muscle fibers. Sometimes, they are destroyed and dissolved. These injuries cause inflammation. In addition, water penetrates the fibre tears, resulting in small swellings (oedema), leading to the well-known pain. In addition, muscle tension is increased and also contributes to causing muscle soreness. Usually, the micro-injuries heal entirely, and the changes in the muscle recede.

 

How long does a sore muscle last?

The first symptoms of sore muscles usually become noticeable within twelve to 24 hours after exercise. The pain intensity can peak after one day or increase in the first few days. However, the pain usually subsides after a maximum of three days. Overall, a sore muscle lasts about a week.

Can you exercise with sore muscles?

So far, there is no evidence that the unloved sore muscles damage the muscles in the long term, but you should avoid renewed heavy loads during the healing phase – the plagued muscles now need rest. Light activities with gentle movements, such as swimming, walking or a little gymnastics, are still allowed because they promote blood circulation and thus support regeneration. You can train efficiently despite sore muscles – the training should only be adjusted accordingly.

 

What helps against sore muscles?

How can you get rid of sore muscles as quickly as possible?

• Heat is a surefire way to promote muscle healing as it allows better blood flow to them. After exercise, a relaxing visit to the sauna or a hot bath with Arnica, eucalyptus, pine needles or rosemary is highly recommended.
• Foods high in protein can help the muscle heal.

And which common tips do not help against the acute symptoms?

• Homeopathic applications with Arnica (globules, gel) are recommended, but studies have not shown them effective in relieving sore muscles.
• Massages cannot relieve existing sore muscles. Massaging with complex kneading movements should be avoided to avoid further irritating the injured muscle.
• Excessive sweating during exercise can lead to an increased loss of magnesium. If this creates a deficiency, this can, in turn, be accompanied by muscle twitching. However, taking magnesium as a dietary supplement does not help against existing muscle soreness.

If the pain is extremely severe, there are other symptoms, or if the sore muscles have not subsided after a week, it makes sense to seek medical advice. In this way, it can be determined whether another trigger, such as a strain or a torn muscle fibre, is responsible for the muscle pain.

Are sore muscles excellent or bad?

It is often heard that training can only be practical with subsequent muscle soreness. However, this is not the case, as sore muscles are more a sign of overstraining the muscles than practical training.

However, sore muscles can be “good” because new sore muscles occur less quickly for a few weeks after the symptoms have subsided. The reason for this can be newly formed muscle fibres and the loss of damage-prone fibres.

Nevertheless, it would help if you always tried to avoid sore muscles. In this way, you are not only spared the pain but can also prevent pain-related forced breaks in training. To prevent further damage, you should train carefully during a sore muscle and under no circumstances use the affected muscle groups at the same intensity.

Can sore muscles become dangerous?

There is no evidence that frequent muscle soreness leads to chronic injury. However, heavy loads should be avoided during muscle soreness. If the muscle is strained during this phase, there is a risk that it will be pulled and even tear larger structures in the muscle. Frequent strain during these phases can also lead to irritation in other areas, such as the tendon attachments.

 

Prevent muscle soreness

The following tips will help you prevent muscle soreness:

• Beware of overestimating yourself: Muscles can withstand enormous forces, but you often overestimate your resilience and take on unusual or excessive physical activity. If possible, untrained muscles should only be strained for a short time.
• Warming up helps: Warming up improves the functionality of the muscle’s coordination and promotes blood circulation. Stretching exercises can also be incorporated into the approximately 15-minute warm-up program. The latter reduces the likelihood of injury and sore muscles after exercise. However, you don’t need to warm up for slow jogging or walking. Incidentally, stretching after exercise does not help to prevent muscle soreness.
• Train regularly: Regular training adapted to your performance level helps to gradually strengthen the muscles and thus prevent injuries. It is best to put together a training plan that builds up slowly.

Pain like sore muscles without exercise – what can that be?

Muscle ache-like symptoms very often occur as a result of unusual physical exertion. However, other causes of pain in the legs, arms or all over the body feel like sore muscles. The technical term for this muscle pain is myalgia.

Possible triggers are:

• Trauma, such as bruises or other injuries
• Bacterial or viral infections (such as influenza, Lyme disease or a coronavirus infection)
• a side effect of vaccination
• Metabolic diseases such as diabetes mellitus
• Autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis
• Thrombosis
• disc prolapse
• Fibromyalgia
• (Night) calf cramps, or their after-effects

In general, muscle pain can occur with numerous diseases, even if the causes behind it are often relatively harmless. However, if symptoms persist or accompanying symptoms occur, medical advice should be sought to be on the safe side.