Exercise has been proven to bring many benefits to you, physiocally and mentally. Many of you have picked up exercises for many reason be it for health purpose or a hobby and some of you has just started or getting back again after a long hiatus.

Have you ever wonder why your muscles are still in pain after three days of rest but you don’t feel any pain while exercising?

Muscle soreness after exercise is normal because after a workout, there may be some minor tear of the muscle fibres where your muscles might be tender to touch or feel tight.

However, the difficulty lies in deciding if the discomfort you are feeling is muscle soreness or pain, a warning sign of injury especially for those who rarely exercise or who have no exercised in a long time.

So how do we tell the differences between Muscle Pain and Muscle Soreness?

The key thing to note when differentiating between soreness and pain is time and sensation. The most common cause of muscle soreness is called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)

Muscle soreness usually peaks after 24 to 72 hours of physical activity and would last 2 to 3 days. During this time, your muscles may be tender to touch, feels tight at rest or burning while exercising.

Movement will likely be uncomfortable at first, but if you move and gently stretch your muscles, the soreness will reduce.

Unlike Soreness, pain is not a natural response to physical activity. It might feel achy, tingling or sharp pain during exercise or at rest.

While muscle soreness may be temporary, pain would linger if not addressed even after a period of rest. It may happen during exercise or within 24 hours of activity.

In cases where pain is extreme or does not resolve after 5 to 7 days, you should consult with a healthcare professional.

If you are experiencing pain, please do not hesitate to make an appointment with our physiotherapists.