Sore muscles can be an expected part of a healthy exercise program. However, severely sore muscles may be a sign of more extensive muscle injury that might require medical treatment.
Let s look at the major reasons for muscle soreness and how this affects your body.
Lactic Acid Burn
You have likely experienced times during exercise that your muscles seemed to burn. Lactic acid is formed when insufficient oxygen is available to carry out the energy conversion process (metabolism). Your blood, flowing through your muscle cells removes lactic acid and waste products and supplies your cells with oxygen and nutrients. If the muscles are exercised vigorously enough, the blood flow will not be adequate to remove lactic acid at a rate equal to its production. For that reason it accumulates and the lactic acid irritates your muscles and produces the burning. The means to get rid of the lactic acid burn is to slow down or rest until sufficient oxygen can get to your muscles and the acid can be removed.
Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)
A day after intense or energetic workouts your muscles may become sore. This was caused while you were exercising your muscles beyond the their comfort zone. This creates micro tears and bleeding in and around the z band filaments holding your muscles together while you exercise. When enough of your muscles and filaments become injured in this way your muscles will feel sore.
The repair process gets underway as satellite cells are attracted to the muscle fibers. In addition, white blood cells and other fluids and nutrients accumulate by the injured fibers. As a result the area adjacent to the damage swells. Some of the satellite cells fuse to the muscle fibers, strengthening them. The muscle cells grow in thickness and in number. The swelling causes the muscle soreness. It takes 8 to 24 hours for this process to fully get going. The result is delayed onset muscle soreness or DOMS. But, this soreness is a sign that the muscles are being repaired and are growing stronger.
Some people say that a light massage, ice packs or warm compresses will help reduce the soreness. Some studies have shown some relief with these treatments while other studies show little if any relief. But, the swelling is an aspect of the repair process and will last two to three days while the repairs are completed.
Vigorous exercises or resistance training can lead to muscles burn because of the increase in lactic acid. Athletes training for improvement often do a number of sets of exercises trying for the burn in each set. After several sets of such intense or strenuous exercise the muscles begin to feel stiff. When this occurs you should discontinue exercising. Athletes then perform milder or complementary exercises for several days while the DOMS soreness vanishes. For example, runners may run fast only two times a week. Most weightlifters fully apply themselves only one time in two weeks. After the DOMS soreness is gone they train forcefully again for a day to continue the improvement in their muscle structure.
Muscle Strains
Sometimes while exercising you will experience rapid soreness in a muscle. The ache will continue even while resting. When you attempt to use or stretch the muscle there will be pain. You will note definite weakness in the muscle, if you can use it at all. These symptoms are a sign of a more severe tear of the muscle. If the pain is accompanied by a popping sound or the pain is severe, you should go for emergency treatment.
Moderate tenderness can often be dealt with at home. Reducing soreness at home involves the PRICE technique. Here you Protect the muscle from added injury and Rest the muscle. Apply Ice to the painful area. Use moderate Compression with elastic bandages. And Elevate the sore area to help prevent unnecessary swelling. If this home treatment does not reduce soreness in a couple of days you ought to go to see your doctor.
The best way to avoid muscle strains is to exercise within realistic limits and start with easygoing exercises and stretching to get your muscles ready for more strenuous exercise. You should also note that if you are transitioning from one sport to another you could be using different muscles; you need to build these muscles up at a sensible pace to perform well without injury.
Overall, minor muscle soreness is your friend. It indicates you are enhancing your muscle structure and are remaining healthy. As a swimming coach once said, Swimmers love pain. So, you will love pain as well, realizing that it is producing a healthful body.
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