Feeling pain after a workout is one of the reasons people generally abhor exercising. After all, no one likes paying for a gym membership and voluntarily causing discomfort to their body, right? Worry not, though! This apparent problem that manifests as pain in your muscles is what causes the muscle to grow and become stronger.
However, pain will tend to fade with regular physical activity. It usually subsides after around 48 to 72 hours. If the physical aching persists beyond the time frame, then probably you have done too much exercise during your workout, which is not very advisable.
Want to know more about post-workout pain and under what conditions it is normal or not? Keep reading and find out more!
Is it normal to feel pain after training?
Post-workout pain is normal and common, as the muscles in your body have been stimulated and moved. Thus, the movements performed cause micro-injuries necessary for muscle growth and strengthening .
In other words, it is only through the pain they cause that muscles can be strengthened. The explanation lies in that the regeneration process of muscle fibers increases the size of the region. Scientifically, this pain is called myalgia, occasioned by the gathering of lactic acid in the muscles during physical activity.
Gradually, the body creates resistance and can no longer have pain while exercising . At this stage, one should up the weight workout intensity and add more weight. In this way, the muscle will not get accustomed to it and continue growing in size. In short, you will need to leave your comfort zone!
In addition, post-workout pain can occur when the individual spends a period without moving the body . So, even if the training resumes with the same intensity, the body has lost some of its habit and may feel more pain. The level of discomfort varies depending on the period spent without exercising.
What types of pain can typically occur?
You already know that a certain level of pain post-workout is okay, as long as it resolves after 24-72 hours. In general, during these days, such an unpleasant feeling will include:
- inability to generate maximum force — the individual’s strength is reduced;
- muscular stiffness — characterized by difficulty in moving the body, such as getting up from a chair, climbing stairs, etc.;
- sensitivity to touch — touching or moving the muscle may cause mild pain;
- decreased range of motion — characterized by muscle stiffness, difficulty moving, etc.
When is it recommended to seek specialized help?
As seen, post-workout pain can be normal. However, some cases require seeking specialized help, such as when it lasts more than 72 hours and persists after seven days . In addition, other signs that the injury has become “abnormal” are:
- discomfort to the point of preventing the performance of routine activities;
- excessive swelling;
- reduced urine or dark urine;
- damaged kidneys etc.
In cases of symptoms such as those mentioned, a doctor should investigate and diagnose the condition. It can result in serious muscle injuries, tendonitis, bursitis or even more serious problems. If this occurs, it is a sign that the training was more intense than recommended and the body has overloaded itself.
How to avoid post-workout pain?
Even though a certain level of post-workout pain is normal and common, it is possible to minimize and even avoid it. Check out some tips below!
Hydrate yourself regularly
Keeping your body hydrated provides several benefits. One of them is avoiding muscle pain during physical exercise . This is because the liquid leaves the muscles hydrated and oxygenated, due to the greater synthesis of nutrients that water causes .
On the other hand, dehydration contributes to the individual suffering more muscle pain and cramps. It is even more important to be careful with this because exercise naturally requires greater water consumption. Therefore, always keep hydrated.
Exercise in moderation
You’ve seen throughout your reading that increasing the intensity of your workouts is what enables your muscles to grow and become stronger. However, this doesn’t mean that overloading your body with each exercise is the best way to avoid muscle pain.
On the contrary, the body is oppressed with a lack of moderation and an increased risk of serious injuries. In case you get a situation like this, you may need to rest for a while and reduce the intensity of exercises. That’s to say, you will have a harder time keeping up your workout.
Have a healthy diet
Regularly adopting a healthy diet strengthens muscles, which thereby prevents post-workout pain. Thus, adopting a balanced diet, with adequate intake of vitamins and minerals, has a direct influence on one’s physical performance.
This is why the progress of individuals who start exercising depends heavily on a healthy diet. After all, without it, it is more difficult to develop in training and achieve muscle strengthening and growth.
So, by choosing the right foods to eat, don’t skip meals and eat at the right times. This way, your body will have quality nutrition.
Get adequate sleep
The quality of sleep also influences post-workout pain. This is because when the body does not rest properly, physical exercise tends to be more exhausting . Furthermore, the immune system may not have enough strength to protect the body in case of illness due to overwork.
How to relieve post-workout pain?
Even if you follow the recommendations, you may still feel pain after training. In this sense, there are several useful techniques to alleviate discomfort. Among them, stretching to increase muscle flexibility , ice immersion, needling, cupping, sports massage, hyperbaric chamber, acupuncture , etc. Some of these are still controversial in medicine, so it is worth consulting your trusted doctor.
In any case, getting enough sleep, eating properly and staying hydrated are the main recommendations for relieving post-workout pain. In addition, keep an eye out for signs to identify whether it is necessary to seek specialized help.
Have you managed to clear up your main doubts about post-workout pain? This problem is normal and necessary for muscle strengthening. In any case, you need to be careful and keep an eye on the symptoms, as persistent discomfort indicates more serious problems.