Muscle soreness: everything you need to know about causes and recovery

Anyone who has started working out or returned after a break knows the feeling: that familiar ache that shows up the next day and sometimes lasts for days.

Muscle soreness is part of the training process, but it can also signal overtraining or even risk of injury if ignored.

Understanding why it happens, how to prevent it, and what to do for faster recovery is key to building an effective workout routine without compromising health.

What is muscle soreness after exercise?

The most common type of post-exercise pain is called DOMS – Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. It usually appears 12 to 24 hours after a workout, peaks around 48–72 hours, and then gradually fades.

DOMS occurs due to microscopic tears in muscle fibers caused by physical effort. While it may sound concerning, it’s a natural process: the body repairs itself, muscles grow stronger, and adaptation happens.

Main causes of muscle soreness

1. Unfamiliar or intense workouts – new exercises or higher intensity trigger more microdamage.
2. Eccentric movements – exercises where muscles lengthen under tension, like lowering a squat or bench press.
3. Skipping warm-up and stretching – raises the risk of discomfort and injuries.
4. Excessive load – lifting too much weight without proper progression.
5. Insufficient recovery – poor sleep or lack of rest days slows muscle repair.

When muscle soreness is normal (and when it isn’t)

Not all pain is the same. Here’s how to differentiate:

• Normal soreness (DOMS): diffuse, appears hours after training, improves within days.
• Injury pain: sharp, localized, often with swelling, redness, or popping sounds during exercise. Requires stopping the activity and seeking medical advice.

How to relieve muscle soreness

There are several strategies to reduce discomfort and speed up recovery:

1. Light stretching

Gentle stretches improve flexibility and circulation.

2. Active recovery

Low-intensity activities like walking, cycling, or swimming increase blood flow and help muscles recover.

3. Hydration

Water supports circulation and helps eliminate metabolic waste.

4. Protein-rich diet

Proteins are essential for repairing damaged fibers and rebuilding muscle tissue.

5. Quality sleep

Deep sleep is when the body releases growth hormone, critical for recovery.

6. Complementary therapies

Massage, foam rolling, or alternating hot and cold showers can ease discomfort.

How to prevent muscle soreness

While some soreness is inevitable, especially when increasing intensity, there are ways to reduce it:

• Warm up before every session.
• Progressively increase weights and intensity.
• Alternate muscle groups instead of training the same area daily.
• Stretch after workouts to relax muscles.
• Use advanced methods (like drop sets) sparingly to avoid overtraining.

Common mistakes about muscle soreness

• Believing that “more soreness means better training.”
• Ignoring recovery and rest days.
• Copying other people’s workouts without adjustments.
• Using painkillers without medical advice.
• Training only with machines and skipping bodyweight/free weight exercises.

Beginners vs. advanced athletes

• Beginners: often feel more soreness because their muscles aren’t adapted yet.
• Intermediate/advanced: usually experience less day-to-day soreness but can still feel it after new routines or higher intensity.
• Athletes: often rely on advanced recovery methods like cryotherapy, physiotherapy, and precise nutrition.

Building an efficient recovery plan

1. Plan alternating workouts for different muscle groups.
2. Include isometric exercises for core and stability.
3. Track workouts and rest periods to avoid overtraining.
4. Combine strength training with light cardio to aid circulation.

Soreness is part of progress, not the goal

Muscle soreness is a natural part of training adaptation, but it shouldn’t be the only measure of a good workout. With proper nutrition, rest, and smart exercise planning, you can keep improving while avoiding unnecessary discomfort.

Want to train smarter and recover faster? Download the Befit app and get personalized workout plans designed for your goals.