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Have you ever wondered if you should work out when sore? The fact remains that everyone experiences muscle soreness once in a while.
As a result, it’s important to truly understand the factors aligned with muscle soreness before attempting to answer 'should you work out when sore'.
What is muscle soreness?
Before understanding the answer to 'should you work out when sore?', you need to first understand what is muscle soreness.
It's a type of discomfort or pain that's experienced after engaging in physical activity, particularly resistance training. Some of the symptoms of muscle soreness are dull, aching sensations in the muscles, which can range from mild to severe.
What causes muscle soreness?
There are several factors that cause muscle soreness. The more you’re aware of these factors, the better it is for you in the long-run. It will help you figure out why you have muscle soreness, should you work out when sore, and if it persists, what changes do you need to make for the muscles to recover from soreness?
Here are some of the factors that cause muscle soreness:
Delayed onset muscle soreness
DOMS is the most common type of muscle soreness and occurs after engaging in a new or strenuous activity. It typically sets in 24-48 hours after and is caused by microscopic damage to muscle fibers.
Overexertion
It's possible that once in a while you could end up pushing yourself a bit too much at the gym. While it’s great for gains, muscle soreness is a common after-effect.
Usually that means you will need to give your muscles time to recover from overexertion and fatigue.
Doing new exercises
If you try a new activity or exercise that the body is not accustomed to, you may experience soreness, as the muscles adapt to the new demands. However, the intensity of soreness experienced after new exercises depends on the fitness level of the individual.
Inflammation
Inflammation in the muscles due to injury, strain or overuse can lead to soreness and discomfort.
Dehydration or inadequate nutrition
Dehydration and inadequate nutrition can impair the body's ability to repair and recover from exercise, leading to muscle soreness and fatigue.
Medical conditions or injuries
Certain medical conditions and injuries can cause muscle soreness, like fibromyalgia, arthritis or a strain or sprain.
Is it fine to work out when sore?
Now that you’ve understood muscle soreness and the reasons behind it, the next question is: 'should you work out when sore?'
In reality, there’s no correct answer to that. It boils down to individual opinion. However, it’s beneficial to understand how to deduce whether or not you should work out if you experience muscle soreness.
First, it depends on the severity of the soreness and the type of workout you plan to do. Second, if your soreness is mild and you plan to do a low-intensity workout, such as light cardio or stretching, it may be fine to exercise. Low-impact exercise can help alleviate soreness by increasing blood flow and promoting muscle recovery.
However, if your soreness is severe and you plan to do a high-intensity workout, like weightlifting or high-intensity interval training, it may be better to rest till your soreness subsides. Overexerting yourself when you're already sore can lead to more muscle damage and delay the recovery process.
Usually, muscle soreness takes a day or two to recover. Keeping that in mind, if you’re still sore after two days, you should delay working out. Sometimes, muscle soreness is a result of injuries that aren’t immediately understood. So, if you’re sore even after 48 hours, it’s possible that you may require medical assistance to help your muscle fibers recover and repair themselves.
Is it good to be sore after a workout?
It's important to note that being sore after a workout is not necessarily an indicator of a good workout.
The quality of your workout depends on factors like intensity, duration and exercise selection. It's also important to ensure that you're using proper form and technique during your exercise to avoid injury and maximize the benefits of your workout.
Additionally, if you experience excessive soreness, pain or discomfort that lasts longer than a few days, it may be a sign that you have overexerted yourself and should take a break from exercise or modify your routine. It's always important to listen to your body and adjust your exercise routine as necessary to prevent injury and optimize your results.
Nevertheless, often muscle soreness is aligned with a good workout session, but that's observer-relative. While you might feel that muscle soreness is an indication of a good session, some may feel otherwise.
Eventually, it comes down to each person's opinion whether or not to work out when sore depending on their overall lifestyle.
