How Does a Muscle Get Sore?

Causes of Muscle Soreness

Muscles most often get sore a day or two after they are exposed to more activity or strain than they are used to. This can be anything from exercise to heavy manual labor to an automobile accident. Muscle soreness is most pronounced after activities designed to work specific muscles. Weightlifting and other forms of fitness exercise generally provoke the most muscle soreness.

Knowing When Your Muscles Will Get Sore

When you exercise or performing intense manual labor, a burning sensation is felt in the muscles. That burn is your muscles straining to cope with increased capacity. If you feel that burn for an extended period of time, you will probably be sore in the next day or two. This also happens if your muscles are exposed to a sudden, intense tightening as a result of trauma. Accident victims and those who engage in a sudden burst of intense activity experience muscle soreness as well.

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

There is a reason you don't feel muscle soreness until a day or two after you strain your muscles. Doctors call this "delayed onset muscle soreness" or DOMS. When muscle fibers are strained, they tear on a microscopic level. These tiny muscle tears are the pain you feel when you are sore. It generally takes at least 8 hours, and sometimes much longer, before your body realizes what happened. It is important to allow these tears to heal before straining your muscles again. When they heal, they will be bigger and stronger than before.

What Sore Muscles Mean

When a muscle is sore, your body is telling you that the muscle is damaged. There is a significant difference between being sore and being in pain. If there is pain, you may have torn a muscle. This is a serious condition requiring a doctor's attention and perhaps surgery. Soreness is discomfort that dissipates after a few days. It is your body's way of warning you to slow down and rest. You should allow your body to repair itself. Do not work out the sore muscles again until the soreness goes away. Even world-class athletes perform hard workouts just once or twice per week.

Sore Muscle Misperceptions

For years people thought that lactic acid caused muscle soreness. Scientist now say that isn't true. Lactic acid has nothing to do with making muscles sore. Warming down and stretching are commonly believed to help reduce muscle soreness. They do help remove lactic acid from muscles, but since lactic acid does not make muscles sore, they do not reduce muscle soreness. The only thing that reduces muscle soreness is time.