If Your Body Is Sore Should You Take a Break From a Workout?
You've been getting more than your share of exercise lately, and have the sore muscles to prove it. It may be tempting to get back to the gym and "work it off," but that's not always the safest course. If you only feel slightly sore, the American Council on Exercise recommends a light cardio workout, such as walking, or strength training only with muscles that aren't sore. For more serious soreness, don't attempt any exercise until you feel better.
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Resting Sore Muscles
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When muscles are severely sore, your body functions differently during exercise. You lack your usual coordination, as well as the ability to properly absorb shock. You're also less flexible, which can affect balance. Working out while sore will place excess stress on muscles, tendons and ligaments, leaving you extra prone to injury. It usually takes three to five days for highly sore muscles to heal after intense activity, according to the American College of Sports Medicine.
Types of Soreness
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If you overextended yourself for just one workout, your aching likely comes from a condition called delayed onset muscle soreness, or DOMS. This often occurs after resistance training, jumping, jogging or walking downhill, and begins to set in after you've completed your workout. A more worrisome type of soreness comes with overtraining. Overtraining doesn't happen after just one workout, but occurs over weeks or more of pushing yourself too hard. If you're muscles are constantly sore, overtraining is a likely culprit. Other symptoms include fatigue, elevated resting heart rate, lowered immune system and weight loss. Overtraining can also affect your mental state, causing irritability, depression and insomnia. If you're overtraining, take a week or so off, and then reduce your workout schedule or intensity.
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Preventing Soreness
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To stop soreness before it starts, allow ample recovery time between workouts. ACE recommends 48 to 72 hours of rest for muscles worked during strength training -- generally, the larger muscles take longer to recover. For tough cardio, allow at least 36 hours for recovery. Also, follow an exercise routine that suits your fitness level; if four, 30-minute jogging sessions per week is your comfortable routine, don't switch to six hourlong jogs per week or you risk overtraining.
Warnings
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In some cases, you need more than just rest to treat sore muscles. If your soreness is accompanied by breathing trouble, dizziness, neck stiffness and fever, MayoClinic.com recommends seeking immediate medical attention. If you experience pain while exercising or soreness that lasts longer than a week, or if you spot a bug bite, MayoClinic.com advises scheduling an appointment with a physician. In these cases, the pain may stem from a repetitive strain injury, a sprain, a viral infection, a staph infection or even Lyme disease.
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References
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