Why do I feel pain after exercise?
Have you ever felt pain after starting a new exercise routine or pushing yourself harder than usual during an exercise routine? If yes, it means you have not been working out your core muscles regularly so expect to feel a little pain as you get used to your new routine.
The pain typically lasts between three and five days. The pain, which can range from mild to severe, usually occurs one or two days after the exercise. This sort of muscle pain should not be confused with any kind of pain you might experience during exercise, such as the acute, sudden and sharp pain of an injury, such as muscle strains or sprains.
Muscle pain that shows up a day or two after exercising can affect anyone, regardless of your fitness level. It can occur when you start a new exercise routine, change your exercise routine, or increase the duration or intensity of your regular exercise. The pain you feel a day or two after your exercise means you probably overdid it and might need to slow down on your routine.
The pain you feel is as a result of sore muscles is known as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). This type of muscle pain is normal, doesn’t last long, and is actually a sign of your improving fitness.The pain is part of an adaptation process that leads to greater stamina and strength as the muscles recover and build.
The Pain you feel doesn’t generally require medical intervention. The use of ice packs, massage, anti-inflammatory drugs, such as paracetamol or ibuprofen and rest may help ease the soreness. However, seek medical advice if the pain is making you feel unwell or you experience heavy swelling or any unusual observation.
So please don’t let the pain stop your determination to get fit. Look on the light at the end of the tunnel, the pain decrease as your muscles get used to the new exercise routine you are engaged in.
You can still exercise with the pain, although it may feel uncomfortable, especially during the warm-up phase. You may find the pain go away during warm-up but it will return after exercising once your muscles have cooled down. In a situation where the pain makes it hard to exercise, then it is advisable to refrain from the exercise for a few days until the pain eases. Alternatively, you could focus on exercises targeting less affected muscles to allow the most affected muscle groups time to recover.
The Pain you are experiencing is a type of muscle conditioning, which means your muscles are adapting to the new activity. The next time you perform the same activity or exercise at the same intensity, there will be less muscle tissue damage, less soreness, and a faster recovery.
Tips for reducing the pain
*Warming-up: exercising with warmed-up muscles will reduce your chance of injury and improve your performance.
*Stretching: helps reduce muscle tension, increased range of movement in the joints and enhanced muscular coordination.
*Start any new exercise gently and gradually, allowing the muscle time to adapt to new exercise routine. Once you can exercise without much pain, build strength by adding one more repetition/Intensity with the exercises routine until you are able to comfortably carry on adding more repetition/intensity. If your feel pain just after adding more repetition/intensity, cut back on the process. For example squats, instead of trying to do 50 in a day, start with 15. Stick with that for a few days and then increase it to 25 squats and so on by adding 10 squats.
Taking these tips into consideration before starting your planned exercise will help reduce pain. Do Have a Safe Week Exercising!!!!