What You Should Consider Before Working Out When Sore

What You Should Consider Before Working Out When Sore

Working out provides you with plenty of feel-good endorphins. It's also good for your overall health, so completing that run or jaunt on an exercise bike leaves you feeling great – like you're on top of the world.

However, all of that can change the next day when you're feeling sore. What do you do? Do you work out again? Or rest?

Depending on the circumstances of your chosen workout and your overall health, both of those are solid answers.

Dealing With Muscle Soreness 

While it's completely normal to feel stiff and sore the day after a workout, especially if you're beginning a new routine or haven't worked out in a bit, you need to know when to take it easy. Over time, your body will get used to the exercise, so you'll not only feel less sore the next day, but you'll also have less of a recovery period, so you can get right back at it, especially if you eat a healthy diet.

In the meantime, you need to be careful of ending up with one of two different conditions: Exercise-Induced Hematuria or EIH for short, and DOMS, which stands for Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness. Both of these conditions go away on their own, although they can be painful in the meantime if they aren't treated.

In addition to those conditions, if you exercise too hard when sore, your risk of injury increases, so you’ll have to look out for pulled muscles and sprained joints.

What Is Exercise-Induced Hematuria (EIH)? 

EIH occurs when lactic acid builds up in the muscles. When you work out, your muscles develop microscopic tears. As those tears heal, your muscles rebuild even stronger. However, lactic acid also builds up in your muscles during a workout, even more so if you haven't worked out in a while. Lactic acid also helps your muscles grow after a workout, but in the meantime, it can cause a bit of pain.

The main symptoms of EIH are muscle cramps, extreme soreness, and general pain, particularly in the muscles used during the workout. Depending on how long it's been since you last worked out, the EIH may be a bit more extreme or more tolerable.

It all depends on the intensity of your initial workout, as well as the type of exercise you completed.

How Can You Treat EIH?

Thankfully, you don't need to see a doctor if you have EIH. You can even diagnose it yourself, determining whether or not those cramps, pain, and overall soreness are EIH or just standard post-workout pain (Hint: EIH pain is a bit more intense than post-workout soreness.).

The best thing to do if you have EIH is rest. Do some stretching to keep your muscles from getting even sorer than they already are, and make sure to drink plenty of water. Your body will take care of that excess lactic acid on its own, and within a few days, you'll feel good as new again.

Even better, once you get into a workout routine, you'll be less likely to end up with EIH because your muscles will be used to the workout.

Preventing EIH

Luckily, you can prevent EIH? All you need to do is make sure to stretch fully before and after a workout, spend time properly cooling down once your intense workout is finished, and drink plenty of water while you're exercising.

In addition, ramping up your workouts slowly will help. You shouldn't go from zero to 60 in one single day. Instead, take your time and gradually increase their intensity. This way, not only can you avoid ending up with EIH, but you'll be able to work out the next day, even if you're slightly sore.

What About DOMS? 

DOMS, also known as Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness, occurs when the muscles in the body are subjected to multiple lengthening movements with weight involved. For example, bicep curls, when done with weights that are too heavy, can lead to DOMS.

This condition, which occurs when the muscles in the body hurt between one and three days after a workout, is a reaction to a workout that's too intense, too soon. It isn't unusual for this to happen when someone jumps into a new workout routine, such as running several miles, when they haven't worked out for months beforehand.

What Are the Symptoms of DOMS? 

The main symptoms of DOMS are extreme pain in the muscles that received a workout. For example, if you speed-walk five miles without properly working up to that distance and speed, your legs will hurt for several days afterwards.

You might also have some muscle swelling, and they may feel warm to the touch. All of these are signs that you worked out too hard, and your muscles have microscopic tears that need to heal.

Like with EIH, you don't need to see a doctor to diagnose yourself with DOMS, nor do you need one to seek treatment. Instead, take an anti-inflammatory, like ibuprofen, and spend some time massaging those sore muscles.

Applying ice as needed and soaking in a warm bath filled with Epson salts will help as well.

How Can You Prevent DOMS? 

DOMS can be prevented by taking the time to properly warm up and cool down after a workout. Do plenty of stretching, both before and after, in order to get your muscles ready for what's to come, as well as prepare them to rest afterwards.

Other ways to keep from getting DOMS include doing different exercises each day instead of repeating the same one over and over again. You can also slowly increase the intensity of your workouts, gradually making things tougher over time.

The best thing to note is that, like EIH, DOMS will not only go away on its own, but you'll be less likely to end up with the condition over time. The more you work out, the less likely you are to end up with it.

Should You Work Out When Sore?

Standard soreness is nothing to worry about. The extreme versions that indicate EIH and DOMS will require a bit more recovery time. With that said, you do need to be careful to prevent injuries when you're sore.

After all, the pain may mask greater issues, such as sprains, strains, tears, and breaks to the joints, muscles, and bones. It's easy to mistake one type of pain for another when you're already hurting.

If you want to keep your momentum going – and who doesn't – even when you have standard soreness, you can work out. Just make sure to keep the intensity lower than the previous day. For example, you can walk on a treadmill instead of running, lift lighter weights than you did the day before, or spend some time swimming instead of jogging. A lighter workout will help you keep up that routine while alleviating some of your muscle soreness.

With that said, if you have EIH or DOMS, it's important to take it easy rather than go back to the gym. Once you stop hurting so badly, you can go back and make sure to slowly ramp up your new workouts instead of jumping right back into them.

What About Overtraining? 

Working out too intensely when sore can lead to overtraining. The risks of overtraining can not only lead to major injuries that seriously affect your exercise routine but can lead to frustration and lower gains. Both of these factors may cause you to not want to work out at all.

On top of that, overtraining can lead to mood changes and depression, a decrease in appetite, and even more susceptibility to colds and the flu. You may end up with an increased resting heart rate, insomnia, and fatigue. Basically, the gains you were hoping for when working out will disappear.

Make Working Out Fun

Exercise is good for you. That's a fact. It can help lower your resting heart rate, improve your cardiovascular health, and even help you remain at a healthy weight.

However, if you begin working out too intensely, instead of slowly ramping things up, you run the risk of hurting yourself or ending up with a condition like EIH or DOMS, or even overtraining problems, if you continue to push yourself.

Instead, make working out fun by doing it right, stretching to warm up and cool down, eating right, and pushing yourself through a little bit of soreness (not extreme soreness) by spending time doing low-intensity workouts when hurting. It’s as simple as that!

Sources:

Should You Work Out When Sore? | Medical News Today

What You Should Know About Working Out When Sore | Healthline

Sore Muscles? Don't Stop Exercising | WebMD

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