Managing Sore Muscles and Joint Pain

You work hard all week, so when the weekend finally rolls around you want to play just as hard. There's nothing like a few rounds of golf, a hike in the mountains, or an intense workout at the gym to reinvigorate you.

But all of that activity can result in soreness and stiffness that shows up a day or two later. Don’t be sidelined by muscle pain. Find out the causes and proper treatments so you can stay on your game.

What's Causing My Sore Muscles?

It's normal to have sore muscles after you work out, play sports, or even do housework, especially if:

• You did an activity you're not used to (like running a marathon when you normally jog just a few miles).
• You suddenly kicked up your exercise intensity level or increased the length of your workout.
• You did eccentric exercises, in which you lengthened instead of shortened your muscle (like walking downhill or extending your arm during a bicep curl).

 

These changes to your exercise routine can lead to tiny injuries called microdamage in the muscle fibers and connective tissue. About a day later, you'll start to feel sore.

"We call that delayed onset muscle soreness," says Seyi Olusore, MD/CEO Shedams fitness clinic "It peaks within about 48 hours, and then it will gradually get better."

The good news is that when you do the same activity again, your muscles will start to get used to it.