Stop aches and pains after EXERCISE

Don’t let sore muscles slow you down if you’re new to working out

Starting a new exercise regime that your body isn’t accustomed to can result in tired muscles. However, an effective recovery regime will ease any soreness so you’re ready and raring to go by the time your next session arrives. It also means checking in with any niggling aches and pains and, if they feel aggravated, swapping a more intense session for some gentle movement to avoid potential injury. So, if you’ve just picked up a new sporty hobby or workout routine, here’s what our experts swear by. 

Why we get sore

Any muscle soreness you feel 24 to 72 hours after exercise is called delayed onset muscle soreness, or DOMS. These aches don’t happen after every workout – only when you do new or intense exercise. And it happens to everyone, from beginners to professional athletes. ‘It isn’t an indication that you’ve done something wrong,’ says sports medicine physician Dr Michael Jonesco. ‘It just shows that you’ve stretched your body to the point that you’ve caused muscle changes.’

Those changes begin during exercise. Muscle contractions cause microscopic tears along the muscle and connective tissues. The pain you feel is the muscle repairing itself.

Keep moving