Working out and pushing your body to new limits while training has countless benefits, from newfound strength, confidence, and discipline, to simply feeling your best. From time to time, these positive side effects can accompany others, like soreness, or even discomfort that leads to pain. Understanding the difference between pain and soreness will allow you to take care of your long-term health and stay on track with strength training and fitness goals. Learning to pay attention to sensations and treating them with proper care right away will help you feel better, longer.
So, what is the difference between soreness and pain? The main difference is time — with additional nuances to consider. Normal muscle soreness will typically show up a day or two after your workout, while pain from injury has a sudden onset. While some soreness can be part of a standard workout recovery, other types may signal a deeper issue, such as an injury. Read on to learn more about the difference and how to manage each, so you can keep making progress in the gym with optional support, like an Anytime Fitness Coach or physical therapy specialist.
How can you identify the difference between pain and soreness with muscles?
When a sense of discomfort arises during or after a workout, it can be tricky to know whether it’s part of standard recovery, or if an injury could be the cause. As you think about how to differentiate between pain and soreness, consider these three questions.
- Is there an underlying cause? We wish it wasn’t so, but our bodies are built to experience physical pain as a protective measure. When we have an injury or broken bones, cuts or burns, or when there are special conditions (think: surgery, dental work, burns or cuts), it hurts. Sometimes the aftermath of sudden, or acute, pain can linger, so reflecting on these (and other) health issues is a great first step when differentiating between soreness and pain and determining whether it’s related to your workout.
- Which body part are affected? While it can be tricky to sense exactly which body parts are affected, understanding the concept of “musculoskeletal pain” is a great place to start. This type of pain includes bones, joints, ligaments, skeletal muscles, and tendons. This is a commonly experienced condition, with a range of physical symptoms depending on where in your body you feel something. A physical therapy specialist can offer you even more in-depth insights that are unique to you.
- Are you experiencing acute or chronic pain? If you’ve dealt with a type of pain for six months or longer, it’s typically defined as chronic pain. Chronic pain is usually monitored over time, whereas acute, or sudden, pain indicates a potential injury, and that something may need to be addressed right away, or in physical therapy. If the pain doesn’t resolve or affects your daily routine, you may need to consult a doctor or attend physical therapy. Talk to a Coach at your Anytime Fitness about the availability of physical therapy onsite or nearby.
What does a sore muscle feel like?
Mild muscle soreness isn’t always a bad thing; it can indicate that the body is recovering from a challenging and effective workout. However, there are different types of muscle soreness and sensations, and it’s important to pay close attention to your body to make sure it’s not something more serious, like a potential injury.
What are the signs of muscle soreness?
If you’re experiencing muscle soreness, there’s a good chance you’ll start to notice it in the day (or days) following your workout. This is known as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). It can show up as pain with stretching, muscle fatigue, stiffness, and less mobility, or as muscles that feel sensitive or tender with contact. DOMS is the result of very small tears in the body’s muscle fibers and tissues. Tearing is normal if you’re strength training, working out more intensely than usual, or trying a new workout.
What does a sore muscle look like in the body?
Muscle fatigue often starts in one specific area, based on the type of physical activity that preceded it. While you can’t see what muscle soreness looks like, it impacts parts of the body like fascia, which are delicate tissues that bind muscles to other body parts like organs and bones.
How to relieve sore muscles
- Gentle movement: If your muscles are feeling strained, slightly tight, and less flexible than usual, it can help to try safe low-intensity movements. Rather than sitting still all day (which may increase the tightness you’re feeling), easeful stretching, restorative yoga exercises, or a slow-paced walk can prevent the soreness from intensifying. This will also keep you in the routine of moving your body, even if you’re not able to push yourself to full capacity.
- Professional or self massage: If you’re able to schedule a massage promptly after the onset of muscle soreness (ideally about 48 hours after you notice it), this can have benefits and help lessen the discomfort. Otherwise, gently massaging the sore muscle area on your own can also help. Softly knead, squeeze, or even simply hold the body part that’s sore. Attending physical therapy for maintenance and prevention can offer you similar techniques for support.
- Rest and self-care: Taking time each day or week to relax and care for yourself is always important, especially when your body is speaking up about soreness and needs relief. Rest time allows the body and mind to feel safe, creating an atmosphere for it to take care of itself with nothing else to attend to. Whether you choose to go to bed early, or take a hot bath while listening to calming music, you’re letting your body know that it can slow down and recover.
What does muscle pain feel like?
Muscle pain is typically more intense than muscle soreness, or DOMS. If you’re asking yourself, “What does muscle pain feel like?” here are three critical things to understand about timing, treatment, and self-care for pain or injury.
- The signs of muscle pain: While muscle soreness will make itself known following a workout, muscle pain can appear suddenly. If you quickly notice an irregular, unpleasant sensation of burning, tightness, or general discomfort, that’s a signal from your body to pay close attention. If the pain is intense and persistent, the best course of action is to seek immediate help or go to physical therapy.
- When to stop training to avoid further damage: Muscle pain that falls outside of regular muscle soreness is known as myalgia. This type of condition may require sitting out from the gym for a period of time, or talking with a professional about the right course of action for your body’s needs. If you’re noticing symptoms like extreme pain, swelling, or discoloration around the muscle, or you aren’t sure why the pain started, it’s best to meet with a physician.
- Additional ways to take care of muscle pain: Practicing general healthy habits, like drinking plenty of water and eating nutritious meals, is an important foundation to maintain or add when dealing with muscle pain. Icing the area for 20 minutes or less while you have down-time can also help.
How long does muscle pain last?
Muscle pain can vary in how long it lasts, and at times it might persist, or go away and then come back. Here are three things to know.
- What to know about muscle pain that goes away on its own: Mild to moderate muscle pain will often go away on its own within a few days, without a medical consultation.
- How to address muscle pain that doesn’t improve or go away: If muscle pain doesn’t go away within a few days, it’s best to seek a doctor, who can evaluate your symptoms and guide your next steps toward healing and recovery. If seven days have gone by and you’re still feeling the pain, or the pain dissipates but then returns, you’ll know it’s time to get some support from a doctor or physical therapy specialist.
- How to manage your needs and avoid making pain worse: If your muscle pain is minor, and you’re comfortable continuing to work out, decreasing the intensity of your regular routine can help your body meet its needs without overdoing things. If you typically exercise a certain muscle group, consider targeting another area while that muscle group heals. You may also choose to use a compression band for further support during this time, as the muscle pain begins to improve.
Being proactive and adopting a holistic approach to health that considers nutrition, sleep, hydration, and other practices to support your well-being will help you stay strong and pursue your fitness goals. As a preventative way to avoid muscle soreness and pain, make sure you’re also integrating a warm-up, cooldown, and proper recovery techniques into your gym routine. These can be simple and don’t need to take lots of time — the key is to be consistent with a ritual that works for you.
More wellness resources
Get support today — meet with an Anytime Fitness Coach for expert insight, along with encouragement and accountability throughout your strength journey. Access your free pass here.
