In short:
- Muscle soreness 12–72 hours after training is normal and is known as DOMS, or delayed onset muscle soreness.
- Sharp, one-sided or joint pain after training is a warning sign that needs a doctor’s attention.
- Active recovery, enough sleep and fluid intake help you get over muscle soreness faster.
- Severe muscle soreness is not a required sign of a successful workout — increasing the training load gradually matters more.
Muscle soreness after training is one of the most common experiences among beginners and experienced athletes alike. Most of the time it’s the body’s natural response to training load — a sign that your muscles are adapting and getting stronger. Sometimes, though, muscle soreness can point to an injury that shouldn’t be ignored.
What causes muscle soreness after training?
The main cause of muscle soreness after training is so-called delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), which appears 12–72 hours after performing exercises (Cheung et al., 2003). DOMS occurs mainly with eccentric movements — for example lowering a barbell, running downhill or rising from a squat — when muscle fibers lengthen under load and sustain microdamage.
This microdamage triggers an inflammatory response in the body, which is an integral part of muscle recovery and growth (Hotfiel et al., 2018). So muscle soreness doesn’t mean you’ve injured yourself — on the contrary, it’s a sign that the training load was sufficient to provoke new adaptive responses.
It’s important to know that stronger pain doesn’t equal better training. Studies show that the intensity of muscle soreness is not a reliable indicator of muscle growth (Schoenfeld and Contreras, 2013).
When is muscle soreness normal?
Normal DOMS is:
- Moderate and symmetrical — both legs or arms ache equally
- A dull, tight feeling, not sharp stabbing or burning
- Appears 12–48 hours after training and usually subsides within 3–5 days
- Eases with a light warm-up — blood flow to the muscles relieves the discomfort
In beginners DOMS is usually stronger, because the body isn’t yet used to the new training load. When you perform the same exercise in later workouts, the pain decreases noticeably — this is called the adaptation effect (Schoenfeld and Contreras, 2013). So a pain-free workout doesn’t mean you trained badly.
If you’re just starting out with gym workouts, you may find useful reading in the article Why and how to work out at home, which explains how to get your body used to training load step by step.
When does muscle soreness become a warning sign?
Some types of pain need immediate attention. See a doctor or physiotherapist if:
- The pain is sharp and sudden — it appears during the workout, not hours later
- The pain is one-sided — only one leg, arm or shoulder hurts
- The pain is in a joint (knee, shoulder, wrist) — this points more to joint damage than to DOMS
- The pain doesn’t subside within 5–7 days or ease with rest
- There is swelling, redness or fever around the painful area
- Your urine turns brownish — this is a sign of rhabdomyolysis, where muscle cells break down dangerously fast
Rhabdomyolysis is a rare but serious condition that can be triggered by overly intense training without prior adaptation (ACSM, 2022). The World Health Organization recommends that adults get at least 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week, and it stresses increasing the training load gradually.
How to recover faster from muscle soreness?
Recovery is just as important a part of training as the training itself. Scientifically proven methods for easing DOMS:
Active recovery is one of the most effective approaches — a light walk, swimming or cycling increases blood flow to the muscles and speeds up the removal of metabolic by-products (Dupuy et al., 2018).
Sleep and rest are irreplaceable: growth hormone is secreted during deep sleep, which directly supports the repair and renewal of muscle tissue.
Fluid intake helps too — dehydration increases the perception of muscle soreness and slows recovery.
Nutrition: adequate protein intake (1.6–2.2 g/kg of body weight per day) is essential for muscle recovery (Jäger et al., 2017).
For more advice on complete recovery — including sleep, movement and how you feel — see the article How to feel fresh after a workout. The same goes for everyday routines: Fresh hair after a workout shows how to quickly pull yourself together even when time is short.
Does magnesium help ease muscle soreness?
Magnesium is a mineral involved in muscle contraction and relaxation, and it plays a role in energy production. During intense training the body loses magnesium through sweat. Studies show that magnesium deficiency is linked to more frequent muscle cramps and poorer recovery, and that adequate magnesium intake supports normal muscle function (Volpe, 2015).
Magnesium supplementation is a widely used recovery-support strategy among athletes. Better-absorbed forms include magnesium glycinate and magnesium citrate — these have better bioavailability than the cheaper oxide forms. Still, remember that supplements complement but do not replace a balanced diet or adequate sleep.
An athlete’s overall well-being involves much more than a single supplement or exercise. I don’t even want to be normal… is a reminder that being well in your body also means learning your limits and respecting them.
References
- Cheung K, Hume PA, Maxwell L. (2003). Delayed onset muscle soreness: treatment strategies and performance factors. Sports Med. 33(2):145–164. PMID: 12617692
- Hotfiel T, Freiwald J, Hoppe MW, et al. (2018). Advances in Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS): Part I: Pathogenesis and Diagnostics. Sportverletz Sportschaden. 32(4):243–250. PMID: 30169834
- Schoenfeld BJ, Contreras B. (2013). Is Postexercise Muscle Soreness a Valid Indicator of Muscular Adaptations? Strength Cond J. 35(5):16–21. DOI: 10.1519/SSC.0b013e3182a61820
- Dupuy O, Douzi W, Theurot D, et al. (2018). An Evidence-Based Approach for Choosing Post-exercise Recovery Techniques to Reduce Markers of Muscle Damage, Soreness, Fatigue, and Inflammation: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis. Front Physiol. 9:403. PMID: 29755363
- Jäger R, Kerksick CM, Campbell BI, et al. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 14:20. PMID: 28642676
- Volpe SL. (2015). Magnesium and the Athlete. Curr Sports Med Rep. 14(4):279–283. PMID: 26166051
- American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). (2022). ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription. 11th ed. Wolters Kluwer.
Frequently asked questions
How long does muscle soreness after a workout last?
Typical DOMS usually lasts 3–5 days. If the pain lasts longer than a week and doesn’t ease with rest, it may be an injury, in which case it’s worth seeing a doctor.
Is it fine to train when your muscles are sore?
Active recovery at a light training load — walking, swimming, yoga — is recommended and helps ease the soreness faster. A workout that places heavy demands on the same muscle group should be postponed until the soreness has subsided.
Does a lack of soreness mean the workout was poor?
No. The intensity of muscle soreness is not a reliable indicator of muscle growth or workout effectiveness. Experienced athletes often train hard without noticeable DOMS, because their muscles have adapted to the training load.
Does stretching before a workout prevent muscle soreness?
Research shows that static stretching before a workout does not significantly reduce DOMS. A dynamic warm-up before training, followed by light movement and stretching afterward, is more effective.
Does magnesium help you get over muscle soreness faster?
Magnesium supports normal muscle function and recovery, helping to reduce muscle cramps. Getting enough magnesium is important for the general well-being of anyone who trains, but it will not eliminate DOMS completely.
Come and train! ArtGym
