HEALTH

 

You know those mornings when you wake up tense and sore all over from yesterday’s workout? Do you ever wonder how much of that is normal and healthy, and how much is actually indicative of serious injury? Well, you should, because it’s important to listen to your body and what it’s telling you. And it’s a lot easier to listen to your body when you know how to recognize certain physical signs and feelings.

So here’s the deal...the answer to this question totally depends on a number of different factors, like level of pain, how widespread the pain is and workout technique. Generally, if you wake up in the morning and your upper body is slightly sore, that means you’re experiencing muscle fever, or delayed onset muscle soreness (aka DOMS).

Confused? DOMS is just a more scientific way of saying that at least 8 hours after the workout, you’re able to feel the effects on your body . And that’s usually a good thing! It can mean that your muscles are growing larger and stronger, and that you’re exercising at a level with the right amount of challenge.

However, sometimes the pain is almost unbearably bad the next day, and that can be caused by many things. Dehydration, intense dancing and harsh massages are some external factors that can trigger DOMS, and definitely make it worse.

The best advice? Listen to your body while you’re working out. If something feels to strenuous for you, take a break—we know it’s tempting to rush your way up to the most challenging levels, but you’ll get there eventually anyway, as long as you stay active and keep doing what your body needs.

Do you have any questions about sore muscles or working out? We’d love to hear them in the comments below!

Photo credit: Instagram.

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by Maggie Medoff | 9/1/2017