Working out when sore: Tips, benefits, and risks

Some people may also experience delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), which occurs in the days after exercise.DOMS is typically the result of microdamage to muscles. In this article, we look at what causes muscle soreness during and after exercise and ways to prevent DOMS.Many people feel sore 2–3 days after exercise. This provides a low-stress way to prepare muscle groups and joints for the workout ahead.Warming down after a workout may also help reduce DOMS symptoms and improve performance in future exercise.Sometimes, muscle soreness makes a particular activity difficult or painful. Following this, its ability to aid recovery lessens.Learn more about active recovery here.A person’s overall diet may play an important role in muscular recovery.A 2019 review found that long-term consumption of foods high in antioxidants and certain supplements may help reduce the effects of exercise-induced muscle damage.The review highlighted the following foods:Researchers noted that supplements that may be able to reduce DOMS symptoms include:Acute caffeine supplementation may also help reduce DOMS.Using foam rollers between workouts may aid in muscle recovery and lessen symptoms of DOMS, according to a limited 2020 study.Similar to massage, foam rolling can promote blood flow to specific muscle groups and help reduce inflammation.A 10-minute partial-body immersion in 50°F (10°C) water may lessen DOMS, according to a 2019 study.