You hit the gym, crushed your workout, and now your muscles are so sore that even getting out of bed feels like a challenge. Why does this happen, and is it a good or bad thing? Let’s break it down.

Why Do Your Muscles Get Sore?

That stiff, achy feeling after a workout is called delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). It usually starts 12 to 24 hours after exercise and can last for a few days.

Soreness happens when you push your muscles harder than usual, whether that’s by lifting heavier weights, doing more reps, or trying a new workout. This creates tiny tears in your muscle fibers. Your body then repairs these tears, making your muscles stronger - but the process causes soreness (Hooi, 2023).

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Some workouts make you sore for just a day, while others leave you aching for nearly a week. Here’s why soreness sometimes sticks around:

• New or intense workouts - If your body isn’t used to a certain exercise, it needs more time to adjust.
• Slow, controlled movements - Exercises like lowering into a squat or doing slow push-ups cause more muscle damage, leading to extra soreness.
• Not enough recovery - If you don’t get enough sleep, water, or healthy food, your body takes longer to heal.

Is Muscle Soreness a Bad Thing?

Feeling sore isn’t always a bad thing - it just means your muscles are working and adapting (Oison, 2023). But if soreness is too intense or lasts too long, it could mean you pushed yourself too hard.

Normal soreness:

• Lasts 1 to 3 days
• Feels better with movement
• Doesn’t stop you from doing daily activities

Excessive soreness:

• Lasts more than 5 days
• Comes with swelling or bruising
• Makes it hard to move or function

If you’re so sore that you can’t walk properly or use your arms, you might need more recovery time.

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How to Reduce Soreness Faster

If your muscles are still aching after a few days, try these tips to speed up recovery:

• Keep moving - Light activity (like walking or stretching) helps loosen up stiff muscles and improves blood flow.
• Drink more water - Staying hydrated flushes out waste products from your muscles and helps prevent cramps.
• Try heat or ice - Ice reduces swelling, while heat relaxes tight muscles. Try alternating both for relief.

What to Avoid When You’re Sore

Some things can actually make soreness worse, so try to avoid these mistakes:

• Skipping recovery workouts - Sitting still all day can make you even stiffer. Try gentle movement instead.
• Not eating enough protein - Your muscles need fuel to recover. Skipping protein slows down healing.
• Jumping into another hard workout too soon - If your muscles haven’t recovered yet, you risk getting injured.

The Bottom Line

Being sore for a couple of days after a workout is normal, but soreness that lasts too long might mean you need more rest or better recovery habits. The best way to prevent soreness from lasting too long is to ease into new workouts, stay hydrated, eat well, and take care of your muscles with stretching and foam rolling (Cirino, 2025).

So, next time you’re struggling to walk after leg day, just remember—soreness means you’re getting stronger!