Ever felt achy after working out? Maybe felt a pain in a muscle you were training? Unsure about what’s happening? Well worry no more. Check out this video to explain the difference between muscle fatigue, muscle strain and delayed onset muscle soreness.
Muscle Fatigue
Muscle fatigue is the burning feeling you get in your muscle whilst exercising it. It is the result of lactic acid build-up in your muscle. The sensation will disappear once you rest the muscle. This is nothing to worry about … it’s just a sign you are working outside your comfort zone. Keep going.
Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness
Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness … DOMS for short. This is the achy feeling you get the day after a tough workout. This can be uncomfortable, but many enjoy this feeling as it serves as a reminder of a good, hard workout. DOMS occurs when you work a muscle hard and it develops microscopic tears in its fibres. The muscle will mend in a couple of days and become stronger than ever, so not to worry.
Muscle Strain
Muscle strain occurs when a muscle is put under too much tension – either too much load or a load applied too quickly. The muscle itself could tear or rip, or the tendon connecting the muscle to the bone could be stressed and become inflamed. You will feel this pain during or immediately after exercise, and the pain will continue until it heals. If you think you have a strained muscle, you should contact a healthcare professional immediately.
Muscle fatigue is quite common when you initially start any exercise. Sometimes walking can cause muscle fatigue too.