Is it Muscle Soreness or Injury?

As seen in Women’s Health, Assistant Professor of Exercise Science Alexander Rothstein, Ed.D., helps readers understand when exercising on sore muscles is appropriate and when rest is necessary.

Rothstein contributes expert insight into distinguishing typical post-exercise soreness from potential injury. He explains that muscle soreness following a workout—often called delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)—is generally part of the body’s natural repair process after exercise challenges the muscles. Generally, low levels of soreness that can be relieved through movement during a warm-up suggest that exercisers can proceed with their usual fitness program, and soreness that resolves within a few days suggests normal muscle repair processes. To balance the intensity and stress placed on muscles during strength training, he also recommends following a workout split, or dividing weekly training into sessions that focus on different areas of the body in each session.

The article also appeared on the outlet’s United Kingdom site.