Less pain, more gain

If starting an exercise program or making the commitment to exercise more is part of your New Year's resolution, you may have found that you are experiencing muscle soreness and finding that you have muscles in places you didn't know you had. It is normal to have some aches and discomfort after starting an exercise program, introducing a new activity or increasing the intensity, but a good workout should leave you feeling good, even exhilarated, not fatigued or in pain.

Although soreness is most often associated with new exercisers, seasoned athletes are even at risk for muscle soreness. In addition to muscles that get sore, tendons, ligaments and bones can also experience stress and get sore. If these structures are stressed too fast, they may not be able to respond, and they can become damaged, resulting in pain.

Tendons connect muscle to bone, and they can become irritated or inflamed with too much stress. It can cause swelling and pain in a joint that can also negatively impact daily activities. Bones also experience stress and can become frail instead of stronger if they are overstressed. Without adequate care, the bones can fracture or break.

During exercise, tiny tears occur in the muscle, causing inflammation, which makes the muscles sore. According to the National Kidney Foundation, muscle soreness is a common side effect of the stress that is placed on the muscles while exercising. It usually sets in about six hours after activity and can last up to 48 hours. This type of soreness is called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. If the pain lasts more than 72 hours, then your activity was too much for your body.

Some soreness means that the muscle has been stressed, and that is expected. It is the extreme soreness, the kind that hurts when you move, is tender with touch, or prevents you from doing normal daily activities, which can cause muscle damage that may be irreversible. When the muscle is permanently damaged, proteins are released in the blood which can cause kidney failure. If you experience swollen muscles, muscle weakness or dark urine, seek medical attention immediately.

Having the "No pain, no gain" approach can actually set you back rather than help you progress. Putting too much stress on the body too quickly or too often can prevent the body from rebuilding stronger, and you can actually become weaker. For that reason, rest days are necessary for allowing the body to recover and rebuild. Pay attention to your body. If you are in pain while you are exercising, stop. If you are in pain after exercising, continue daily activities and range of movement exercises to keep the blood flowing and prevent stiffness, but don't engage in exercise until the muscle pain has diminished.

Missy Corrigan is executive of community health for Sumter Family YMCA. She can be reached at mcorrigan@ymcasumter.org or (803) 773-1404.