Published on: 4/28/2025
After a workout, your muscles may feel sore or tired because they’re repairing themselves, and your body is slowly returning to normal. Gentle stretches, hydration, and rest can help you feel better.
When you exercise, your muscles work a lot harder than usual. This hard work can leave tiny tears in the muscle fibers, which is completely normal. These little tears are part of how your muscles grow stronger, but they can make your body feel sore a day or two later. This feeling is called delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Also, when you work out, your heart pumps more blood to help deliver oxygen and nutrients to your muscles. After your workout, your heart rate and blood flow gradually go back to normal, and during this cool-down period, you might feel a bit strange. To help your body recover, try stretching gently after exercising. Drinking water and getting enough rest can also help your muscles heal and reduce that odd, sore feeling. If your muscles hurt a lot or you feel unwell for a long time, it's important to talk to a healthcare provider to check if everything is okay.
(References)
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Andersen JC. Stretching before and after exercise: effect on muscle soreness and injury risk. J Athl Train. 2005 Jul-Sep;40(3):218-20. PMID: 16284645; PMCID: PMC1250267.
Romero SA, Minson CT, Halliwill JR. The cardiovascular system after exercise. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2017 Apr 1;122(4):925-932. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00802.2016. Epub 2017 Feb 2. PMID: 28153943; PMCID: PMC5407206.
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