Athletes and keep-fit-fanatics frequently experience joint and muscle pain. People often worry if it’s safe to exercise with aching muscles and would like to learn how to push through the discomfort of exercise.
However, joint, tendon, muscle, and soft tissue discomfort are not always caused by sports or other strenuous physical activities. Chronic illness, injuries like fractures, sprains, bursitis, arthritis, fibromyalgia, and other traumatic disorders are all major causes of physical discomfort.
You have to understand what normal exercise pain is and how different it feels from overexerted muscles. This way, it will be easier for you to deduct if you’re already experiencing chronic pain and need medical attention. Read the following paragraphs to find out more.
Learn to Differentiate Good and Bad Exercise Pain
There’s no one solution to all uncomfortable exercise-related conditions. However, you should learn to discriminate between good and bad pain in general. For instance, microtrauma (microtears in the muscles) causes significant pain in athletes, which needs immediate attention.
Muscles rip up as a result of the tension of exercise, which is known as muscle burn. Muscle burn is beneficial in some ways as it is the reason that athletes’ physical limitations improve. This is how muscles are conditioned to work at a higher level.
Delayed-onset muscular soreness (DOMS) is pain that occurs after exercise, manifesting through pain in moving limbs or specific muscle groups. Stretching and modest cardio activities like swimming or cycling are effective techniques to deal with DOMS and preserve stamina.
Depending on your fitness level, age, and the activity you engage in, the good pain you’re experiencing along with post-exercise weariness should leave your body between three to seven days. However, pain and exhaustion that last longer than that and produce a general decline in your health should be monitored. This type of discomfort will interfere with the production of good hormones and enzymes on your next workout.
Many athletes overtrain in order to improve their performance and end up in excruciating discomfort. Take note, pain that persists for more than 24 to 48 hours following a workout should cause alarm and might require medical assistance.
Understand What Overexertion Does to Your Body
Muscles, joints, tendons, and cartilage that have been overextended can sustain permanent damage and result in decreased performance over time. Muscles can swell and hurt when touched, and they can release harmful proteins that harm the kidney. When bones are exposed to repetitive activity in one place, they strengthen; if they are overtrained, they weaken and become prone to fractures. Tendonitis and other overuse injuries are caused by tendons becoming inflamed.
Joints suffer from overexertion due to all the pressure on muscles, bones, and cartilage. They are powerful, but they have limits. Working with heavyweights, jumping too hard on hard surfaces, or suddenly overexerting your body in any other way might injure your joints and cause long-term harm. A pain relief massage can help bring your body back to tip-top condition.
Be Considerate to Your Body During Exercise
Is it really wise to push through muscle soreness? You should have enough rest to allow your body to heal and get rid of the negative stress that has built up. As you get older, it’s advised that you spend more time resting and less time exercising. Generally, unless it’s a regular muscle burn, you shouldn’t do anything painful.
Any pain that lasts longer than usual after training should be taken seriously, and localised pain should be treated right away. Physical activity should leave you feeling rejuvenated and energised, so overall weakness is not a good sign.
Because they are not competing, recreational athletes find it easier to follow this advice. However, professionals are more likely to overextend themselves, resulting in injury. Thankfully, most athletes grow to know their bodies better as they work out more, and they should be able to identify if something is wrong before it gets out of hand.
Conclusion
It’s important to distinguish between muscle burn or DOMS and overexertion so that you can take the necessary action immediately. Your physiotherapist is the ideal person to guide you through pain management using an exercise plan, treating an injury or disease of the bones, muscles, or tendons.
If you’re looking for a reputable physiotherapy clinic in Bondi Beach, you’re in good hands with Invigor Health. We provide physiotherapy that fixes your pain and future-proofs your body. Consult with us today!