Sore muscles? Sports medicine physician tells you when to keep moving and when to stop

Exercise tips: Light stretching or low-intensity exercise helps maintain mobility and prevents deconditioning, as even short periods of inactivity can lead to muscle weakening—especially in athletes (Image: Pexels)

Do you often wonder if you should exercise when your muscles are sore, or just rest and take the day off?

That ache in your arms or shoulders the day after a workout, especially if you’ve tried something new or intense, is totally normal. It’s called DOMS, or Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, and it often leaves you wondering if you should rest or continue to exercise.

Many people prefer a relaxing massage to ease the pain. But  a research in PubMed shows that doing simple, light exercise might actually do the trick just as well, and maybe even faster. Scientists studied 20 healthy women to find out whether massage or light exercise worked better for sore shoulder muscles.

Also read | Exercise tips to prevent sports injuries: How to spot, treat and prevent common workout accidents

Both treatments worked, but not for long. It turns out that both the massage and the light exercise helped reduce soreness. The biggest relief was felt right after the treatment, and the muscles were less sensitive to touch around 20 minutes later. But the effect didn’t last forever, it mostly wore off within an hour.

Dr Pradyumna Tembhekar, Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Physician, tells Moneycontrol that muscle soreness, especially after intense or new exercise, is usually a sign of microtears in the muscle fibres. “From a sports medicine perspective, complete rest is not always necessary. Gentle movement, stretching, or low-intensity exercise improves blood flow and reduces stiffness. It increases circulation and helps reduce  inflammation,” he says.

Also, without movement, joints and muscles can become stiff, increasing the risk of long-term issues like tightness or frozen joints. “Light stretching or low-intensity exercise helps maintain mobility and prevents deconditioning, as even short periods of inactivity can lead to muscle weakening—especially in athletes. This light activity supports healing while preserving overall function," the expert says.

But if there’s sharp pain, swelling, or trouble moving, that’s a sign to stop and get it checked.”

Also read | Sports injury specialist suggests 8 ways to keep your knees and shoulders safe while working out

7 things you should know about sore muscles and recovery

• Both massage and light workouts help. You don’t always need a massage therapist, gentle movement can be just as helpful.
• Shoulder shrugs with resistance bands are effective. They’re easy to do at home or even at your desk.
• Stay active and you’ll feel better soon. Most people feel less sore right after doing the activity.
• The pain relief is short-term. Expect the effect to fade within 60 minutes.
• A quick 10-minute session before a match or physical task can loosen up sore muscles. Ideal for pre-game or work.
• If you’re short on time and can’t book a massage, just grab a resistance band and get moving.
• Know your limits. Dr Tembhekar shares, “If the pain is strong, or something feels off, don’t push through it. That’s when rest or medical help is best.”