Why do my muscles hurt after exercise?

While many of us hit the gym or run to recover from a silly season, You may notice a little more muscle soreness. This is especially true if it’s been a while between workouts.

A common misconception is that this soreness is caused by a build-up of lactic acid in the muscles. however, Research shows that lactic acid does not have Nothing to do with this . The truth is more interesting, but also a bit more complicated.

We’ve known for decades that lactic acid has nothing to do with muscle soreness after exercise.

In fact, as one of us (Robert Andrew Roberges) has long argued, Cells produce lactate, not lactic acid. This process does not actually counteract acid build-up in the muscles and bloodstream.

unfortunately, Historical inertia means that people still use the term “lactic acid” in relation to exercise.

The muscles you use when you exercise don’t cause major problems due to lactate. I might be bad Because of the other benefits for working muscles without it.

Lactate is not the cause Exercise pain after a few days of weight gain or after a long break.

So if it is not lactic acid or lactate, Why do so many muscles ache?

When you exercise, many chemical reactions occur in the muscle cells. All of these chemical reactions accumulate products and by-products that introduce water into the cells.

It makes Increase pressure within and between muscle cells.

This pressure, combined with the movement of molecules in muscle cells, A nerve can stimulate an end and a cause Inconvenience during exercise.

The list of reasons for the pain and discomfort you experience after an unfamiliar type or amount of exercise varies.

If you exercise outside your normal level or routine, it can cause microscopic damage. Their connections with your muscles and tendons. Such damage causes the release of ions and other molecules from the muscles, causing local swelling and stimulation of nerve endings.

This is sometimes referred to as “delayed onset muscle soreness” or DOMS.

When damaged during exercise, The resulting response to injury develops over the next one to two days (longer if damage is severe). Sometimes this can cause pain and difficulty with normal movements.

The research is clear: The discomfort caused by delayed onset muscle soreness has nothing to do with it lactate either lactic acid .

However, the good news is that your muscles quickly adapt to the activity that initially caused delayed-onset muscle soreness.

So, assuming you don’t wait too long (more than about two weeks) before getting active again, the next time you do the same activity there will be much less damage and discomfort.

If you have an exercise goal (such as going on a special hike or completing a half marathon), Make sure it is realistic and you can achieve it by training for several months.

This type of training will gradually develop the muscle adaptations necessary to prevent muscle soreness. And the less you lose from exercise, the more enjoyable and easier it is to stick to a routine or habit.

Finally, remove “lactic acid” from your exercise vocabulary. Its supposed role in muscle pain is a myth that has existed for a very long time.

*Robert Andrew RobergsAssociate Professor – Exercise Physiology, Queensland University of Technology

**Samuel L. TorrancePhD candidate, Queensland University of Technology