The soreness you feel one to three days after a new or harder-than-usual workout is called delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), and it's a normal response to muscles working in ways they aren't used to, not a sign of damage. According to an NHS Foundation Trust patient guide, it's common to experience this kind of soreness for up to a week when starting or changing an exercise routine, and it's actually a positive sign that your muscles are being challenged enough to adapt and get stronger over time (Source: Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Exercise and your health leaflet).
Who this is for
You've trained hard, tried something new, or come back to exercise after time off, and now you're sore and unsure whether pushing through with another session will help or make things worse.
What's actually happening
DOMS is thought to result from small-scale damage to muscle fibres, known as microtrauma, caused mainly by eccentric movements, the lengthening phase of a muscle contraction, such as the downward part of a squat or the lowering phase of a bicep curl. This triggers a repair and inflammation response, which is what produces the ache, tightness and tenderness you feel, typically peaking between 24 and 72 hours after exercise and easing within about a week (Source: peer-reviewed research summarised via Wikipedia, Delayed onset muscle soreness).
This soreness reduces over time as your muscles adapt to a particular type of movement, which is part of why the first session of a new activity is often the most uncomfortable one.
Should you train again while sore?
For most people, yes, provided the soreness is the dull, widespread kind rather than sharp or localised to a joint. NHS guidance on progressing strengthening exercises notes that 48 hours of rest between sessions targeting the same muscle group is a reasonable general approach, but this doesn't mean total inactivity, and working a different muscle group the next day is generally considered safe (Source: NHS Lothian, A guide to progressing your strengthening exercises).
Gentle movement, such as walking, light cycling, swimming or an easier version of your usual activity, is a reasonable way to work around soreness rather than needing to stop entirely. What's generally not advisable is repeating the same high-intensity session that caused the soreness before your muscles have had a chance to begin recovering.
When it's not just soreness
DOMS is a general, dull ache that builds gradually and affects the muscles you actually used. It should be distinguishable from a sharp, sudden or localised pain, which is more likely to indicate an injury such as a strain, and from swelling, bruising or pain that keeps getting worse rather than easing over several days, which are reasons to stop and seek advice rather than train through (Source: NHS inform, How to reduce your risk of injury from exercise or physical activity).
If soreness is accompanied by significant swelling, or if pain and stiffness aren't following the pattern of gradually easing over a week, it's worth speaking to a GP or physiotherapist rather than assuming it's ordinary DOMS.
Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is a normal response to unfamiliar or harder-than-usual exercise, typically peaking 24 to 72 hours afterwards and easing within a week. Gentle movement or training a different muscle group is generally fine while sore, and NHS guidance suggests around 48 hours of rest between sessions targeting the same muscle group specifically.
Sharp, localised pain, significant swelling, or soreness that worsens rather than eases over several days are signals to stop and seek advice rather than train through.
Questions people often ask
Usually, yes, provided the soreness is a dull, general ache rather than sharp or localised pain. Gentle movement or working a different muscle group is generally fine. NHS guidance suggests around 48 hours of rest before repeating the same muscle group with strength training specifically.
Delayed onset muscle soreness typically peaks 24 to 72 hours after exercise and usually eases within about a week. It tends to reduce with repeated exposure to the same type of activity as your muscles adapt.
DOMS is a dull, widespread ache that builds gradually over a day or two and affects the muscles you actually used. Sharp, sudden or localised pain, significant swelling, or symptoms that worsen rather than ease over several days are more likely to indicate an injury and are worth having checked.
Current evidence doesn't support stretching before or after exercise as an effective way to prevent DOMS. Gradually increasing exercise intensity over time is a more effective approach to reducing how severe soreness becomes.
This article is for general information only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you are concerned about a specific symptom, please see a GP or other qualified healthcare provider.