Muscle Soreness After a Workout? How to Recover Faster and Keep Training Strong
Sore muscles after the gym? Discover why post-workout muscle soreness happens, how to speed recovery, and the best tools — including massage guns — to get you moving again.
What Is Post-Workout Muscle Soreness?
If you’ve ever crushed a workout only to wake up the next day feeling like you’ve been hit by a bus, you’ve experienced DOMS — Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (Healthline).
DOMS is the muscle pain and stiffness that typically shows up 12–24 hours after exercise and can last for up to 72 hours. It happens when your muscles are challenged in new ways — whether that’s lifting heavier weights, trying new movements, or increasing workout intensity.
During training, tiny microtears form in your muscle fibers. As your body repairs them, the muscle gets stronger — but the healing process triggers inflammation, causing that familiar sore, tight feeling (Mayo Clinic).
Why Does Muscle Soreness Happen?
1. Eccentric Movements
Exercises where muscles lengthen under tension (like lowering into a squat or doing a slow bicep curl) cause more microtears and, therefore, more soreness (ACE Fitness).
2. Increased Training Volume
Adding extra sets, reps, or weight too quickly challenges muscles beyond their current capacity.
3. New Exercises
When you use muscles differently — even with bodyweight exercises — they react as if they’re starting from scratch.
How Long Does It Last?
For most people, DOMS peaks within 48 hours and gradually fades. While it’s a normal part of training adaptation, it shouldn’t be so severe that it affects your daily life or leads to skipped workouts.
When to Be Concerned
If your soreness is sharp, localized to a joint, or accompanied by swelling, extreme weakness, or dark urine, it may be a sign of injury or a more serious condition like rhabdomyolysis (Cleveland Clinic). In that case, seek medical attention.
Best Ways to Relieve Post-Workout Muscle Soreness
1. Active Recovery
Light movement increases blood flow to muscles, helping remove waste products and deliver nutrients. Try:
-
Walking
-
Swimming
-
Gentle cycling
-
Yoga or mobility work
2. Stay Hydrated
Dehydration slows muscle repair (NHS). Aim for 2–3 liters of water daily, and consider electrolyte-rich drinks if you’ve sweated heavily.
3. Fuel Your Body Right
Protein is essential for muscle repair — aim for 20–30g within a few hours of training (Men’s Health). Carbs help replenish glycogen stores, and healthy fats support overall recovery.
4. Stretch & Mobilise
Dynamic stretches before workouts and static stretches after help maintain flexibility and reduce stiffness (Harvard Health).
5. Prioritise Sleep
Muscle growth and repair happen during deep sleep. Get 7–9 hours per night for optimal recovery (Sleep Foundation).
Massage and Muscle Recovery
Massage is one of the most effective ways to relieve muscle tightness and improve recovery. It works by:
-
Increasing circulation
-
Reducing inflammation
-
Loosening tight fascia and muscle knots
The only drawback? Regular sports massages are expensive and require booking time you might not have.
The Benefits of Using a Massage Gun After Workouts
A massage gun provides percussive therapy, delivering rapid bursts of pressure deep into muscle tissue (Verywell Fit).
Benefits include:
-
Quick relief from soreness — just a few minutes per muscle group.
-
Improved blood flow for faster healing.
-
Better flexibility and reduced stiffness.
-
Convenience — use it anytime, anywhere.
For anyone training regularly, a massage gun can be a game-changer — it’s like having a sports therapist on call 24/7.
How to Use a Massage Gun for DOMS
-
Select the appropriate attachment (round head for large muscles, bullet head for knots).
-
Glide slowly over sore muscles for 1–2 minutes.
-
Avoid staying on one spot too long — keep it moving.
-
Use on rest days or before workouts to warm up muscles.
Final Word: Train Hard, Recover Smart
Muscle soreness is part of progress — but smarter recovery means less downtime and better results. By combining active recovery, hydration, good nutrition, sleep, and targeted massage, you can bounce back faster and keep making gains.
💡 Want to speed up your recovery?
Our Health and Harmony Lifestyle massage gun is designed for deep, effective muscle relief without the high cost of regular therapy sessions. Check it out now in our store — link in bio under Fitness Tools.