When you feel a muscle pain, what do you do?

[Sparkly]

I don't mean a sharp "OMG" one, I mean an ache as if you'd pulled or strained something, or, one that indicates exercising a muscle that hasn't been used that way in awhile. (Sometimes it's hard to tell the difference!)

I know the common advice is to rest it. The gym employees have said to rest a day between weight workouts (or if you're going each day, do upper body one day and lower body the next).

But the dancer advice is to "work through the pain." I've heard, "Whatever you did that hurt is the thing you need to do more of, so go right back and do it again."

The first day on one of those treadmill things, I think I pulled a muscle somehow in my left calf. (It's only on one side, and has lasted awhile, which tells me it isn't just sore from use.) But my bunhead thinking told me to ignore it and "work through the pain." It's still there, slightly less so, though.

What do you do when something hurts? How do you know when to rest it, and when to work it?

[MemphisTiger]

1. How did you hurt it? Was it strength training or

cardio? If you feel like you pulled a muscle, it's like a sore muscle with some burning. DO NOT try to work through it. It may seem hardcore to work through it but let it rest and add some heat treatment to help it heal and ibuprofin to aid. When it doesn't hurt anymore work it again, just take it easy until them. If the muscle is just sore, same advice minus the heat and ibuprofin. Whatever you do don't try to work through it unless you want more problems down the road.

Personally I work the same muscle group no more than twice per week usually once a week for strength training.

I hope this helps, take it easy and you'll be back on the treadmill in no time. If you go back to early you have a chance of reinjuring it and having a longer layoff.

[seemunkee]

2. Pain means take a break

muscle soreness you can work through and I find can sometimes help by loosening the muscle up. Pain usually means take it easy and do something else until it doesn't hurt anymore. Then you can go back and strength that muscle/area to prevent injury in the future.
If the pain persists see a doc.

[flvegan]

3. Depends.

Pain is feedback.

Pain results if you've hurt yourself.

Pain results if you've worked out well.

There's a difference between "ouch" and something like DOMS.

[wildeyed]

4. These days, usually rest it.

Back in the day I pushed myself hard to achieve athletic goals. Now I am just trying to stay healthy an reduce stress.

If it is just muscle soreness form a new activity, then to some extent that is to be expected. If it is a tweak, which it sounds like, I would stay off the machine for a while until it gets better.

[Shine]

5. I agree with seemunkee. Pain means take a break.

stretch, heat, ice, Advil, rest....

like that.


:hi: