How to distinguish muscle pain from an injury

After a workout, unpleasant or painful sensations may occur in the body. This may signal muscle pain or an injury. Muscle pain is normal, as it occurs due to physical exertion. This is the condition we call muscle soreness. An injury, however, is critical. That’s why it’s important to differentiate between these two phenomena.

Signs of muscle pain

• It spreads throughout the body or to the muscle group that you worked during the workout;
• It lasts from 2 to 4 days;
• It doesn’t occur at rest and only appears during movement;
• It has moderate intensity;
• It is a dull type of pain.

Signs of pain from an injury

• It is localized in one place;
• It lasts more than a week;
• It is felt at rest and intensifies during movement;
• It has a burning, sharp, and acute type of pain;
• You can injure not only muscles but also joints or ligaments, so, for example, pain in the knee signals an injury.

If you have muscle pain (muscle soreness), you can get a massage or take a warm bath. It’s important not to overload the muscle group where the pain occurred. In case of an injury, consult a doctor.