Injury every time I excersize?

ashleebussey
ashleebussey Posts: 4 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
So whenever I excersize, whether it's a long walk, an actual workout or gardening I end up with severely sore muscles, I know it's normal for them to be a little bit sore if you've over done it but this is like next level, can barely move for a good week after, just touching the areas in question hurts. It's really frustrating because I feel like when I can only excersize once a week what's the bloody point? Should I be trying to push through the pain and excersize anyway?

Replies

  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    Why don't you try a little stretching? Do some mild stretching and then go for a short walk. If that goes OK do it again the next day and walk a little farther. Up your exercise by increments.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    What can you do without soreness?
  • tbilly20
    tbilly20 Posts: 154 Member
    If you do something infrequently, the soreness is inevitable. I believe that you can minimize some of length of time you are sore by drinking lots of water and eating proteins afterwards. Your muscles are rebuilding, and giving them the pieces to the puzzle is a big help.

    After taking sufficient rest, a day or two if lifting weight, go at it again! A little soreness is ok to fight through. I really enjoy giving any exercise a day’s break before hitting it again. I have ridden a bike for months without a break, and it beats you up, physically and mentally. Now older, with injuries as well, I like the balance and variety in my routine. I add strength training between cardio days so I can rest one while I work the other.
  • jtechmart
    jtechmart Posts: 67 Member
    Where are you having pain? I know this may sound strange, but you can actually injure yourself by doing regular household things. Many people just don't realize it until you get active and then you see that your knees or something else doesn't seem right. You think it's the exercise, but it could be from injuries that were already there.

    As I've gotten older I can get injuries from sitting in a desk chair. I had upper back soreness from leaning to one side in a chair, and knee pain from crossing my feet under my desk. Just throwing it out there, its not always the exercises that do this. Sometimes they just shine a light on injuries that could be caused by other things.
  • Speakeasy76
    Speakeasy76 Posts: 961 Member
    edited March 2021
    jtechmart wrote: »
    Where are you having pain? I know this may sound strange, but you can actually injure yourself by doing regular household things. Many people just don't realize it until you get active and then you see that your knees or something else doesn't seem right. You think it's the exercise, but it could be from injuries that were already there.

    As I've gotten older I can get injuries from sitting in a desk chair. I had upper back soreness from leaning to one side in a chair, and knee pain from crossing my feet under my desk. Just throwing it out there, its not always the exercises that do this. Sometimes they just shine a light on injuries that could be caused by other things.

    This is definitely true, especially if someone is already showing signs of arthritis (me at 44-yay!).

    I am very physically active (honestly probably a bit too much), but sleeping wrong can cause me problems. In fact, that's why my shoulder/neck has been bothering me more than normal. I've actually pulled a muscle getting out of bed before, too.

    You should never push through actual pain, but I don't think it's generally a good idea to completely rest, either and not do anything. I would maybe shorten the length of your walks and go every other day to start? I agree that stretching AFTER the workout (not before, as muscles should be warm when stretching) may help a bit with recovery.

    Epsom salt baths can help with muscle aches and pains, as well as ointments like Biofreeze or Arnica gel.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    ashleebussey wrote: »
    So whenever I excersize, whether it's a long walk, an actual workout or gardening I end up with severely sore muscles, I know it's normal for them to be a little bit sore if you've over done it but this is like next level, can barely move for a good week after, just touching the areas in question hurts. It's really frustrating because I feel like when I can only excersize once a week what's the bloody point? Should I be trying to push through the pain and excersize anyway?

    If you only exercise once per week, you're pretty much going to be in a perpetual state of DOMs. You need to start smaller with things you can do...if a long walk results in being overly sore, go for a shorter walk. Fitness is something that is built up over time. Soreness is completely normal when you're starting, so you want to start slow and build up with rest days in between exercise days. To some extent, yes...you do/can exercise through the pain as doing so will get the blood flowing and aid in recovery...you just don't want to overdo it at the same time. Many people just try to do too much too soon...start easy enough that you can do something every other day...you might still be a little sore, but it should be something you can work through...if it's unbearable soreness, you're trying to do too much.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    Take shorter walks, shorter less intense workouts, and take breaks while gardening. Once you can do this 3x without too much soreness or pain, gradually increase about 5 min a week. Despite your enthusiastic spirit, it sounds like your body needs time to catch up with your mind.
  • xxzenabxx
    xxzenabxx Posts: 935 Member
    ashleebussey wrote: »
    So whenever I excersize, whether it's a long walk, an actual workout or gardening I end up with severely sore muscles, I know it's normal for them to be a little bit sore if you've over done it but this is like next level, can barely move for a good week after, just touching the areas in question hurts. It's really frustrating because I feel like when I can only excersize once a week what's the bloody point? Should I be trying to push through the pain and excersize anyway?

    Listen to the above advice- you’re doing way too much for an unconditioned body. Go for short walks and slowly build it from there. Also eat enough protein and drink enough water.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    ashleebussey wrote: »
    So whenever I excersize, whether it's a long walk, an actual workout or gardening I end up with severely sore muscles, I know it's normal for them to be a little bit sore if you've over done it but this is like next level, can barely move for a good week after, just touching the areas in question hurts. It's really frustrating because I feel like when I can only excersize once a week what's the bloody point? Should I be trying to push through the pain and excersize anyway?

    Oh yeah, every Spring when gardening season gets going I overdue it and get such sore hamstrings! My fault for overdoing it, and not doing enough for my hamstrings on the off season.

    For hamstring pain, I foam roll and CAN work through it.

    I recommend NEVER working through KNEE pain.

    Like others have said, start smaller and do it more often.
  • ALZ14
    ALZ14 Posts: 202 Member
    Last May I was just shy of 200 pounds (and I’m only 5 ft 3) and started walking to help me lose weight. I had a new Apple Watch and it took me several weeks before I could walk 30 minutes straight at a moderate pace without my legs being tight and sore. My first few weeks I was lucky to walk at a 18 minute pace. I was mortified at how out of shape I was and felt like I was a candidate for My 600 Pound Life.

    But I started doing shorter walks several times a day with the goal of getting at least 30 minutes of exercise (as determined by my watch). Then I could finally do 30 minutes without pain, I started going a little longer, then a little faster. By late fall I was doing 3-4 miles easily at a 16 minute/mile pace. I could do it pushing a double stroller and 50 pounds of kids at a slightly slower pace.

    If you are seriously sore for DAYS after a walk, then you need to walk slower and a shorter distance EVERY DAY (or at least most days) until that is comfortable. Then slowly increase distance and speed. You gain nothing but frustration by doing too much and then not being able to do anything else for a week.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    I don't want to minimize what you're going through, but having sore muscles after exercising isn't an injury. I saw the title and thought someone was throwing their back out, getting shin splints, getting tendonitis from repetitive stress.

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