Why do my muscles hurt after exercising? Hint: It has nothing to do with lactic acid

While many of us hit the gym or run to recover from the bad season, You may notice a little more muscle pain. This is especially true if some time has passed between workouts.

A common misconception is that this pain is due to the accumulation of lactic acid in the muscles. However, Research shows that lactic acid does not nothing to do with that . The truth is much more interesting, but also a little more complex.

We have known for decades that lactic acid has no Nothing to do with muscle pain after exercise.

In fact, as one of us (Robert Andrew Robergs) said supported During a very long time , Cells produce lactate, not lactic acid. In reality, this process he’s against it to the accumulation of acid in the muscles and the bloodstream.

Unfortunately, Historical inertia means people still use the term “lactic acid” in relation to exercise.

lactate does not pose any major problems to the muscles you use when you exercise. I would probably worse without this due to other advantages for the work of the muscles.

Lactate is not the reason It hurts a few days after gaining weight or exercising after a long break.

So if it’s not lactic acid or lactate, What is the cause of all this muscle pain?

When you exercise, many chemical reactions occur in muscle cells. All of these chemical reactions accumulate products and by-products that cause water to enter cells.

Which does Increase pressure within and between muscle cells.

This pressure, combined with the movement of molecules in muscle cells, can stimulate nerve endings and cause inconvenience during exercise.

The pain and discomfort you sometimes feel hours or days after an unfamiliar type or amount of exercise has a different list of causes.

If you exercise beyond your usual level or routine, it can cause microscopic damage. to your muscles and their connections to the tendons. Such damage causes the muscles to release ions and other molecules, causing localized swelling and stimulation of nerve endings.

This is sometimes called “late onset muscle pain » or DOMS (its acronym in English).

Although damage occurs during exercise, the response to the resulting injury develops over the next two days (longer if the damage is significant). Sometimes this can cause pain and difficulty with normal movements.

The research is clear: The discomfort caused by late-onset muscle pain has nothing to do with lactate either Lactic acid .

However, the good news is that your muscles quickly adapt to activity that would initially cause late-onset muscle soreness.

So, assuming you don’t wait too long (more than about two weeks) before being active again, the next time you do the same activity there will be much less damage and discomfort.

If you have an exercise goal (like taking a particular hike or completing a half marathon), Make sure it is realistic and that you can achieve it by practicing for several months.

This type of training will gradually develop the muscular adaptations necessary to prevent late-onset soreness. And being less destroyed by exercise makes it more enjoyable and easier to stick to a routine or habit.

Finally, eliminate “lactic acid” from your exercise vocabulary. Its supposed role in muscle pain is a myth that has existed for too long.

* Robert Andrew Robergs Associate Professor – Exercise Physiology, Queensland University of Technology

** Samuel L. Torrens PhD student, Queensland University of Technology