I get DOMS after every workout: what should I know?

Delayed onset muscle soreness often appears after a new exercise, a harder session, more repetitions, or movements that lengthen a muscle while it works. It commonly feels like tenderness, stiffness and reduced ease of movement rather than a sharp, sudden pain. Repeated soreness can happen when training changes faster than your body adapts, when recovery between demanding sessions is limited, or when the same muscle group is loaded again before it feels ready.

Pain that starts during a movement, is sharply localised, causes bruising or swelling, or changes how you walk may fit a muscle injury rather than ordinary post-exercise soreness. A [Muscle Strain](/conditions/muscle-strain/) is an injury involving overstretched or torn muscle fibres.

Reduce the intensity or volume of the exercise that triggers symptoms, and keep gentle movement within a comfortable range. Warm up gradually, vary hard and easy sessions, and increase training demands in small steps. Sleep, regular meals and adequate fluids support recovery, while forcing a painful muscle through another intense session can prolong irritation.

For short-term comfort, some people use [Hot and Cold Therapy](/treatments/physiotherapy-and-rehabilitation/hot-and-cold-therapy/) or seek [Sports Massage](/treatments/manual-and-manipulative-therapy/sports-massage/). These options may ease symptoms but do not replace a review of technique, workload and recovery.

Arrange an assessment if soreness is not gradually settling, returns despite reducing the load, or keeps limiting ordinary activities. Seek prompt medical help for severe weakness, marked swelling, dark urine, fever, chest symptoms, or pain after a significant injury. A clinician or physiotherapist can examine the painful area and help distinguish training-related soreness from a strain or another problem.

Ask which exercises or training changes may be provoking the soreness, how long to modify them, and what symptoms would suggest a strain. You can also ask whether your technique, recovery routine or a supervised rehabilitation plan needs adjustment.