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We tapped physical therapists, sports medicine doctors, and strength coaches to break it all down.
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The answer depends, in part, on why your muscles hurt in the first place.
There are three things to keep in mind:
Lets take the first one.
In healthy muscle, small threadlike components called actin and myosin neatly line up next to each other.
With DOMs, all of the actin and myosin are jumbled together, Dr. Reiner says.
This triggers an inflammatory response, which further increases pain and stiffness.
Stretching, when appropriate, can help in a few different ways.
It can also be a psychological boon too.
Pain is much more complicated than simply the state of your muscle fibers or blood chemistry, Welch says.
And sometimes, dwelling on pain can ultimately intensify it.
So whenshouldyou stretch if youre feeling sore?
(A more targeted strengthening routine for the area in question would also likely be helpful.)
Problem is, telling the difference between these two isnt always easy, Dr. Malek says.
Another clue is to try a stretch.
Say youre dealing with nagging soreness in your hamstring.
But there are times when stretching isnt the best idea.
For one, if you have DOMS, static stretching likely isnt the answer either.
Stretching probably wont helpand might hurtif you have an acute muscle strain.
Adding more pulling tension on the muscle fibers is only going to exacerbate whats going on.
Stretching might trigger or exacerbate those sensations by further aggravating the nerves.
Thats something I see a lot, she says.
Patients will say, Its just this weird pain I cant quite figure it out.
They can evaluate the underlying cause and help you create a plan to address it.
In cases in which stretching isnt recommendedor it doesnt ease your pain on its ownrelief is still possible!
you could also address tight or sore muscles with foam rolling or massage guns.
The right tool and exactly how to use it depends on where your soreness resides.
If youre dealing with DOMS, youve got a couple additional options.
So can gentle movement, such as swimming, easy cycling, or walking.
There are so many different things that you could do to improve the issue.
It really comes down to the individual and what works for them.
If so, that might not be the best option.
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