Every bodybuilder knows what it's like to wake up on the morning after an intense weight-lifting session and feel soreness with every movement. However, there's a fine line between the common weakness or discomfort of an overworked muscle and the injury of muscle strain.
Your muscle may be strained if you feel extreme pain, have difficulty moving, observe discolored or bruised skin or if the affected area appears to be swollen, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
On the first day after an injury, the agency recommends icing the area for 10 to 15 minutes every hour. On the second and third day, do this every three to four hours.
The NIH recommends resting the muscle for at least one day following a strain, then gradually working in more activity.
If the area is bleeding or you can't move the muscle, you should seek medical attention.
Now, if your soreness is merely the temporary manifestation of a good workout, then The Globe and Mail's fitness expert Kathleen Trotter says you can either rest for a day or engage in some moderate cardiovascular activity or flexibility exercises during your weight-lifting hangover.
Trotter said that the more fit an individual is, the better they will be able to handle a more active recovery.
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