How to Deal With Your Sore Shoulders

Your game plan to handle painful delayed onset muscle soreness.

Her personal PT, Rachel Tavel, is a doctor of physiotherapy (DPT) and a certified strength and training specialist (CSCS), so she knows how to get her body back to normal when she is disconnected. In this weekly series, she gives you advice on how to feel better, stronger and smarter.

The pain and pain caused by exercise can happen to our best people. Maybe these problems started after you missed part of your upper body training and you feel a little soft, so when you finally return to the stadium and go to the gym, you will feel bad. Maybe it is very difficult. The next day, when you woke up, your shoulders hurt.

Good news? While the pain sensation disappears within 24 to 72 hours, this may indicate that you have done a real job. Your body has loaded enough to cause "micro trauma" in the tissue (the sound is worse than that), and this sensation may actually indicate that you have made some changes. Bad news? You feel that everything is effective and does not feel good.

Late-onset muscle pain or DOMS can cause fatigue, pain, weakness, stiffness and even pain. It usually occurs after high intensity training during which the muscles load eccentrically to some extent, resulting in small breaks in the muscle fibers. Although not fully understood, these micro technologies can in turn lead to greater protein synthesis and the body adapts to new stressors. Eccentric muscle load is an important way to build strength.

But there is a thin line between muscle load and muscle overload, so DOMS can also act as a signal for you to do too much.

If your shoulders hurt, take steps to relieve pain and discomfort and speed up the recovery process. Unfortunately, stretching is not one of them.


Your move: the evidence on how to treat DOMS is mixed, but you can try some methods. To reduce inflammation and improve shoulder pain mobility, blood flow to the area should be increased.

This can be done in several ways: try 2 to 3 times a day using moist heat for 10 to 15 minutes, gently massage or use and move the affected muscles without fatigue. A sauna and a hot tub or shower can also help.

If you feel pain, consider using anti-inflammatory medications, but do not use ice; Research has shown that ice can be bad for you in this situation. Make sure you have plenty of water and protein.

The most important is? Be patient. Symptoms should be reduced in 1 to 3 days. If your problem persists or worsens, consider consulting a doctor or physical therapist to rule out the injury.