PUBLISHED 08/16/2006
If you have a muscle ache or tenderness 24 to 48 hours after a long run or hard workout, it's usually delayed onset muscle soreness--the result of microscopic tears in muscle fibers. This is a common response to the training process and it indicates that your body is building stamina and strength. Resting, icing, and gentle stretching and massaging to the area should help the pain subside. If the pain lasts 48 hours postexercise, take it as a warning sign that your body might be struggling to adapt to your training and that an injury could be looming. Take a rest day or two, and reevaluate. If the pain persists, see a sports-medicine specialist. Dealing with a problem early--even if it means taking a few days off from running--most likely won't interfere with your overall training. It's continuing to run on a potential injury that will jeopardize your ultimate goals.
