How to Speed Up Sore Muscle Recovery: Causes & Recovery Tips

Written by Dr Ajay Shakya, BPT, MPT (Neurological Conditions)  
Published: 23 May, 2023 | Last updated: July, 2026
The clinical content has been checked against peer-reviewed literature. See the References listed below.

Quick Summary

To speed up the recovery of sore muscles, it is helpful to understand what is really going on: delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is caused by damage to muscle fibers at a microscopic level and the subsequent inflammatory reaction. There is no quick solution, but the most well-supported methods for speeding up recovery and relieving the symptoms as your body heals itself are rest, self-myofascial release (such as using a foam roller), hydration, sleep, and low-impact movement.

1. What counts as muscle recovery, and what leads to muscle soreness?

Sore muscles, also known as muscle soreness or delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), are the discomfort experienced in the muscles following physical activity, particularly when you do something your muscles are not accustomed to or when you push them beyond their normal capacity.

When engaged in strenuous exercise, particularly those that involve eccentric contractions (that is, the lengthening of a muscle while it is under load, for example, during the downward phase of a squat), minor damage occurs in the muscle fibers. The body then initiates an inflammatory response in order to repair the tissue. This inflammation, along with the accumulation of metabolic byproducts, leads to the stiffness, tenderness, and dull ache associated with sore muscles.

Clinical point: Soreness is usually something normal and to be expected as part of the muscle adaptation process and should not be taken as an indication of injury; it only warrants concern if it is severe, fails to improve after a few days, or is associated with swelling, bruising, or sharp, localized pain.

2. The difference between acute soreness and delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)

There are two distinct types of exercise-related muscle soreness:

• Muscle soreness occurs either during or immediately after vigorous exercise; it is short-lived, usually disappearing within a few hours or a day, and is mainly due to the buildup of metabolic by-products during the activity.
• Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) appears 24 to 48 hours after exercise, reaches its peak about 72 hours later, and is caused by damage to muscle fibers at a microscopic level and the inflammatory reaction that follows. It usually occurs when carrying out a new or unfamiliar activity or when there is a significant increase in the intensity, duration, or frequency of training.

It is considered normal for both of these to occur as physiological reactions to exercise and not something to worry about, as long as the soreness is not severe or accompanied by any other symptoms that are cause for concern.

3. The usual causes and risk factors

Muscle soreness can result from a range of factors, including:

• Unfamiliar or high-intensity exercise, particularly activities with eccentric loading such as downhill running or weightlifting
• An increasing speed of training, as well as a longer duration or more frequent training.
• The fact that there is microscopic muscle damage is part of how muscles adapt and get stronger.
• General muscle fatigue, which reduces the muscle's ability to absorb impact
• Skipping a proper warm-up, which limits blood flow and flexibility going into activity
• Inadequate hydration, which can impair muscle function and recovery
• The body's natural inflammatory response to exercise-induced muscle damage

4. Ways to Speed Up Recovery Based on Evidence

Recovery from sore muscles isn't instant, but several strategies are supported by current research for easing symptoms and supporting the repair process:

• Adequate rest between training sessions
• Self-myofascial release (foam rolling)
• Proper hydration
• Sufficient, quality sleep
• Low-impact activity and active recovery

The details of each of them are given below.

5. Does stretching actually help muscles that are sore?

It is a common belief that should be corrected in that the present evidence does not show stretching to be an effective method of preventing or substantially reducing DOMS. A study concluded that stretching of the muscles—whether before exercise, after exercise, or both—does not result in clinically significant reductions in delayed-onset muscle soreness. Another systematic review and meta-analysis focusing on stretching after exercise also reached the same conclusion, showing no meaningful effect on DOMS at 24, 48, or 72 hours compared with passive recovery.

It by no means follows that stretching has no value since it might still contribute to general flexibility and joint mobility. However, if the aim is to reduce soreness the day after exercise, the existing evidence does not support relying solely on stretching.

Medical tip: Patients often assume that stretching either before or after a workout will prevent them from feeling sore the day after. However, the current evidence suggests that gentle movement, hydration, and sleep are more reliable than stretching for achieving this effect.

6. Foam rolling and self-myofascial release

Self-myofascial release (SMFR), typically performed with a foam roller, is one of the more well-supported physical methods for managing DOMS. A comparative study found that foam rolling significantly reduced muscle tension and stiffness during the DOMS period and, in this regard, outperformed both percussive massage and passive rest. Likewise, a more extensive review of non-pharmacological approaches to DOMS also regarded foam rolling and active recovery as helpful methods, although it pointed out that static stretching and electrical stimulation offered only limited benefits.

Foam rolling is usually most beneficial when performed on the affected muscle group in short sessions (about 1 to 2 minutes) and can thus be done on successive days after intense exercise, as long as one can tolerate it.

7. Sleep and muscle recovery

Sleep is a factor consistently supported in the recovery process after exercise. While in deep sleep, the body repairs muscles and produces proteins, as well as replenishes glycogen stores used during exercise. Research shows that sleep also has a role in regulating inflammatory processes and that a lack of sleep is linked to higher levels of inflammatory markers, which can impede tissue repair, together with decreases in strength, power, and endurance.

One of the most well-supported methods for promoting recovery from muscle soreness and intense training is to get seven to nine hours of quality sleep each night and maintain a regular sleep schedule.

8. Muscle function and hydration

It is important to stay hydrated, as this helps deliver nutrients to your muscles, keeps your body temperature under control, and maintains your mineral balance so your muscles can contract correctly. When you exercise while dehydrated or overheated, your body uses up its stored energy (glycogen) at a much higher rate, which can impair your performance during the workout. Nevertheless, scientists do not yet know whether drinking a lot of water after exercise helps speed up the process of your muscles rebuilding those energy stores, because research into post-workout recovery remains mixed and inconclusive.

As a clinical note, let it be understood that the uncertainty lies solely in the precise amount by which drinking after a workout accelerates your energy recovery, not in whether hydration is important at all. It is well established that dehydration during exercise poses a risk that negatively affects both your performance during exercise and your overall recovery. For these reasons, the best and most reliable recommendation is to drink water steadily before, during, and after your workout, rather than gulping it down afterward to compensate for lost time.

9. Low-impact activity and active recovery

Gentle activities, such as walking, easy cycling, swimming, or light yoga, are generally more beneficial for sore muscles than total inactivity. Because they are low-impact, these activities promote blood circulation to the affected muscles, helping to clear metabolic waste products and reduce stiffness, without subjecting the already tired tissue to the mechanical stress that intense exercise would cause.

It is usually called "active recovery" and is frequently recommended in reviews on the management of DOMS, alongside rest, sleep, and hydration.

10. When to see a doctor or a physiotherapist

Normal muscle soreness usually gets better on its own within a few days with rest and self-care. But it's advisable to get a professional assessment if you observe:

• Sharp, localized pain rather than a dull, generalized ache
• Significant swelling or visible bruising
• Soreness that worsens rather than improves after several days
• Marked weakness or inability to use the affected muscle
• Dark-colored urine alongside severe muscle pain (a possible sign of a rare but serious condition called rhabdomyolysis)

These features are beyond what is normally seen in DOMS and therefore require a proper clinical evaluation rather than further self-treatment.

11. Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is the fastest way to relieve sore muscles?

You won't be able to get rid of muscle soreness overnight, but you can certainly reduce it significantly. Doing some light, active movement—such as a brisk walk, an easy cycle, or gentle mobility exercises—helps improve blood circulation to the area and aids in clearing the inflammatory byproducts that are causing the pain, without causing additional muscle damage. Combine this with getting enough protein to support tissue repair, getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep (since most repair happens then), and staying well hydrated. Although static stretching, ice baths, and foam rolling may provide some short-term relief from symptoms, the evidence on whether they actually speed up the underlying repair process is mixed. The most important factor that you can actually influence is not adding another hard session on top of still-unresolved soreness.

2. Is it possible for muscles to recover within 24 hours?

Partially, but not fully. Twenty-four hours is usually just the beginning of the soreness curve, not the end of it — DOMS typically builds over the first day and peaks somewhere between 24 and 72 hours after the workout. Some recovery processes, like glycogen replenishment and initial inflammatory signaling, are well underway by the 24-hour mark. Still, the structural repair of the microscopic muscle fiber damage takes longer, generally resolving over 5 to 7 days. Light or unrelated-muscle-group training is usually fine at 24 hours; repeating the same intense session is not.

Q3. Why are you still sore four days after having worked out?

It occurs towards the end of the typical DOMS timeline, so by itself it doesn't necessarily indicate anything worrying—particularly following a new type of exercise, after a long period of not exercising, or after a session that involved a lot of eccentric movement (for example, running downhill or the lowering part of a squat). Nevertheless, if the soreness on day 4 is not at all decreasing, or if it is sharp, focused on a joint, or was accompanied by swelling, bruising, or a 'pop' at the time of the injury, then it ceases to be ordinary DOMS and should be evaluated by a physiotherapist to exclude the possibility of a strain.

Q4. How can you accelerate the recovery of muscles following soreness?

You should first focus on getting enough sleep and consuming sufficient protein, since these two things do more to aid repair than any recovery device. Next, active recovery—which involves light movement rather than complete rest—helps by maintaining blood flow to the area. If you gradually build up your training volume over several weeks rather than suddenly starting a new or intense exercise, the severity of soreness will be reduced from the outset; this is the most effective long-term strategy. Although massage and foam rolling can help alleviate everyday discomfort, their impact on the actual repair timeline is only modest.

Q5. Why is the soreness greater on day 2?

The pain isn't caused by the workout itself but results from the inflammatory reaction your body triggers over several days to repair the tiny tears in the muscle fibers. This reaction develops slowly rather than occurring all at once, which is the reason why on day 1 it usually doesn't seem bad, but on day 2 the ache and stiffness reach their peak. It's not a delayed injury but rather a reflection of the fact that your body's repair process is most active at that stage.

Q6. What vitamin is able to stop muscle aches?

No vitamin can completely get rid of DOMS, but two nutrients do have solid evidence to support recovery: vitamin D, since it is involved in muscle regeneration and seems to reduce exercise-induced inflammation when levels are sufficient (the research indicates a benefit mainly in people who already have low levels), and magnesium, which helps with muscle contraction and has been found to lessen soreness in several studies. If you are always very sore, it's advisable to have a blood test to check whether you have a deficiency in either of these, rather than simply starting to take supplements.

12. Conclusion

Sore muscles, whether the short-lived acute type or the more familiar delayed-onset muscle soreness, are a normal response to unfamiliar or intense physical activity rather than a sign of injury in most cases. While stretching alone hasn't been shown to meaningfully speed up recovery, a combination of adequate rest, foam rolling, sufficient sleep, proper hydration, and gentle, low-impact movement is currently the most evidence-supported approach to easing symptoms and supporting the body's natural repair process.

Read more:

1. Morning Exercise Routine: A Physiotherapist's 15-Min Guide
2. Superman Exercise: Build Back Strength & Fix Posture
3. Bird Dog Exercise: Build Core Strength & Fix Back Pain

References

1. Ghea Yolanda Putri, T., Setiawan, C., Hermawan, R., & Ariestika, E. (2021). Comparison of cryotherapy and foam rolling on performance and lactate levels in futsal athletes. https://doi.org/10.29407/js_unpgri.v7i2.16274

2. Szajkowski S, Pasek J, Cieślar G. Foam rolling or percussive massage for muscle recovery: insights into delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS). J Funct Morphol Kinesiol. 2025. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12286022/

3. Advances in non-pharmacological strategies for DOMS: a scoping and critical review of recent evidence. 2025. https://www.mdpi.com/2411-5142/10/4/452

4. Herbert RD, de Noronha M, Kamper SJ. Stretching to prevent or reduce muscle soreness after exercise. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2011 (updated 2022). https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD004577.pub3/abstract

5. Afonso J, Clemente FM, Nakamura FY, et al. The effectiveness of post-exercise stretching in short-term and delayed recovery of strength, range of motion, and delayed onset muscle soreness: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Physiol. 2021. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8133317/

6. Physical therapies for delayed-onset muscle soreness: an umbrella and mapping systematic review with meta-meta-analysis. 2025. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40120073/

7. Sleep and athletic performance: a multidimensional review of physiological and molecular mechanisms. 2025. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12610528/

8. Hydration, hyperthermia, glycogen, and recovery: crucial factors in exercise performance — a systematic review and meta-analysis. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10610078/

Disclaimer: The information in this article is intended for general educational purposes and does not replace individualized medical or physiotherapy advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for assessment and treatment specific to your condition.

DR

Ajay Shakya

BPT, MPT (Neurological Conditions) · 10+ years of experience

Certified physiotherapist and manual therapist with over 10 years of clinical experience. Specializes in neurological rehabilitation, back pain, neck pain, and sports injuries.

BPT Graduation MPT Neurological Certified Manual Therapist

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