The experience of feeling stiff and tender a day or two after a challenging workout is common, signaling that your muscles are adapting to a new level of physical demand. This post-exercise discomfort is a normal part of the body’s process of building strength. When muscles are sore, stretching might feel counterintuitive, but gentle, informed movement can support recovery and restore mobility. Understanding the nature of this soreness and applying specific stretching techniques safely aids the body’s healing process without causing further irritation.
The Nature of Muscle Soreness
The discomfort felt after a new or intense exercise session is formally known as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). This soreness typically appears 12 to 24 hours after activity and often peaks between 24 and 72 hours post-exercise. The cause is not a buildup of lactic acid, but rather microscopic damage to the muscle fibers themselves.
This microtrauma is particularly common after exercises involving eccentric contractions, where the muscle lengthens while under tension. This triggers a natural inflammatory response. The resulting inflammation and fluid shifts cause the localized swelling and tenderness that characterize DOMS. The goal of stretching at this time is to gently increase blood flow and ease stiffness, not to force the muscle into painful length.
Gentle Movement and Active Stretching Techniques
When muscles are tender, prioritize active recovery and gentle mobilization over deep static holds. Light, continuous movement, such as a slow walk, easy cycling, or gentle swimming, increases circulation to the affected areas. This enhanced blood flow delivers oxygen and nutrients needed for repair while helping to clear metabolic byproducts and reduce inflammation.
One useful technique for sore muscles is Active Isolated Stretching (AIS), which avoids the body’s protective stretch reflex. The AIS method involves actively contracting the muscle opposite the one you want to stretch, causing the target muscle to relax. The stretch is held for a very brief period, typically no more than two seconds, before returning to the starting position. This short duration prevents the stretch reflex from engaging, allowing for a gentle increase in range of motion and promoting blood flow.
If incorporating low-intensity static stretching, perform it only after the muscles are thoroughly warmed up through dynamic movement. These stretches must be extremely gentle, without pushing into pain, and held for a short duration, such as 10 to 15 seconds at most. The intensity should feel like a mild, comfortable pull that provides relief, rather than a deep, painful strain.
Safety Guidelines and When to Skip the Stretch
It is important to distinguish between the dull, generalized ache of muscle soreness and the sharp, localized pain that signals an injury. If you experience sudden, acute pain during movement, or if the pain is focused on a joint, tendon, or a specific point in the muscle, immediately stop stretching. Other warning signs requiring professional consultation include localized swelling, visible bruising, or an inability to move a limb normally.
When muscles are sore, avoid aggressive stretching methods that could worsen the microtrauma. Deep, prolonged static stretching, where a position is held for 30 seconds or more, and ballistic stretching, which involves bouncing, can exacerbate damage to the muscle fibers. Such forceful techniques can overwhelm the muscle’s repair process and potentially lead to a strain or tear.
Stretching is one component of a larger recovery strategy. Non-stretching techniques are also beneficial and can be combined with gentle movement, such as light foam rolling or massage, which may help reduce muscle tenderness and improve tissue healing. Support recovery further by prioritizing proper hydration, consuming protein for muscle repair, and ensuring adequate rest and sleep.