It is common to feel muscle soreness after a yoga session, especially if the practice was challenging or introduced new poses. Whether you should be sore depends on your current fitness level and the intensity of the class. If you are new to yoga or have increased the duration or difficulty of your routine, some degree of muscle ache is an expected part of the body’s adaptation process.
Understanding Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)
The ache felt a day or two after a workout is known as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). Symptoms typically begin 12 to 24 hours after the activity and peak between 24 and 72 hours later. DOMS is perceived as a dull, generalized ache across the muscle group, often accompanied by stiffness and tenderness.
The actual cause of DOMS is believed to be microscopic tears in the muscle fibers, which trigger a natural inflammatory response as the body begins the repair process. This microtrauma occurs most readily during eccentric contractions, where a muscle is lengthened while under tension. Many common yoga poses, such as slowly lowering from a Warrior III pose or maintaining a deep static hold, involve significant eccentric loading, making them effective at inducing DOMS in unaccustomed muscles.
A common misconception is that DOMS is caused by a buildup of lactic acid, but this has been largely disproven. Lactic acid levels return to normal within an hour or two of intense exercise, meaning it cannot be responsible for pain that peaks days later. The temporary inflammation and subsequent repair process lead to the delayed tenderness that signals muscle strengthening and adaptation.
When Soreness Signals a Problem
While a dull, achy feeling is a sign of normal muscle adaptation, it is important to distinguish this from pain that signals a potential injury. Normal DOMS will feel like a generalized tightness or fatigue spread across a large muscle area. It should gradually subside within three to five days as your body recovers.
Sharp, stabbing, or electric pain is a warning sign that requires attention, as this is not characteristic of DOMS. Be cautious if the pain is intensely localized to a specific joint, tendon, or a very small area of the muscle. An injury, such as a muscle strain, often causes immediate pain during the activity, not just a delayed ache.
Additional symptoms like noticeable swelling, bruising, or a significant loss of normal function that makes walking or sitting difficult also suggest a more serious issue. If your pain does not begin to ease after 72 hours, or if you felt a sudden “pop” or “snap” during your yoga practice, it is prudent to consult with a healthcare professional.
Practical Steps for Post-Yoga Recovery
To manage and minimize the discomfort of DOMS, you can encourage your body’s natural healing process. Engaging in active recovery is beneficial, as gentle movement helps increase blood flow to the affected muscles. This increased circulation assists in flushing out metabolic waste and delivering the necessary nutrients for tissue repair.
Active recovery can include a light walk, a short, easy bike ride, or a restorative, low-intensity yoga session the day after your initial practice. Research suggests that performing gentle yoga poses after an eccentric exercise protocol can be effective at reducing both pain and DOMS. The focus should be on slow, fluid movements rather than intense stretching.
Nutritional support plays a large role in the repair process, making proper hydration and protein intake essential. Water helps maintain fluid balance and facilitates the transport of nutrients and oxygen to recovering muscle tissue. Consuming a meal or snack with both carbohydrates and protein within an hour of your session provides the necessary building blocks: protein supplies amino acids to repair micro-tears, and carbohydrates replenish energy stores.