Should You Work Out When You’re Sore? A Physical Therapist Explains

By Dr. Carmen Jansante, PT, DPT, CSCS Undefeated Physical Therapy & Performance | Pittsburgh, PA

One of the most common questions I get from athletes and active adults is:

“Should I work out if I’m sore?”

The short answer is: It depends.

The key is knowing the difference between muscle soreness and pain. Understanding that difference can help you recover faster, avoid injuries, and continue making progress in the gym or on the field.

Whether you’re a baseball player, weekend warrior, or someone trying to stay healthy, here’s how I recommend deciding whether to train.

Step 1: Know the Difference Between Soreness and Pain

Muscle Soreness (DOMS)

Most people experience Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) after a challenging workout, practice, or game. DOMS typically develops 24-72 hours after exercise and is a normal part of the recovery process.

Signs of muscle soreness include:

• A dull, achy feeling across an entire muscle

• Muscles feel tired or fatigued

• The muscle is harder to contract but still functions normally

• Symptoms often improve as you warm up and move

• Usually affects a broad area rather than one specific spot

Believe it or not, soreness can actually tell us something about your recovery. While you don’t have to be sore to make progress, excessive soreness often means your body is still recovering from your previous training session.

Pain Is Different

Pain should not be ignored.

Unlike soreness, pain is usually a warning sign that your body is telling you something isn’t right.

Signs you’re dealing with pain instead of soreness include:

• Sharp, stabbing, or shooting discomfort

• Pain that’s localized to one specific spot

• Pain that gets worse with each repetition

• Pain that changes your movement or technique

• Pain that doesn’t improve after warming up

A simple example I often use with patients is this:

Pain is like picking at a scab.

Every time you keep irritating it, you’re delaying the healing process. Continuing to train through true pain often leads to more tissue irritation and a longer recovery.

If you’re experiencing pain rather than soreness, it’s usually best to modify your activity and address the underlying problem before continuing heavy training.

The 48-72 Hour Rule

One of the easiest questions to ask yourself is:

When was the last time I trained this muscle group?

Most muscle groups need approximately 48 hours to recover after a typical workout. Following particularly intense lifting sessions, games, or practices, recovery may take up to 72 hours.

For example:

• Heavy chest workout on Monday

• Chest and shoulders are still very sore Tuesday morning

Trying to perform another heavy pressing workout on Tuesday probably isn’t the best idea because you’re asking the same muscles to perform before they’ve fully recovered.

However, if it’s Thursday and you’re only mildly sore, you’re probably ready to train again—with a few adjustments.

Use Your Warm-Up to Make the Decision

Your warm-up tells you almost everything you need to know.

Before deciding whether today’s workout should be heavy, ask yourself:

• Do I feel looser after moving?

• Is my soreness improving as my body warms up?

• Do my first few sets feel better than when I walked into the gym?

If the answer is yes, your body is likely responding well, and you can gradually increase your intensity.

If you still feel stiff, restricted, or uncomfortable after warming up, that’s your body’s way of asking for a different approach.

Start With Recovery First

Before jumping into your working sets, spend a few minutes preparing the tissue.

Some of my favorite options include:

• Foam rolling

• Lacrosse ball soft tissue work

• Dynamic mobility exercises

• Light activation drills

Increasing blood flow before lifting often helps reduce stiffness and improves movement quality.

For many athletes, I’ll even start the workout with a few high-repetition, light-weight sets to pump blood into the muscles before progressing to heavier loads.

For example, if your chest is sore:

• Perform 2-3 sets of 20-25 light dumbbell or floor presses.

• Focus on smooth movement rather than heavy weight.

If you loosen up after those sets, you’re probably okay to continue.

Adjust Your Workout Instead of Skipping It

Not every workout has to be all or nothing.

If you’re still sore after warming up, consider modifying your session by:

• Reducing the weight

• Increasing repetitions

• Lowering overall training volume

• Training different muscle groups

• Performing more isolated exercises instead of heavy compound lifts

For example, if your chest and shoulders are still recovering but your triceps feel great, shift your focus toward triceps and accessory work rather than forcing another heavy bench press session.

Making small adjustments allows you to keep building consistency while respecting recovery.

Listen to Your Body

I’m a huge believer in progressive overload—gradually increasing stress over time is how we get stronger.

But your body also provides valuable feedback.

Some days you’ll walk into the gym feeling fresh, explosive, and ready to push heavier weights.

Other days you’ll feel stiff, sluggish, and fatigued.

Instead of forcing every workout to be maximal effort, let your readiness guide your intensity.

Training hard is important.

Recovering well is what allows you to keep training hard for months and years.

Quick Checklist: Should You Work Out When You’re Sore?

Before starting your workout, ask yourself:

✅ Is this soreness rather than sharp pain?

✅ Is the soreness spread throughout the muscle instead of one specific spot?

✅ Has it been at least 48-72 hours since I trained this muscle?

✅ Does the soreness improve after warming up?

✅ Can I modify today’s workout if needed?

If you answered yes to these questions, you’re likely okay to train.

If the discomfort is sharp, worsening, or affecting your movement, it’s time to back off and determine what’s causing the problem.

Need Help Figuring Out What’s Normal?

At Undefeated Physical Therapy & Performance in the Pittsburgh area, we help athletes and active adults distinguish between normal training soreness and injuries that require treatment.

Whether you’re recovering from a sports injury, dealing with persistent soreness, or trying to optimize your performance, we’ll build a plan that keeps you training safely while continuing to improve.

If you’re looking for a sports physical therapist in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, we’d love to help.

References

Cheung K, Hume P, Maxwell L. Delayed onset muscle soreness: Treatment strategies and performance factors. Sports Medicine. 2003;33(2):145-164.

American College of Sports Medicine. ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription. 11th Edition.

Pearcey GEP, et al. Foam rolling for delayed-onset muscle soreness and recovery of dynamic performance. Journal of Athletic Training. 2015.

Schoenfeld BJ. The mechanisms of muscle hypertrophy and their application to resistance training. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2010.

Haff GG, Triplett NT. Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning. 4th Edition. National Strength and Conditioning Association.