If You’re Still Sore From Working Out After This Many Days, Then You Overdid It, Doctor Says

Exercise can lead muscle growth, improved mobility — and soreness.

Soreness is caused by the stress we put on our muscles as we challenge them in the gym, run long distances or test their endurance with bodyweight movements, for example.

While some soreness is normal after an intense workout, it can also be an indicator that you’ve taken things too far, experts say. Here’s how to tell the difference.

Fitness Tip of the Day: Muscle Soreness Shouldn’t Last Longer Than 48 Hours

“Some sense of soreness is normal,” Dr. Joseph Herrera, a rehabilitation and physical medicine specialist at Mount Sinai, said on TODAY during a March 2026 segment.

“But if (it lasts) more than 48 hours after you’ve worked out, you overdid it,” he said.

Why It Matters

As we challenge our muscles during exercise, we’re tearing tiny fibers in them, which is a good thing. Muscle growth happens when those muscles repair themselves post-workout, growing tougher and thicker than before, TODAY.com previously reported.

Ideally, your muscles will adapt to the stress you put on them and continue to grow as you challenge them more and more, but if you’ve put too much stress on them at once, they might not be able to handle it, causing pain.

In the moment, while you’re lifting weights, running or walking on a steep incline, you might not feel much pain, or any at all, according to the Cleveland Clinic. So, it’s easy to assume your muscles can handle the challenge.

Soreness can show up a few days later. Your muscles might feel tender to the touch, you might experience weakness and the achiness might worsen over time. If you notice it lasts longer than two days, you’ll want to make some changes, says Herrera.

How to Get Started

If muscle soreness lasts too long, “look at your workout and cut that in half,” said Herrera.

Then, he suggests applying the rule of 10s, which calls for slowly increasing your workout intensity — “every 10 days increase by 10%,” he said.

The key to protecting your body from injury is listening to it, Herrera said. “If you feel pain during your workout, that’s not a ‘no pain no gain.’”

“Definitely stop that activity right away,” he adds.

TODAY’s Expert Tip of the Day series is all about simple strategies to make life a little easier. Every Monday through Friday, different qualified experts share their best advice on diet, fitness, heart health, mental wellness and more.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com