Why do my calf muscles get sore after exercise?

Those of us who exercise regularly for a long time will have a feeling that if we exercise again after not exercising for a long time, we will feel soreness in the calf muscles the next day. This is also a normal reaction. If we exercise regularly for a long time, this situation will not occur. So, why do the calf muscles feel sore after exercise? Let’s take a look at it together.

Calf muscle soreness after exercise

This type of muscle soreness, which usually occurs 24 hours after exercise, is called delayed onset muscle soreness in sports medicine. Soreness reaches its peak 24-72 hours after exercise, and the pain basically disappears after 5-7 days. In addition to soreness, there is also muscle stiffness. In mild cases, there is only tenderness, while in severe cases, the muscles are swollen and hinder movement. Delayed onset muscle soreness can occur in any skeletal muscle after intense exercise, especially after long-distance running. Long-distance runners may experience pain in the anterior extensors and posterior flexors of the hip, thigh, and calf, with symptoms more pronounced at the distal ends of the muscles and at the muscle-tendon junctions. After extreme exercise in the hot summer, in addition to calf muscle soreness, symptoms such as dehydration, low calcium, and low protein may also occur. The exact cause of this muscle soreness is not fully understood.

Most people believe that muscle soreness is caused by overuse of muscles. The reasons are:

1. The sharp increase in muscle tension and elasticity can cause physical damage to the muscle structure components.

2. Increased metabolism increases the toxicity of metabolic waste to tissues.

3. The neural regulation of muscles changes, causing muscle spasms and pain.

Through the above introduction, we now know why the calf muscles are sore after exercise. This situation usually occurs after a long period of inactivity. It is also caused by us not paying attention to the method when exercising. What we need to pay attention to is that we must pay attention to the correct method, especially stretching after exercise.