Almost everyone gets sore after a good workout. It's a natural thing and if you aren't getting sore, maybe you need to up the intensity a couple of notches. But what if you are sore right after a workout? Is that normal? How about two days later or a week? When do you know what is a 'good soreness' level and when you've possibly overdone it and need to see a doctor?
There are different types of pain when it comes to your muscles and certain symptoms warrant a visit to your doctor. If you are in the middle of a run or a workout and you feel any sharp pain you should stop immediately. I've known way to many people (including me) who have decided to work through the pain - tough it out - and this just aggravates the injury. It's more challenging to stop activity if you are in the middle of a run out in the boonies, but you can at least take it down to a walk and limp. The limp is taking some of the pressure off the injured limb, so don't try to hide the limp, let it happen.
PRESSURE SORES
Once you feel that sharp pain, stop your workout and give yourself a 24 to 48 hours before 'testing' your injured area. Then test it with a really light weight. If you feel pain, go to your doctor. Some muscle tears can take eight weeks or more to heal, and although we all know our own bodies better than anyone else does, we're not trained professionals. For any pain that lasts longer than 72 hours I would definitely advise seeing your doctor and discussing it. Remember to have all the details: when did it happen, what exactly you were doing when it happened, etc. Some people are embarrassed and try to hide that, but the doctor needs to know the absolute truth.
Getting back to "normal pain" when we work out we are tearing up our muscles. That's the process of growth. What you do it induce tearing - technically called micro-tearing - of your muscle tissue. The micro-tears heal and that healing process adds more tissue to your muscles. So it is totally normal to be sore during the healing process. Some soreness may set in within a few hours of a workout and some may take a day or two. I typically am really sore the day following a workout, but by the second day I am just about back to normal.
It's also normal to feel a bit of stretching-pulling heat during a workout. Not everyone gets that, but some people do. Again, this may be nothing to worry about necessarily unless you have sharp pain. Sharp pains generally are an indication that something went wrong. Dull aches and pains are more indicative of a normal workout.
Here's the disclaimer here. I am not a doctor. These words come from experience and research. If you ever feel like something is bothering you you should go have it checked out. It might be a persistent pain, or something that seems recurring. It's never a bad idea to have a doctor hear what's going on and evaluate it. However some doctors may be more capable in certain areas, so take that into consideration as well. If you like to run, maybe a doctor who also runs will be able to help you more. Likewise doctors who are gym rats might be better able to relate to someone who is into working out.
Remember, pain is your friend. It can tell you of growth, and it can tell you of problems. Don't shut it out, listen to it.
Working Out and Muscle Fatigue - Good Sore Versus Bad Sore PRESSURE SORES
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