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Body Shop: Decoding muscle pain

Not all aches are alike.

“If you just started a new workout routine or increased the intensity of an old one, it’s natural to feel sore. But some pains are preventable,” says Adrian Shepard, assistant director of fitness at Butler University in Indianapolis.

Tell knotty from nice with our get-relief guide.

Short-term soreness

• Ouch factor: Muscle soreness for up to three days after an exercise session.

• You probably: Initiated changes in muscle tissues and are beginning to boost your fitness level. Nice!

• Make it stop: Take ibuprofen, apply ice, stretch and/or massage muscles, and take at least one day off before sculpting the same muscles again.

Long-term pain

• Ouch factor: Muscle pain that lasts longer than three days, keeps you up at night or prevents you from moving the joint.

• You probably: Overtrained with too much weight for too long or without enough rest. Knotty!

• Make it stop: Put your workout on hold and see a doctor to check for injuries.

Immediate hurt

• Ouch factor: Muscle cramps right after your workout.

• You probably: Got dehydrated, lifted too much weight or didn’t warm up before cardio. Knotty!

• Make it stop: Stretch and massage muscles. Next time, do a little light cardio to ease in and drink water throughout.

Stealth pangs

• Ouch factor: Aches somewhere other than the muscle you worked, such as lower back pain after biceps curls.

• You probably: Used bad lifting form, causing surrounding muscles to overcompensate. Knotty!

• Make it stop: Again, if pain lasts longer than three days, see a doctor. End future sets early if your form falters from fatigue, and try lighter weights.

Staying fit

Fitness begets fitness, researchers say

Ten minutes of brisk exercise triggers metabolic changes that last at least an hour. The good news for service members: The more fit you are, the more benefits you might be getting.

A recent study measuring biochemical changes in the blood showed that even brief bursts of activity are good.

“Ten minutes of exercise has at least an hour of effects on your body,” says study leader Dr. Robert Gerszten of Massachusetts General Hospital.

Checking a metabolite of fat breakdown, the team found people who were more fit — as measured by oxygen intake during exercise — appeared to be burning more fat than the less fit, or than people with shortness of breath, a possible symptom of heart disease.