It’s a fine line and it’s hard to tell is the short answer.

As an osteopath I work with patients who have injuries and pain which is preventing them from exercise and full function. It’s incredibly important that I’m able to help a patients understand their symptoms and why they are suffering.

Over training and fatigue is a key factor in injury and pain.

But what’s the difference between a feeling of over training and just being sore from exercise?

It’s a subtle difference but there is a difference between Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) which is a normal response to exercise and Fatigue Induced Muscle Disorder (FIMD) which results from excess training and fatigue.

DOMS characteristics:

Acute inflammatory pain

Stiff and weak muscles

Pain at rest

Fatigue Induced muscle disorder characteristics:

Dull ache to stabbing pain

Circumscribed firmness

Increased pain with activity

The content of this blog post is copyright of Holly Elliott registered osteopath who trades as Helping Hands Health 15a Clayton Road, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE2 4RP.