By Marnie Kunz, NASM-certified trainer, USATF- RRCA-certified run coach

If you have sore legs after running, you may be eager to make them feel better. I wanted to share my tips as a running coach to help reduce leg soreness. From running an ultra to post-speed workout aches, I’ve definitely been there and I understand the pain. This article will go over the common causes of leg soreness after running and offer 10 ways to relieve your soreness.

What Causes Sore Legs After Running?

Several factors can cause sore legs after running. We’ll go over the main causes of soreness for runners and then offer tips on how to reduce your soreness and speed up your recovery.

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Fatigue and DOMS

First, one of the most common causes of soreness is muscle fatigue. Delayed onset muscle soreness - or DOMS - is a type of muscle pain and stiffness that can occur after exercising, especially if you are adding intensity or duration to your workouts.

If you go for your longest run in months, do a challenging speed workout, or otherwise step up your training, you may get sore legs due to DOMS. If this is the case, rest will help ease your soreness and also prevent you from overtraining, which is adding too much intensity or too many miles to your running program quickly.

Following a training plan can help prevent your muscle soreness from becoming more serious in the form of injuries or overtraining. Taking enough rest days from your workout routine is an essential part of a good training plan to help you stay healthy and reduce symptoms of overtraining and soreness.

Overuse

Overuse is a common cause of muscle soreness after running, If you don’t take enough rest days or “easy” base run days, you risk overloading your body, which can cause soreness and slower recovery times from workouts. Overtraining can also lead to injuries and burnout. If your muscle soreness is from overtraining, this is a warning to slow down and take care of your body.

A good rule of thumb to prevent overuse is to increase your mileage or intensity by no more than 10 percent from week to week, advises the National Academy of Sports Medicine. This means if you run 20 miles one week, you can increase by 10 percent - or 2 miles - to run 22 miles the next week. The 10 percent rule will help prevent muscle strain, shin splints, pain in your joints and muscles, and overuse injuries.

Dehydration

Another common cause of sore legs after running is dehydration. If your body is dehydrated, your muscles won’t function properly, and this can cause soreness and cramping. When you run, your body sweats to regulate your body temperature, and if you do not replenish the fluids lost through sweat, you can become dehydrated. Dehydration can also slow down your recovery process, causing your body to have a harder time repairing damaged tissues and replenishing glycogen stores.

To prevent dehydration, it is important to drink enough fluids before, during, and after your runs. Drink water, sports drinks or electrolyte formulas to replenish fluids and electrolytes lost through sweat, and be sure to listen to your body and rest if you start to feel fatigued or dizzy.

Muscle Damage

Sometimes muscle soreness after running is caused by regular wear and tear. Running causes tiny tears in your muscle fibers. As your body repairs these tears, your muscles become stronger. This process can also cause muscle soreness. If you have persistent or sharp pain that does not subside with rest, then you may have an injury.

Poor Running Shoes

If your running shoes are worn or poorly fitting, this can lead to muscle soreness and even running injuries. Make sure you change your shoes every 300 to 500 miles, or when they feel “flat” and you start to have more aches and pains than usual when training. If you’re not sure if your shoes fit properly, go to your local running store to get fitted.

Running Injuries

If you have sore legs with lasting pain that does not get better with rest, you may have an injury. Go to see a doctor or physical therapist if you suspect you have a running injury.

Now that you know some of the most common causes sore leg muscles from running, here are some tips on how to alleviate your aches and pains so you can get back to running happily again:

10 Ways to Relieve Sore Legs and Boost Your Workout Recovery

1. Stretch

Running causes your muscles to contract and shorten, which can lead to stiffness and muscle soreness. Stretching after a run can help to lengthen your muscles and ease soreness. Also, to prevent muscle soreness, do some dynamic stretches before your run to help your body warm up.

Pro Tip: Do some light stretching on your recovery days to help your muscles loosen up and cut down on soreness. Restorative yoga is also a great way to get in some light stretching on your recovery days.

2. Ice

Icing is a useful tool to help speed up your workout recovery and ease sore muscles. The small tears in your muscles from running can trigger inflammation and soreness, and ice can help. Ice causes your blood vessels to narrow, which cuts down on inflammation in your sore legs. Ice can also help to relieve pain by numbing your legs and reducing the sensitivity of your nerve endings.

Icing after a hard workout can help improve your muscle recovery time so you’re able to run again.

Pro Tip: Wrap a cold compress or ice pack in a towel. Apply ice to the sore areas of your legs for 10 to 20 minutes at a time, and take breaks between applications to allow your skin to warm up. Or, if you’re really brave, you can take a plunge in an ice bath or do a cold dip and immerse your whole body in the cold to speed up your recovery and ease soreness.

3. Get Warm

Heat can be a helpful way to soothe your sore legs after running. Applying heat to sore muscles boosts blood flow and brings fresh oxygen and nutrients to your legs. Heat also reduces muscle tension. This can help cut down on inflammation and promote healing.

Pro Tip: You can apply heat to sore leg muscles after running by using a heating pad, warm compress, or warm towel. Be careful not to apply heat directly to the skin and to keep your heat low enough so that it doesn’t burn you.

4. Keep Moving

Your first impulse after a hard run may be to plop down on the ground but the best thing to do is to keep moving. Do some low-intensity cardio like light jogging or walking for 10 minutes to cool down. Low-intensity cardio can help to increase blood flow to your muscles, which provides them with the oxygen and nutrients they need to recover and repair.

Light cardio can also help to reduce inflammation, which cuts down on muscle soreness and stiffness. Low-intensity cardio is a great way to practice active recovery, which improves circulation, reduces muscle tension, and promotes relaxation.

Pro Tip: End every hard running workout - whether a speed workout or long run - with light cardio and do some recovery cardio on the following day. Examples of low-intensity cardio include walking, cycling, swimming, and light jogging. It is important to listen to your body and avoid over-exerting yourself during low-intensity cardio, as this can hinder the recovery process. Aim to keep your heart rate at a moderate level, and be sure to stretch and cool down after your workout.

5. Refuel

Refueling after a hard running workout is essential to help your muscles recover and help sore legs after running. Consume a protein-rich meal or snack within 30 minutes to an hour after your workout. Good sources of protein include lentils, lean meats, fish, beans, nuts, protein shakes, eggs, and dairy products.

Carbohydrates are important for refueling your glycogen stores, which get depleted during a hard running workout. Be sure to consume complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. These macronutrients are rich in vitamins and minerals. Healthy fats, such as those found in avocado, nuts, and olive oil, can help to reduce inflammation and provide additional energy.

Pro Tip: Have a well-rounded meal or snack that includes all three macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats) to refuel after a hard run or workout.

6. Hydrate

Hydrating can help ease muscle soreness after running. You can hydrate by drinking plenty of fluids before, during, and after your workout. Sports drinks or electrolyte tablets are helpful as they contain electrolytes, which your body needs to replenish after sweating in large amounts (such as after hard runs or on hot days).

Pro Tip: Use electrolyte tablets like Nuun tablets for easy hydration on your runs. Electrolytes are especially important to have after speed workouts, long runs, and races.

7. Rest

If you have sore legs after running, take some time to rest. Rest is crucial for repairing muscles. Rest is the most popular way to heal from injuries because it allows your body to repair itself. Rest can help reduce inflammation, which is a common cause of muscle soreness.

Pro Tip: Take some recovery days where you do light cardio like walking or short hikes and eat nutritiously to boost your recovery. Even if you’re doing a run streak and are running every day, you can take recovery days where you do very slow, light jogs. The important thing is to keep your exercise intensity low and give your body time to repair and rebuild.

8. Foam Roll

Foam rolling can help ease your sore legs after running. Using a foam roller will speed up your recovery time by increasing blood flow to your legs and reducing inflammation in your muscles. This can reduce your soreness and promote faster healing.

Pro Tip: Foam roll your calves, quads, IT bands, and glutes one to two times for 30 to 60 seconds on each body part. As you’re rolling, pause at any tender spots to help release tension.

9. Get a Massage

Massage is a great way to soothe sore legs after running. Get a sports massage or try a massage tool such as the TheraGun or Hyperice Hypervolt Massage Gun. Massage increases blood flow to your muscles, which can help ease soreness and work out muscle tightness and stiffness.

Pro Tip: Try a deep tissue massage to relieve serious muscle tension.

10. Take a warm bath

Taking a bath is one of my favorite ways to soothe sore legs after running. Use warm water and your favorite scents and let your legs soak for 20 to 30 minutes. Essential oils like lavender, peppermint, and eucalyptus can help calm your sore muscles even more.

Pro Tip: Add 1 to 2 cups of Epsom salt to your bathwater. Epsom salt contains magnesium, which can help relax your muscles and reduce inflammation.

I hope these strategies help you alleviate sore legs after running. Also, practice prevention by avoiding overtraining, taking rest days, eating well, and following a training plan. If you need a customized running plan designed by a professional, check out the Runstreet Training Center.

Have you tried any of these methods to reduce muscle soreness? Follow @Runstreet on Instagram and tag us in your training posts to get cheered on. Happy running to you!😊

Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach, Brooklyn resident, Akita mom, and the founder of Runstreet.

Sore Legs After Running? 10 Ways to Prevent and Treat It