Why do muscles get sore a day or two after exercise?
Show answer & explanation
Answer: Muscle fibers get tiny tears
Muscle fibers get tiny tears ✓ — Correct! Exercise creates microscopic tears in muscle fibers. Your body repairs these, building stronger muscles. This repair process causes inflammation and soreness—it's actually a sign of getting stronger!
Muscles run out of oxygen — Wrong. Oxygen deprivation causes immediate fatigue, not delayed soreness. The pain comes from muscle fiber damage and repair.
Blood flow to muscles drops — Wrong. Blood flow actually increases during and after exercise. Delayed soreness comes from the repair process.