Starting or restarting an exercise routine is one of the best things you can do for your health. But jumping in too fast or without proper preparation can lead to unnecessary injuries, lingering soreness, or frustration that derails progress altogether. It’s important to understand how to prevent sports injuries when working out, how to get rid of soreness, and whether it’s safe to exercise when sore.

Dr. Mira Varela, a board-certified internal medicine physician at Tryon Medical Partners, regularly sees patients with both overuse injuries and acute exercise-related pain. “We see everything from soreness that comes up during annual physicals to patients coming in for acute injuries,” she says. Knowing how to train smarter, not just harder, can help you stay active and injury-free.

Common mistakes people make when starting (or restarting) exercise

One of the biggest contributors to sports injuries is doing too much, too soon.

“Going from zero to 60 is a major problem,” Dr. Varela explains. “If you’ve been sedentary, jumping straight into intense workouts or playing pickleball five days a week puts your body at risk.”

Other common mistakes include:

• Lack of variety: Repeating the same movements or playing a single sport can overload specific muscles and joints
• Skipping cross-training: Different activities challenge the body in different ways and reduce repetitive strain
• Ignoring core strength: Weak core muscles contribute to poor form and chronic low back pain, especially for people who sit most of the day

“Everyone has asymmetries in their bodies, in terms of strength and flexibility,” Dr. Varela notes. “This is especially pronounced in sports like tennis when you’re using each arm quite differently. That’s why variety and balance with activities are so important.”

How to prevent sports injuries from day one

Preventing sports injuries starts before your first workout.

“Variety is key,” says Dr. Varela. “Mixing strength training, cardio, flexibility, and mobility work helps protect joints and muscles.” Flexibility is the passive ability of a muscle to stretch or lengthen, while mobility is the active, controlled movement of a joint through its full range of motion.Mobility becomes especially important with age, as flexibility naturally decreases over time.

To lower injury risk:

• Warm up before exercise and cool down afterward
• Stretch regularly to maintain mobility
• Progress gradually in intensity and frequency
• Consider working with a personal trainer or physical therapist to review form and equipment use

“If you’re using gym machines or starting something new, having someone check your form can be incredibly helpful,” she adds.

For sport-specific activities, strength and conditioning can help support the muscles and joints used most frequently, even if some injury risk can’t be eliminated entirely.

Best ways to ease post-workout muscle soreness

Some post-workout muscle soreness is normal, especially when trying a new activity, but extreme soreness can be a sign you’ve pushed too far.

“If you’re so sore you can barely move, you’ve likely progressed beyond what your muscles can handle,” Dr. Varela says. “That’s common with strength training, running, or cycling.”

To help with recovery and get rid of soreness:

• Slow down and scale back intensity
• Prioritize sleep, which is essential for muscle repair
• Keep moving gently; short walks or light activity promote blood flow
• Avoid complete inactivity unless advised

“You want to feel like you worked hard,” she explains, “but not like your body is shutting down.”

Soreness vs. injury: what’s normal and what’s not?

A common question patients ask is whether their soreness is DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) or a true injury.

“DOMS is usually a global soreness within the muscle itself,” Dr. Varela explains. “It typically shows up the day after exercise.”

Signs of normal DOMS include:

• Achy, tender muscles
• Stiffness that improves with light movement
• Soreness affecting muscle groups rather than joints

In contrast, injury-related pain often looks different:

• Localized joint pain (knees, shoulders, hips)
• Immediate pain during or right after activity
• Swelling, weakness, or limited range of motion

“If you’re having knee or shoulder pain, that’s not DOMS,” she says. “That’s something else.”

Should you exercise when sore?

Whether you should exercise when sore depends on the type and severity of symptoms.

Light to moderate muscle soreness is usually safe to work through with gentle movement or lower-intensity exercise. However, sharp pain, joint pain, or worsening symptoms are signs to stop and rest.

“When in doubt, listen to your body,” Dr. Varela advises. “Pushing through true pain can turn a minor issue into a bigger injury.”

Warning signs you shouldn’t ignore

Some symptoms should prompt a visit to your primary care physician.

“Big red flags include being unable to bear weight, significant joint swelling or redness, and bruising associated with severe muscle tears,” Dr. Varela says.

Even if rest and recovery are ultimately recommended, proper evaluation helps ensure nothing more serious is going on and can speed up safe return to activity.

If you’re starting a new workout routine or dealing with lingering pain, your primary care clinician can help guide the next steps. Learn more about care options through Tryon’s primary care specialty page or by scheduling an appointment. 

Staying active should build you up, not break you down. With a thoughtful approach to training, recovery, and injury prevention, you can move with confidence and consistency.