Lactic Acid and Muscle Soreness: What Massage Can and Cannot Do

Lactic acid often gets blamed for the muscle soreness that shows up a day or two after a tough workout, but it's not actually responsible. The soreness, known as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), is associated with your body's response to strenuous or unfamiliar exercise. So where does massage fit in? While it can't flush out lactic acid or prevent muscle soreness altogether, it may help ease some of the discomfort during recovery.

Where the "lactic acid causes soreness" idea came from

Lactic acid has been blamed for next-day muscle soreness for decades, and it's an easy explanation to believe: hard exercise, a burning sensation, and soreness the next day. It seems logical that lactic acid must still be sitting in the muscles, but the timeline doesn't actually line up. During intense exercise, lactate production increases alongside other changes associated with muscle fatigue and that familiar burning sensation. However, this is different from the soreness you feel a day or two later.

Lactate, the form in which lactic acid exists in the body, is typically processed and returned toward resting levels within about an hour after exercise, without any specific intervention needed. By the time next-day soreness sets in, lactate levels have generally returned to normal. The delayed soreness people experience is a separate process associated with the body's response to strenuous or unfamiliar exercise.

The misconception has stuck around partly because the two experiences seem connected. There's the burn during a hard set, followed by the ache the next day, making it easy to assume one causes the other. In reality, delayed muscle soreness involves a more complex response to exercise, including changes within muscle tissue and the body's inflammatory response.

What's actually behind the soreness (DOMS)

The stiffness and tenderness that show up a day or two after a hard or unfamiliar workout are often associated with delayed onset muscle soreness, known as DOMS. It's particularly common after eccentric movements, when a muscle lengthens under tension, such as the lowering phase of a squat or walking downhill during a hike.

The exact mechanisms behind DOMS are still being studied. It's generally associated with microscopic changes in muscle tissue and a subsequent inflammatory response as the body recovers and adapts to exercise. DOMS is a common response to unfamiliar movements or increases in training intensity, and it doesn't necessarily mean something has gone wrong.

DOMS typically develops within the first day, often peaks between 24 and 72 hours after exercise, and gradually eases over the following days. While it can be uncomfortable, it usually resolves on its own without specific treatment.

How sore you feel depends on more than just how hard you worked. Familiarity with a movement also plays a role. Exercises your muscles haven't performed recently may lead to more soreness than familiar movements performed at a similar intensity.

That's why the first outdoor hike of spring might leave you feeling sorer than a similar hike later in the season, or why returning to a sport after several months away can feel particularly challenging. Your body's response depends partly on your recent activity and training history.

What massage can do for muscle soreness

Research suggests massage may help some people feel a little less sore in the days after a hard workout, and it's often a pleasant part of recovery in its own right. The evidence suggests some benefit, although the extent of that benefit varies across studies.

What massage is often associated with is how the area feels in the moment: reduced tension, a sense of ease, and time spent paying attention to a part of your body you've been working hard. For a lot of people, that's worth booking on its own, separate from any specific effect on the muscle tissue itself.

How much difference it makes can depend on the person, the type of soreness, and even expectations going into the session. Someone who books a massage specifically for post-workout soreness and finds it helpful isn't necessarily imagining that relief. The experience can be meaningful, even when the underlying mechanisms aren't fully understood.

That's part of why we ask what you're hoping to get out of a session rather than assuming. A firefighter coming off a run of overnight shifts and a recreational triathlete two days after a challenging training session may both describe "soreness," but the pattern, the muscles involved, and what helps them feel better can look quite different.

When muscles are particularly sore following exercise, lighter pressure may be more comfortable than firm, sustained techniques. Pressure and treatment approaches can be adjusted based on how the area feels, how recently the activity took place, and the individual's comfort level.

Some people also find that the opportunity to lie still, slow down, and relax contributes to feeling better overall. That's another part of what a massage session can offer, even if it's not the effect on muscle tissue people usually have in mind when booking for soreness.

What massage cannot do

Massage doesn't speed up how quickly lactate leaves your muscles. Lactate levels typically return toward normal well before delayed muscle soreness begins. Massage also hasn't been shown to meaningfully speed up the removal of metabolic byproducts, which your body processes naturally without any specific intervention.

It's also not a substitute for the basics that support recovery: adequate sleep, hydration, and giving your muscles enough time between challenging workouts to adapt. Massage can be one part of managing how your body feels, but it doesn't replace those habits or make up for consistently inadequate recovery between training sessions.

Gentle movement the day after a hard workout, such as walking or easy cycling, may help reduce feelings of stiffness and discomfort. This is often referred to as active recovery, and it can be a useful option depending on how you're feeling.

If your job already keeps you moving throughout the day, whether you're working in the trades or spending long shifts on your feet as a first responder, some of that movement may serve a similar purpose. However, physically demanding work can also add to fatigue, so finding a balance between activity and rest is important.

When soreness needs more than massage

Ordinary DOMS typically eases gradually over several days, presenting as general tenderness or stiffness through the muscles you've worked rather than a single sharp point of pain.

If soreness continues to worsen, feels unusually severe, or comes with significant swelling or weakness, it's worth seeking medical assessment to rule out injuries such as muscle strains or ligament sprains. Dark urine following intense exercise requires urgent medical attention.

While massage may not be appropriate immediately following an acute injury, it can be incorporated into recovery as the injury progresses, helping address surrounding muscle tension, discomfort, or compensatory movement patterns based on individual assessment findings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does massage remove lactic acid from your muscles?

No. Lactate levels typically return toward normal within about an hour after exercise, without any specific intervention. By the time next-day muscle soreness develops, lactate is no longer elevated from the workout and isn't responsible for the discomfort.

What actually causes muscle soreness after exercise?

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is associated with microscopic changes in muscle tissue and the body's inflammatory response following strenuous or unfamiliar exercise. The exact mechanisms are still being studied, but DOMS is a common response to new movements or increases in training intensity.

Can massage help with DOMS?

Research suggests massage may help some people feel less sore following exercise, although the extent of the benefit varies across studies. Many people also find it a relaxing and enjoyable part of their recovery routine.

How soon after a hard workout should I book a massage?

There's no specific waiting period that applies to everyone. If your muscles are particularly tender, lighter pressure may be more comfortable than deep tissue techniques. Your therapist can adjust the treatment based on how you're feeling and how recently you exercised.

Is it normal for soreness to peak two days after exercise?

Yes. DOMS often develops within the first day, peaks between 24 and 72 hours after exercise, and gradually improves over the following days. This is a typical pattern, particularly after unfamiliar or challenging activity.

When should soreness be checked by a doctor instead of a massage therapist?

If soreness continues to worsen, feels unusually severe, or is accompanied by significant swelling or weakness, medical assessment is recommended to check for a possible injury. Dark urine following intense exercise requires urgent medical attention.

Booking a massage for recovery

If you're dealing with the kind of soreness that shows up after a tough shift, a heavy training block, or getting back into activity after time off, that's a familiar reason people in Maple Ridge and the Fraser Valley book with us. We'll ask about what you've been doing, how sore the area is right now, and what you're hoping the session does, before deciding on pressure and approach together.

You can read more about our registered massage therapy services, or see how we think about ordinary soreness versus soreness worth booking for. We've also written in more detail about massage and muscle soreness specifically if you'd like to go further into it.

You can book online whenever it suits you.

This article is intended for general educational purposes and is not a substitute for individualized medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Consult an appropriate healthcare professional for guidance specific to your health concerns.