Why do abs hurt

United States. Type keyword s to search. Today's Top Stories. Are Wider Tires Always Faster? Carol Yepes Getty Images. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below. Break Out the Hot Water Bottle. Flush and Feed. Work Through the Soreness. PeopleImages Getty Images. Try Some Compression. However, recurring or severe muscle soreness can be harmful, causing serious injuries. It can take a long time to recover from a torn muscle.

You may even injure other parts of your body if you try to exercise with an injury and push through the pain. Harvard Health Publishing suggests that intense physical exercise can even lead to rhabdomyolysis commonly known as rhabdo. Rhabdo is a very rare but serious condition that occurs when your muscles are so overstressed that their cells burst. When this happens, burst muscle cells enter your bloodstream and cause issues like weakness, soreness, pain and dark urine. Rhabdo can even lead to kidney problems and hospitalization.

However, it's unlikely that you'll end up with rhabdo due to accidentally overworked abs. According to an October interview with Dr. Todd Cutler of Weill Cornell Medicine , rhabdo is more likely to occur if you've suddenly gone from being a couch potato to attending high-intensity workout classes at your gym.

Essentially, rhabdo is only likely when your body isn't used to a dramatic increase in the level of exertion you're putting it through. It's important to gradually ease your body into new or more difficult forms of exercise, especially if you've overdone it in the past.

It's important to prevent recurring overworked abs. Doing so may require you to alter future workouts. Harvard Health Publishing recommends reducing the number of repetitions completed for each exercise. You may want to try fewer reps of very challenging exercises. First, find the level of repetitions you feel comfortable performing. Then, add one extra rep at a time. Don't add more reps until you feel comfortable with each individual addition.

Alternatively, you might want to try doing fewer sets. You might be comfortable with a single set of a difficult exercise, but two sets can be what triggered the negative side effects of the abs workout. In some cases, you might be doing just one exercise — but for a long period of time. If you're doing abdominal exercises like a plank or a hover, you might easily be able to hold it for 30 seconds at a time.

One minute, on the other hand, might be out of the question. Andrea Boldt has been in the fitness industry for more than 20 years. A personal trainer, run coach, group fitness instructor and master yoga teacher, she also holds certifications in holistic and fitness nutrition. Gentle stretching helps relieve sore abs. Video of the Day. Sore Muscles After a Workout. Use Epsom Salts. Over-the-Counter Medications.

Add Some Heat. Stretch Your Abs Out. Stretch your abs after working out. Step 1. Lie on your stomach on a mat or towel. Step 2. Step 3. Step 4. Hold for three or four breaths and release slowly.

Repeat several more times. Standing Side Bends. Stand tall with your feet about hip-distance apart. Reach your arms up by your ears. Return to center and repeat on the other side. Do as many repetitions as you'd like.