Muscular Pain

At a glance

Muscle aches and pains are common and can involve a single muscle or muscle group. Muscle pain can also involve ligaments, tendons, and fascia, the soft tissues that connect muscles, bones and organs.

Muscle pain is most frequently related to tension, overuse or overstretching, or muscle injury from exercise or work that is physically demanding. In these situations, the pain tends to involve specific muscles and starts during or just after the activity. It is usually obvious which activity is causing the pain. The pain can be made worse with more activity or stress.

Muscle pain may develop from a muscle injury or from excessive strain on a particular muscle or muscle group, ligament or tendon. Other causes include general fatigue, repetitive motions and medical conditions.

Muscle pain can also be a sign of conditions which affect the whole body, such as some infections, diseases and disorders that affect connective tissues throughout the body. Longer-term muscle pain may be indicative of a metabolic or nutritional deficiency, or chronic fatigue.

In some cases, the area where a person experiences muscle pain may not be where the pain is generated. Experts believe that the actual site of the injury or strain may prompt the development of a trigger point, which causes pain in other areas.