Forums >Running 101>Do young children get sore muscles from activity?
rectumdamnnearkilledem
When I was a kid I dont recall getting the same kind of sore muscles, but my knees would KILL me when I was trying to sleep. I didnt get serious muscle soreness until college.
I remember the knee pain being excruciating at times...maybe worst from 6-10, or so, when I was relatively tall for a few years.
Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to
remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.
~ Sarah Kay
My 13 year old daughter is fairly athletic, but at her age, she has mentioned sore muscles a number of times. My eight year old is not athletic, (and rarely pushes herself that hard), and has only mentioned sore muscles once, after a long 14 mile hike.
I agree with what many of the others have said previously. But, I do have an interesting observation to point out.
I am a martial arts instructor and I teach a "Tiny Tots" class twice per week. When working with 3-4 year old kids, they seem to be able to push themselves right to the point of exhaustion. I do notice that when we do cardio types of exercises, (running, jumping, kicking, etc), they lose their breath, but I can't recall any of them ever saying they are sore beyond class. Just happy parents, enjoying their kid's nap time.
In terms of muscle stiffness? Definitely! I remember being barely able to walk after soccer and rugby games as a kid.
Certified Running CoachCrocked since 2013
My 13 year old daughter started cross fit training two days a week about six weeks ago. She is a competitive swimmer who was already in great shape. Her coach started the team on cross fit to "build explosiveness." She was sore after the first few sessions of cross fit. Now, after only six weeks of it, she is already stronger and more ripped. But, yes, she was sore.
Have you seen kids doing Crossfit? My Physical Therapist and Chiropractor are overwhelmed treating Crossfit injuries.
I give Crossfit is an 8 on a scale of 1-10 in causing serious long-term injuries.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNQoec2JI08
not bad for mile 25
I'm sure I got sore muscles as a kid, the few times I was on a repetitive, focused task. I think the main difference with us grown-ups is that kids rarely keep doing the same thing long enough to get sore. They have more interesting lives than we do.