Logan Steele
It is not uncommon to experience a slight increase in body temperature during or after intense exercise, especially in hot and humid environments. This is because muscle activity is the principal source of body heat production. However, a significant elevation in body temperature could be a cause for concern, possibly indicating heat exhaustion, heatstroke, or another serious condition. In addition to causing fever, overworked muscles can also lead to muscle cramps, soreness, and in some cases, muscle damage and inflammation. This condition is known as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) or muscle fever, and it typically arises within the first day after exercise, peaking in intensity around 48 hours later.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Slight increase in body temperature | Common during or after exercise, especially in hot and humid environments |
| High or persistent fever | Can be a symptom of exertional heat exhaustion, heatstroke, or another serious condition |
| Muscle cramps | May be the first sign of overheating |
| Rhabdomyolysis | A condition causing fever and brown urine due to muscle proteins leaking into the bloodstream |
| Muscle soreness | Known as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) or "muscle fever," it is caused by temporary muscle damage and inflammation triggered by eccentric exercises |
| Treatment for muscle soreness | Magnesium supplementation, low-intensity work, massage, hot baths, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and gradual increase in exercise intensity |
| Fever as a coincidental symptom | Intense exercise may lower immunity and allow underlying illnesses to manifest as fever |
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What You'll Learn
Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)
Delayed-onset muscle soreness, or DOMS, is a familiar experience for athletes of all levels. DOMS is a type of muscle strain injury, resulting in a sore, aching, and painful feeling in the muscles after unfamiliar or unaccustomed intense exercise. The pain usually starts 12 to 24 hours after a workout and peaks in intensity at around 48 hours.
DOMS is thought to be caused by temporary muscle damage and inflammation, triggered by eccentric exercises. Eccentric exercises cause you to tense a muscle while simultaneously lengthening it. For example, the controlled, downward motion of straightening your forearm after a biceps curl is an eccentric movement. The way your quads tense up when running downhill is another example of an eccentric movement. Eccentric contractions recruit fewer motor units, so the force generated is distributed over a smaller cross-sectional area of the muscle, causing greater injury to the tissue.
DOMS symptoms can range from muscle tenderness to severe debilitating pain. The severity of the soreness is not related to the extent of the exercise-induced muscle damage. Other symptoms include swelling and tightness. While the inflammatory response is necessary for muscle soreness to occur, it is not sufficient to cause soreness on its own.
There are several treatments for DOMS. Time is the only treatment that will definitively heal DOMS, but there are steps you can take to ease the pain and stiffness while your muscles repair themselves. Cold water submersion may help with muscle soreness due to DOMS, but it does not target inflammation. Moist heat wraps or a warm bath may also help to ease the pain and stiffness associated with DOMS. Implementing recovery strategies after exercises that cause DOMS may be vital, as preventing and managing DOMS is key to restoring muscular strength and performance levels.
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Exertional heat illness (EHI)
Overworked muscles can cause a slight increase in body temperature or a fever. This is known as exertional heat illness (EHI) and is most likely to occur in hot, humid conditions. In these conditions, the body is less able to cool itself down through sweating, and the loss of water compromises the body's ability to maintain a normal temperature.
EHI can range from mild to severe. Mild heat illnesses include heat rash, heat cramps, heat edema, and heat syncope. More severe forms of EHI include exertional heat exhaustion (EHE) and exertional heat stroke (EHS). EHS is the most severe form of heat illness and can lead to multiple organ failure and even death if not treated promptly. It is characterised by altered mental status and a core body temperature of 40.5° C or higher.
To treat EHI, it is important to cool the body down and rehydrate. The affected person should lie down with their legs and feet elevated and drink cold water or a cold electrolyte replacement drink. They should remove any excess clothing. If available, an ice immersion tub or ice blanket can be used to help lower body temperature. It is important to monitor vital signs closely, as EHI can mimic other diseases and conditions.
To prevent EHI, it is important to gradually increase the intensity of exercise programs to allow the body to acclimate. Resting and staying hydrated can also help prevent EHI.
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Rhabdomyolysis
Symptoms of rhabdomyolysis include muscle pain, weakness, vomiting, confusion, and tea-coloured or reddish-brown urine. The severity of symptoms can vary, with milder forms sometimes causing no muscle symptoms at all. However, if the swelling is rapid, as in the case of a crush injury, it can lead to very rapid deterioration.
While a slight increase in body temperature during or after exercise is normal, a high or persistent fever after intense exercise could indicate exertional heat illness (EHI). EHI is more likely to occur in hot and humid conditions, as sweating—the body's primary method of heat dissipation—is less effective in these environments. Therefore, overworked muscles can contribute to a slight increase in body temperature, but rhabdomyolysis is a more severe condition that specifically involves muscle breakdown and has a range of other symptoms in addition to fever.
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Muscle cramps
To prevent muscle cramps, it is important to stretch, especially before exercising, and to stay hydrated. Sports drinks can help replace electrolytes lost during intense exercise or exercising in the heat. In addition, muscle relaxants and massage therapy may help alleviate muscle cramps.
While muscle cramps are usually harmless and resolve within a few minutes, they can sometimes indicate an underlying neurological condition, especially if accompanied by other symptoms such as muscle weakness, poor coordination, or vision issues. If muscle cramps are chronic or particularly painful, it is recommended to consult a healthcare provider for further evaluation and treatment.
It is worth noting that a high fever after intense exercise could be a sign of exertional heat exhaustion or heatstroke, which requires immediate medical attention. Additionally, rhabdomyolysis, a condition caused by muscle breakdown, can also lead to fever and requires prompt medical care to prevent serious complications such as kidney failure.
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Inflammation and swelling
Overworked muscles can cause a slight increase in body temperature, but this is usually not a fever. A high fever after exercise could be a symptom of exertional heat exhaustion or exertional heatstroke, which is a medical emergency.
Delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS, or muscle fever) is usually caused by new or unaccustomed exercises, particularly those that require eccentric muscle action. Eccentric action occurs when a muscle generates tension to control the rate at which it lengthens. DOMS usually arises within the first day after exercise and peaks in intensity around 48 hours later. It is associated with muscle tenderness and may be accompanied by swelling.
The initial event that causes DOMS is probably the mechanical disruption of sarcomeres, the contractile units within muscle fibres. This causes swelling of the damaged muscle fibres and triggers an inflammatory response, which may excite nociceptors (receptors capable of transmitting information about pain). However, it is important to note that muscle soreness is usually only felt when the muscle contracts or is stretched.
Swelling and inflammation are necessary but not sufficient conditions for muscle soreness to occur. Excitation of large-diameter muscle afferents, probably primary spindle afferents from stretch receptors in muscles, is involved in generating the sensation of soreness.
Massage can relieve tension and restore blood flow to sore muscles, helping athletes recover faster. Cold therapy, such as ice packs or cold baths, can help reduce inflammation and swelling for recent injuries or acute, throbbing pain. Heat therapy, on the other hand, is better for older injuries or general tension and stiffness, as it helps relax muscles and encourage blood flow.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like aspirin and ibuprofen, can also reduce inflammation and perceived soreness while hastening strength recovery. However, it is important to note that cryotherapy, stretching, homeopathy, ultrasound, and electrical current modalities have not been shown to alleviate muscle soreness or other DOMS symptoms.
While inflammation was historically viewed as detrimental to recovery from exercise, it is now generally accepted that tightly regulated inflammatory responses are part of the functional recovery of otherwise healthy skeletal muscle. However, more research is needed to understand how inflammation affects molecular aspects of muscle adaptation and remodelling.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, a slight increase in body temperature is common during or after intense exercise, especially in hot and humid environments. This is known as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) or muscle fever.
DOMS is a sore, aching, and painful feeling in the muscles after unfamiliar or unaccustomed intense exercise. It is a type of muscle strain injury with a pain-free period of 12 to 24 hours and peak soreness between 24 to 72 hours.
DOMS is caused by temporary muscle damage and inflammation, often triggered by eccentric exercises. Eccentric action occurs when a muscle generates tension to control the rate at which it lengthens.
Implementing recovery strategies is vital to managing DOMS and restoring muscular strength. This includes resting, hydrating, and gradually increasing exercise intensity. Some studies suggest that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can help with muscle injury and pain.
A high fever that persists after exercise could be a sign of exertional heat exhaustion or heatstroke, which requires immediate medical attention. It may also be a symptom of an underlying illness, such as a cold, flu, or kidney failure.
