Is It Soreness or an Injury? How to Know When to Keep Dancing
Your body’s talking — but what is it trying to say? Here’s how to tell if you just need recovery or if it’s time to take a step back and get help.
You crushed class, felt amazing… and now everything hurts.
That post-class ache can be totally normal — but sometimes it’s your body waving a little red flag.
Learning to tell the difference between muscle soreness and a developing injury can save you from weeks (or months) of frustration, pain, and time off. Let’s break it down.
💌 Take the “Is It Soreness or an Injury?” quiz to get your results and personalized recovery tips straight to your inbox!
What’s Actually Going On in Your Body
That heavy, achy feeling you get a day or two after a hard rehearsal? That’s called Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) — and it’s totally normal.
When you push your body past what it’s used to, tiny microtears form in your muscle tissue. Your body sends in healing cells to repair and rebuild, which is what creates that “oof” feeling the next morning. It’s your body adapting and getting stronger.
Soreness usually fades within 24–48 hours, and it actually improves with gentle movement, hydration, good nutrition, and sleep. The stronger and more conditioned you are, the less sore you’ll feel — which is why consistent strength and cardio training makes such a difference for dancers.
Now, an injury is different.
While soreness is your body adapting, an injury is your body struggling to keep up.
Overuse injuries happen when you’re repeating the same movement patterns without enough strength, rest, or recovery time. You’re asking your body to do more than it’s currently ready for — and over time, tissues start breaking down instead of rebuilding.
Another common cause of overuse injuries is improper technique or movement mechanics. Over time, these patterns put extra stress on muscles, ligaments, and tendons, which can eventually lead to overuse injuries.
Muscle Soreness vs. Overuse Injury
Muscle Soreness (Normal)
Shows up 24–48 hours after a tough class or rehearsal
Feels like a dull ache or tightness — not sharp or stabbing pain
Improves once you start moving or warming up
Gets better within a few days
Responds well to hydration, nutrition, and light movement
Overuse or Developing Injury
Pain lingers or gets worse over time
Feels sharp, pinpointed, or deep — not just muscle tightness
You find yourself changing how you move or compensating
Pain can show up early in class and gets worse as class progresses
It may even mess with your sleep or everyday movement
Knowing the difference helps you make smarter decisions about training, recovery, and when to get professional support — before it turns into a full-blown injury.
How to Reduce Soreness and Prevent Injury
Want to bounce back faster and stay ahead of injury? Focus on building long-term resilience:
💪 Start a strength training habit.
Load your muscles at least twice a week. This builds strength, stability, and endurance — which helps your body handle more without breaking down. You’ll not only recover faster, but dance stronger and with more control.
Pro-Tip: Start this habit between performance seasons when your schedule is more open.
💌 Take the “Is It Soreness or an Injury?” quiz to find out if your body just needs recovery or if it’s time to get a professional assessment. You’ll receive personalized recommendations from me to help you manage soreness — or start healing from an injury — right away.
✨ Your body is your instrument — learn to listen to it, train it wisely, and it will keep showing up for you.
