[jenniepepsi]

How can I tell the difference between just soreness due to my body being out of shape for 10 *if not more* years, and actually being injured?

Ive been going to the gym at my apt complex every weekday (mon-fri) morning, and doing 1 hour in the gym. I start on the treadmill to get my heart rate up, then I go to the universal gym for weight training, low weight (but quick to keep my HR up) to strengthen my joins and muscles and tendons. Then I go to the bike to make sure my heart rate doesn't go down. Then back to the universal gym, then back to the tread mill.

I switch every ten minutes, and do that back and forth for an hour. Sometimes an hour and a half if I feel I'm at a point where I need to keep pushing.

I've been doing this for 3 weeks now. And this week, for some reason, only ONE muscle is giving me grief. My whole body feels great, in and out of the gym now. Its amazing and I love the feeling.

But my right arm, one of the muscles have started to scream at me, even when I'm not in the gym, doing every day movements like reaching up into a cupboard, or pulling a door open or closed. I looked at a muscle chart in one of my anatomy books from when I was in school, and it definitely looks like most of the pain is in my deltoid, with some of it going down into my biceps, especially when I'm using it.

I hope I describe it right... it feels like a sharp but throbbing pain, kind of burning, and it only last for as long as I use that muscle. Once I stop, the pain is gone.
Its not getting worse. But it is not getting better either. In the gym this morning I actually had to let my left arm carry my right when doing presses or pulls.


Now, obviously, go to the doctor. :P I never shirk at going to the doc when I need to. And I plan to definitely. Especially since this isn't going away or getting better.

But how can I tell between a muscle that is injured and needs to be given a rest, verses a muscle that is just working hard and I can push through it.

Should I give my arm a rest in the gym until I get into the doc?

And one more question lol,
Ice or heat to make it feel better?

[salvync]

I weight train all the time.
I had never get seriously injured, but a bad injury usually comes with a sharp pain.

[jenniepepsi]

Thank you :) I actually spoke to one of the trainers in the local public gym about this a while ago. Turned out as I was doing seated chest presses on the universal gym, I was allowing my arms and shoulders to go back too far. Which was I guess you could say hyper extending the muscles in my shoulder and chest.

I readjusted my settings and went easy on my arm for a few weeks and all was well again :)

[Gamed]

Well being as you said you were out of shape for 10 years makes it more likely that you hurt yourself. If you just needed a rest than more than 1 muscle would feel this way.

HEAT will relieve pain.