muscle soreness
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muscle soreness
Pain in the muscles that typically occurs one to two days after unfamiliar or intense physical exertion.
Nach der langen Wanderung hatte ich einen schrecklichen Muskelkater in den Beinen.
After the long hike, I had terrible muscle soreness in my legs.
The word is a figurative compound made up of 'der Muskel' (muscle) and 'der Kater' (tomcat / hangover). Here, 'Kater' does not only mean 'male cat', but colloquially also 'hangover'. So the pain feels like a 'hangover' in the muscles.
Dieses Wort ist ein gutes Beispiel für den Humor in der deutschen Sprache.
This word is a good example of the humor in the German language.
The most common collocation is 'einen Muskelkater haben' (to have muscle soreness). To name the location, you use the preposition 'in' with the dative.
Ich habe heute einen schlimmen Muskelkater in den Armen.
I have really bad muscle soreness in my arms today.
'Muskelkater' (muscle soreness) is a very common everyday word. The formal medical term for the pain would be 'Muskelschmerz' (muscle pain), but in normal conversation almost everyone uses 'Muskelkater'.
Mein Trainer hat gesagt, ein leichter Muskelkater nach dem Training sei normal.
My trainer said that mild muscle soreness after training is normal.
cramp
'der Krampf' and 'der Muskelkater' both have to do with muscle pain, but they arise differently and feel different. A cramp comes on suddenly: a muscle contracts strongly, often very painfully, and for a short time you cannot move it properly. Muscle soreness usually comes later, often the next day after exercise or unfamiliar physical effort. Then the muscles hurt when you move, but they do not suddenly contract. Learners may confuse the words because both can happen after exercise. Remember: 'Krampf' is sudden and acute, while 'Muskelkater' comes afterward and lasts longer.
Nach dem ersten Training im Fitnessstudio hatte Lisa zwei Tage lang Muskelkater.
After her first workout at the gym, Lisa had muscle soreness for two days.
Beim Schwimmen bekam Tom plötzlich einen Krampf in der Wade.
While swimming, Tom suddenly got a cramp in his calf.