Long COVID Muscle Pain – What Really Helps When Your Body Won't Relax

Very few people have been able to avoid contracting COVID-19 in recent years, and for many, fortunately, it had no lasting effects. But for some, an invisible battle began only after that, one that continues to this day. 

About one in two people with long COVID report persistent muscle pain—a symptom that is easily underestimated in everyday life. Although it’s often not apparent from their appearance, they feel it with every movement, every step, and sometimes even while resting.

The pain is often vague, hard to pinpoint, and yet extremely debilitating. Many people feel cut off from their energy, and their bodies seem to be constantly tense or overstimulated. 

But as burdensome as these symptoms may be, there are ways to regain some control. From targeted exercise to gentle relaxation techniques, many small steps can help you achieve your goal of greater well-being.

 

Recommended Reading: If you’d like to know which conditions massages can specifically help with, you’ll find practical answers in the article “From Head to Toe—Here’s Where Massages Help.”

 

What Happens in the Body? The Causes Behind Long COVID Muscle Pain

Muscle pain following a COVID-19 infection is not a coincidence, nor is it a classic symptom, as is sometimes the case with viral infections. Researchers suspect that a combination of several factors is behind this: inflammatory processes in the tissues, persistent dysregulation of the immune system, and disturbances in sensory processing within the nervous system. These connections are also described in the AWMF’s S1 Guideline “Long/Post-COVID Syndrome” (2024), which classifies Long COVID as a complex multisystem disease.

Unlike with traditional muscle soreness, the causes are not acute overexertion and micro-injuries, but rather the interplay of the immune response, nerve irritation, and exhaustion. This explains why many people affected feel constantly tense, hypersensitive, or simply as if they’ve just finished an exhausting workout—even without any physical activity.

Some of these symptoms resemble chronic pain syndromes such as central pain syndrome, in which the nervous system remains, so to speak, “tuned to pain.”

You can also find out more about this in our article: Muscle Pain After COVID-19.

 

What Long COVID pain feels like and why it's so hard to pin down

Dull, sharp, burning—Long COVID muscle pain takes many forms. Some describe it as similar to muscle soreness, while others feel more of an internal tension or even a “pulling resistance” in their arms, legs, or even their back. What they all have in common: They often occur regardless of physical activity, or even with minimal exertion.

In short: When even climbing stairs or carrying a shopping basket is painful, everyday life simply becomes a torment. The body reacts with hypersensitivity, sometimes seemingly for no apparent reason. And what was still possible yesterday can become an obstacle today, because the symptoms fluctuate greatly from day to day. 

It is precisely this unpredictability that makes dealing with it so challenging, both physically and emotionally. What’s more, this type of symptom is also difficult to pinpoint from a diagnostic standpoint.

 

What Really Helps? – Treatment Options for Long COVID Muscle Pain

Since this is a complex physiological response, a multifaceted approach is needed. Medications such as low-dose antidepressants or certain pain relievers can help reduce pain perception in the central nervous system, but they are usually only part of the solution.

In addition, physical therapy, exercise therapy, and psychosomatic support are used. The so-called multimodal pain therapyhas proven particularly effective, as it combines medical, therapeutic, and psychological approaches. 

It addresses not only the symptoms but also lifestyle habits, thereby offering a new perspective on managing chronic conditions. As with many treatments, this one also requires personal initiative and a positive attitude.

Recommended Reading: Pain Management – Understanding Pain and Improving Your Quality of Life

What You Can Do Yourself: Strategies for Coping with Long COVID Muscle Pain in Your Daily Life

Unfortunately, Long COVID pain can’t simply be “exercised away,” but there are ways to regain more control. Gentle exercise is one of them—not to improve performance, but to keep the muscles active and to stimulate them more consciously. 

Even even small mobility exercises or short walks can help improve body awareness and reduce sensitivity to stimuli.

Also stimulus reduction and stress management play an important role. Relaxation techniques such as breathing exercises or progressive muscle relaxation can also help. The latter is a technique in which you tense and then release muscle groups one after another to relax your entire body, which can have a calming effect on the nervous system. 

Many people with this condition also find gentle massages soothing. The steady, low-pressure stimulation has a balancing effect; it can reduce hypersensitivity and promote a better sense of well-being. 

 

Recommended Reading: In our article“How Massages Affect the Nervous System,” you can learn more about this very topic.

 

Massage Chairs for Long COVID – Relief for the Body and Nervous System

If massages are your preferred choice, then massage chairs quickly become a topic of interest. Their versatility in everyday use and a variety of gentle massage and relaxation programs make them an excellent option. 

This is especially true when the trip to physical therapy is too exhausting and painful. They offer targeted pressure massage, soothing warmth, and gentle stimulation—all passive and individually adjustable.

Especially helpful for Long COVID muscle pain: the combination of air pressure massage and heat function. It gently envelops the arms and legs and delivers steady stimulation that can soothe the overstimulated nervous system. The ability to adjust the intensity flexibly also makes the treatment particularly gentle.

A good example of this is the MSW-300 massage chair —designed for users with sensitive skin, with a focus on gentle pressure distribution and soothing heat therapy. 

You can find more similar styles in our Health Collection, which is specially designed to meet the needs of those with sensitive skin.

 

Living with Long COVID Muscle Pain: Regaining Control of Your Daily Life

Muscle pain following a COVID-19 infection is more than just an annoying symptom; for many people, it is a long-term burden that takes a toll on both their physical and mental well-being. But even if the causes lie deep within the nervous system, that doesn’t mean you’re helpless against them.

There are ways to gradually regain a better quality of life: through exercise at your own pace, through mindful relaxation, and through tools that gently support you. 

Massage chairs can play a supportive role in this regard: not as a substitute for therapy, but as oases of relaxation that are always ready to offer your body rest, structure, and targeted stimulation.

Sometimes change starts small, with new routines that, step by step, lead to greater peace of mind and inner balance.

Note: This article is not a substitute for a medical diagnosis or treatment. If your symptoms persist or are severe, you should seek medical advice.