Why does my arm become sore and achy even with slight physical activity?

Generally, if the arms feel sore after doing even light physical work, it may be due to insufficient muscle strength, improper working posture, lateral epicondylitis, cervical spondylosis, shoulder periarthritis, or other causes. It is recommended to seek medical attention promptly, identify the underlying cause, and receive symptomatic treatment under a doctor's guidance. Specific analyses are as follows:

1. Insufficient muscle strength: Long-term lack of exercise can lead to weak arm muscles. During physical activity, these muscles fatigue easily, resulting in lactic acid buildup and subsequent soreness. Daily exercises such as dumbbell lifting or push-ups can help strengthen arm muscles. Start with low weights and short durations, gradually improving muscle strength and endurance.

2. Improper working posture: Excessive bending, stretching, or maintaining the same arm position for prolonged periods during work places continuous strain on muscles and ligaments, leading to soreness. Adjust your working posture to keep arms naturally relaxed, avoid overexertion or prolonged static positions, and take breaks every 20 minutes to stretch and move your arms.

3. Lateral epicondylitis: Repeated strenuous use of the arm over time can cause inflammation of tendons on the outer side of the elbow joint, resulting in arm soreness when exerting force. Patients may follow medical advice to use medications such as ibuprofen sustained-release capsules, diclofenac sodium enteric-coated tablets, or celecoxib capsules to reduce inflammation.

4. Cervical spondylosis: Herniated cervical discs or bone spurs may compress nerve roots. Arm movements during work can aggravate nerve irritation, causing soreness, often accompanied by finger numbness. Patients should follow medical advice to use medications such as mecobalamin tablets, vitamin B1 tablets, or Jingfukang granules to nourish nerves and alleviate symptoms.

5. Shoulder periarthritis: Inflammation of soft tissues around the shoulder joint restricts shoulder movement. Arm motions during work may pull on inflamed areas, causing soreness. Patients may follow medical advice to use etoricoxib tablets, meloxicam tablets, or loxoprofen sodium tablets to reduce inflammation.

When performing daily tasks, use tools to reduce arm strain—such as using a cart instead of carrying items by hand. Keep arms warm to prevent cold exposure from worsening discomfort. During rest, gently massage arm muscles to promote blood circulation and help prevent recurrent soreness.