What is Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness?

Written by: Taylor Post CAT(C), Certified Athletic Therapist
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Maybe you’re getting back in the gym after a long time away, or did a particularly tough workout yesterday. Could be a full day doing yard work or playing with your grandkids? Regardless of the cause, this increase in activity can leave you sore in places you’ve never felt before. You may not even be able to walk very well… and good luck sitting down on the toilet! 
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While it can be quite painful and debilitating, Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) is a totally normal body process. It’s the pain you feel 24-72 hours after physical activity as a result of microscopic tears in our muscles. The body responds to this micro-trauma by increasing inflammation in order to repair the damage and rebuild stronger tissue. Delayed onset muscle soreness should not be confused with acute muscle pain. Discomfort or pain felt during or immediately after workout is a different kind of muscle soreness. For example, the burning in your legs at the end of a heavy squat set would disappear shortly after you stop squatting. Alternatively, any sharp or sudden pain felt while exercising may be caused by an acute injury (strain, sprain etc.) and should be managed differently.

Experiencing DOMS after a workout means you worked hard enough to trigger changes in the muscle. This does not mean however, that you need to feel soreness after exercise for it to have been an effective or meaningful workout. It’s just a signal from our body to ease up and allow the body to recover/rebuild.

The bad news is, DOMS can affect just about everyone, from elite athletes to beginners. Regardless of fitness level, you will experience soreness if you crank up your workout intensity or try a new type of activity that your body isn’t used to. The good news is that this pain is temporary (DOMS usually resolve after 2-4 days), and that your body will naturally adapt to come back stronger. There are also steps that you can take to help ease your pain in the meantime. Check out the list below for a quick guide to defeating DOMS.

Take Time to Rest/ Sleep 

• Really the only cure for DOMS is time. It is important to rest and not just keep pushing your body harder or through the pain, which could lead to injury. While recovering you may need to plan workouts that focus on other muscle groups or simply take full rest days. Sleep is also essential to the recovery process because it allows the body to restore, rebuild and adapt.

Hydrate 

• Drinking water before and during physical activity can help prevent muscle soreness by maintaining blood volume and the bodies electrolyte balance. The proper balance between water and electrolytes is crucial to how our systems function, including nerves and muscles.
• Replenishing fluids after exercise is also important because muscles are made up of a high percentage of water. Water flushes toxins out of the muscles, transports fresh nutrients into the cells and helps regulate body temperature and pH balance.

Heat/Cold Therapy  

• A warm bath with Epsom Salts, or heating pad can help soothe muscle soreness by increasing circulation and relieving muscle tension.
• Alternatively, a cold shower or ice bath can offer some pain relief and has even been thought to reduce inflammation… but research on their effectiveness has been unclear.
• Can’t decide? Try a contrast shower, alternating between temperatures will cause the blood vessels to dilate and constrict, promoting blood flow.

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