Most of us have been felt it sometimes – and if you haven’t, chances are you will at some point. That dull pain that can set in up to a couple of days after a particularly harsh workout, and makes even the smallest movement an absolute torment. While it can happen to everyone, regardless of age and condition, and can be annoying or painful as hell, there’s no need to let the idea put you off your exercise. Here’s why.

What is Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)?

While the exact nature of DOMS still subject to discussion in some circles, it is generally understood to be an inflammatory response of the body in response to tissue damage caused during exercise. Now, any exercise you do which is in the least bit challenging will cause at least a little bit of damage to your muscle tissue. This is a good thing. While it can cause some soreness, the damaged tissue gets repaired pretty quickly given decent food and rest, and the muscle gets stronger than it was to begin with.

This process allows the body to adapt naturally to stuff you make it do; without this damage, there is no exercise plan that would work.

The problem seems to crop up when the damage is bigger than the body is used to, which is one of the reasons why beginners can often get hit more often and harder than seasoned veterans. If your body has never faced that level of damage before, it’s going to panic even if the damage is fairly minor – it’s just so much more damage than it’s used to!

Try to remember when you skinned your knee or sliced your finger as a child – today you’d shrug it off as a minor discomfort at most, but when you were a child it was probably the WORST THING EVER, right? Your body reacts in much the same way, and causes an inflammation.

This can happen hours or days after the workout which caused it, but don’t worry. Over time, your body will come to understand that this isn’t a big deal, and can take it in its stride without hitting you with an inflammation.

Is DOMS a good thing?

If soreness means that the body is adapting, lots of soreness should mean that the body will adapt more, right?

Well, if you’re already sore right now, we’ll just say that it definitely means you’re going to be a bit stronger soon as you recover. Jump ahead to the next section and make sure you come back to read the rest of this one when you’re better.

Everyone else: don’t go looking for it. While it’s not a disaster if it strikes, working out to the point where you get it is not going to make you stronger any faster than a slightly less intense regimen.

DOMS is not a perfect indicator of muscle damage, so it doesn’t necessarily mean it happens because you made loads of progress. In fact, if you end up not training because you’re too sore to move, you’re actually slowing yourself down. This goes against both our goals: getting healthier as efficiently as possible AND enjoying life.

As Mark Rippetoe (Starting Strength) put it, “Soreness is an unavoidable part of training, but it should not be sought after as a primary objective and worn as a badge of honour for its own sake”.

Dealing with DOMS

Unfortunately there are no known silver bullets for DOMS. Until fairly recently, it was suggested that consuming sugar after a workout would prevent it, but unfortunately this has been disproved, so put away that idea for post-workout cake. Ice has also been found to be ineffective, although heat based treatment seems to help.

In general, any activity which helps the blood flow in the affected muscles should help – massage, stretching, and even light exercise may alleviate the pain. In general, the condition will usually sort itself out on its own without needing any additional help.

While there are certain situations which may require medical help, the effort required to trigger these situations is well beyond what a beginner should be able to inflict on him or herself. Basically, if you start peeing a funny colour, go see a doctor.

Avoiding the problem

Trying NOT to get DOMS in the first place sounds like a better idea than suffering through it. Again, there are no hard and fast rules that always work for everyone, but a few basic principles can help protect you.

Do not overdo it

Trying to do too much in one workout won’t make you stronger any faster – the best training programmes work slowly over a long time.

Besides, you’re going to be in your body for the rest of your life – is getting a quick result more important than being healthier and stronger a little further down the line?

Give your body time to adapt

Don’t jump between exercises randomly, with random intensities. Constantly shocking your body with new exercises without staying on any one long enough is asking for trouble. You need time to adapt to an exercise.

Give yourself time to rest and eat properly

While they may not cure DOMS, a good diet and plenty of sleep will help your body with its normal adaptation so it’s a bit less likely to happen. Both will also keep you more energized and alert, so it’s a win all around!

If you haven’t done something in a while, don’t jump into it where you left off

Muscles forget too! If you haven’t trained in months, don’t expect to be able to pick up an exercise at the same intensity and volume as when you stopped. You probably won’t have regressed back to square one, but take it easy and figure out where you’re at before you dive back in!

Apart from muscle soreness, this can save you from a bunch of other unpleasantries – your mind may remember the technique, but your body just isn’t conditioned to respond properly, which can really spoil your day.

Hopefully this post helps you figure your way around DOMS. Good training, and stay well!

Header image: Pain Knuckle Tattoo, by Steven Depolo – Attribution 2.0 Generic License