The Facts About DOMS

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is the name given to the pain and stiffness that can be felt in the muscles hours or days after exercise. Microtrauma inflicted on your body’s muscle fibers is the source of the problem. Here are some of the facts you should know about DOMS

Physical Stresses That Your Body Isn’t Used to Can Cause DOMS
First of all, you should be aware that strenuous physical activity is the most common cause of DOMS. When you push your body hard, you will feel the effects later on. If your body is used to high levels of activity and exercise, this might not become an issue for you. But if your body is not used to the workouts that you’re putting it through, then it won’t be a surprise if you do end up experiencing these kinds of problems. Building up your exercise routine gradually can help to prevent DOMS.

The Symptoms Usually Go Away After 72 Hours
For most people the symptoms associated with DOMS, such as the pain and tightness in the muscles, is gone after 72 hours. For many people, it might not even last that long. However, the usual length the pains last for is roughly 24-72 hours after the exercise that caused the problem in the first place. If your pains last for longer than that, you might want to seek medical attention. It’s not pleasant, but it will go away eventually. The problem is that it could return as soon as you exercise again.

The Soreness DOMS Causes is Called Muscular Mechanical Hyperalgesia
The name for the soreness that is caused by DOMS is muscular mechanical hyperalgesia. Repeating the workout you did but at a lower level of intensity is one of the best things you can do to resolve some of the symptoms of this problem. Muscles repair rapidly after small traumas, and it’s this that causes the soreness. It’s something that the body does in order to protect itself, but the consequences of this are soreness and pain.

Heat Can Be Used to Treat the Problem
Heat is one of the best medicines for the soreness associated with DOMS. Many people start using sauna, hot showers or heat packs to help alleviate some of the pain that they feel. This can go a long way to rectifying the problems, so give it some thought if you haven’t done so already. It could really help you to rid yourself of some of the pains associated with DOMS.

Massages Can Help Ease the Pain Too
Finally, you should also be aware that massages can get rid of some of these pains too. When you have a massage, it soothes the muscles in your body, and some of that soreness immediately retreats. If you can afford to pay for regular professional massages, it could be one of the best ways to help yourself through DOMS until your body gets used to the level of exercise intensity you’re putting it through on a regular basis.