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Delayed onset muscle soreness

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Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) is the pain or discomfort often felt 24 to 76 hours after exercising and subsides generally within 2 to 3 days. Once thought to be caused by lactic acid buildup, a more recent theory is that it is caused by tiny tears in the muscle fibres caused by eccentric movements, or unaccustomed training levels. The reason for the demise of the lactic acid theory was that since lactic acid disperses fairly rapidly, it could not explain pain felt the next day.

More recent research (Ji-Guo Yu) claims that DOMS is not caused by the pain from damaged muscle cells, but from the reinforcement process. The muscle responds to training by reinforcing itself up to and above the previous strength by adding new sarcomeres—the segments in the muscle fibrils. This reinforcement process causes the cells to swell, and put pressure on to nerves and arteries, causing the DOMS.

Contents

Training under DOMS

Training does not make an existing DOMS worse, because the reinforcement process is already underway. As training will induce further damage to the muscles and thus more hypertrophy and reinforcement, it can add more swelling and pain, and lengthen the period of DOMS. Training in constant DOMS would be uncomfortable though one may be able to adapt to it. Perpetual DOMS may not be an ideal condition but could be seen as the ideal method of assuring velocity in muscle growth and fitness.

Suggestions for reduction of DOMS

  1. Stretch slowly. Studies [[Citing sources citation needed]] linking DOMS to stretching have been conducted and have mixed results—some say stretching causes DOMS and others say it doesn't. It is normally a good idea to warm up before exercising to warm the muscles, preparing them for and making them more efficient at doing the coming exercises. Stretching after exercising, especially if someone is new to stretching, should progress slowly. Stretching should only be done to the point of slight discomfort and held for 10-30 seconds (10 or less for beginners).
  2. For extreme pain relief, drugs such as aspirin or ibuprofen can be taken as prescribed. Aspirin increases the excretion of vitamin C which is used to reconstruct certain connective tissues and bone, and being deficient will lengthen recovery time, and the symptoms of DOMS.
  3. A study [[Citing sources citation needed]] on Vitamins, almost 40 years old, found that supplementing vitamin C lessened the pain associated with DOMS. This study has been criticized by some researchers [[Citing sources citation needed]] and has not been reevaluated by other tests. Defenders believe vitamin C should help because of its role in repairing connective tissues. Those experimenting with vitamin C supplementation for DOMS, should take it in quantities of 250 milligrams (mg) or less. The body absorbs vitamin C best in this range [[Citing sources citation needed]]. Anything more than this will probably be lost in the urine.
  4. Using a mortar and pestle for 'dry' vitamin supplements, herbs and drugs (those not delivered in gel, oil, or gel-cap form) may aid in their digestion and bio-incorporation. This makes adding vitamin supplements to shakes easier.

Recovery from DOMS

To lessen pain after exercise, thorough warming up is required. Warmer muscles are more flexible and less prone to damage.

External links

 

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