If your muscles are sore for no obvious reason, think back one to two days and you may pinpoint the cause. Delayed onset muscle soreness is a common issue in people who have recently begun an exercise program, increased their weightlifting load or changed from one type of exercise to another, according to Health Services at Columbia University.
Causes
Although doctors know that activities such as increasing your weightlifting load can lead to muscle soreness, they aren't entirely sure why that is the case. However, they have some theories. Connective tissue damage, inflammation, lactic acid, muscle spasms or an integration of two different problems could be to blame, according to researchers from the School of Community Health and Sports Studies at the Auckland University of Technology, in a study published in 2003 in "Sports Medicine." It is also known that the duration of an exercise, the intensity of the exercise and the type of the exercise can determine the severity of soreness. For example, eccentric muscle contractions -- how your muscles respond when lowering a weight back down -- are more likely than concentric contractions to produce tiny muscle injuries that cause pain.
Treatment
A variety of treatment strategies may help reduce delayed onset muscle soreness and quickly bring muscles back to maximal function. Massage therapy and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen may be beneficial. Additionally, low-intensity exercises are safe for a sore body and can temporarily reduce pain by producing feel-good chemicals such as endorphins. However, methods such as stretching, ultrasound and cryotherapy haven't proved effective in reducing delayed onset muscle soreness.
Prevention
Give your muscles at least 24 to 48 hours to recover from weightlifting. That doesn't necessarily mean you have to spread your sessions out to every two or three days. Simply focus on two or three muscle groups per day and alternate from one day to the next. Additionally, don't try to make dramatic gains by lifting too much too soon. You should be able to comfortably perform 12 to 15 repetitions with one weight before you go up to the next level. Also, stretch your muscles and do at least 5 minutes of cardio to warm up before every weightlifting session and rest 1 to 3 minutes between each set.
Warning
Don't exercise too hard when your muscles are already very sore. You will likely change your body mechanics to reduce stress on sore muscles, placing extra stress on your tendons and ligaments and increasing your risk of becoming injured, according to the American Council on Exercise. You may be overtraining if you begin to experience: fatigue, a resting heart rate that is higher than normal, depression or other mood disturbances, heightened sensitivity to flu and colds, insomnia, reduced appetite, worsening athletic performance and consistent muscle and joint soreness. If you believe this applies to you, give your body at least a few days to recover and get further weight training advice from your doctor.
References
- "Sports Medicine"; Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness: Treatment Strategies and Performance Factors; 2003; K. Cheung, et al
- Health Services at Columbia University: Muscle Soreness and Weightlifting; March 1996
- The Nemours Foundation: Strength Training
- American Council on Exercise: Don't Be a Sore Loser - Dealing with Muscle Soreness
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