If you've ever put 100 percent into a strenuous workout, you know the next-day feeling when the muscles you work are tender and sore. That condition is known as delayed onset muscle soreness, or DOMS. A common and normal condition, it can stop you from getting back to the gym and working out again. Knowing how to distinguish DOMS from an injury can help you discern the right course of treatment to reduce the soreness.
DOMS vs. Injuries
The most common cause of pain following a workout is DOMS. DOMS is characterized by tenderness and soreness, specifically in the area of the body that you exercised. DOMS is usually worse the morning after a workout and slowly recedes in the days following the workout. DOMS should never be so severe that it stops you from exercising again .If you experience debilitating or sharp and sudden pain, you've likely suffered an injury, like a sprain, rather than DOMS.
Causes
When you exercise your body strenuously and don't properly prepare for that exercise, you create tiny microscopic tears in the muscle tissue in your body as you strain. These tiny tears are what feel sore the day after your workout, but as they heal, they create stronger muscle tissue. That's why the soreness is generally overshadowed by the benefits of exercise for your body and is seen as a normal and natural reaction to a strenuous workout. So long as your soreness doesn't prevent you from exercise, it's nothing to worry about.
Prevention
One of the ways to prevent muscle soreness after a workout is to stretch before your workout. Stretching and warming up beforehand lengthens the muscles and makes them less prone to tearing and discomfort. In order to stretch effectively, combine a functional warm up, like walking, jogging or dancing, for five minutes with the stretching of each major muscle group. A study published in a 2005 issue of the "Journal of Athletic Training" found that pre-workout stretching effectively reduce next-day soreness in athletes.
Treatment
If you wake up the morning after a workout feeling stiff and sore, it's important that you move your body. While rest can seem more comfortable, loosening the muscles is a better course of action. If you've worked your biceps and arms, give them a rest and work another major muscle group when you exercise. You can also take over-the-counter painkillers or apply a warm compress to the muscles in order to loosen tightness and relieve some of the discomfort you experience. If your pain is severe or sharp, contact your doctor.
References
- ABC News; Is Muscle Pain After Vigorous Exercise Normal; What Can I Do To Relieve It?; J.C. Gerancher; Nov. 2008
- "U.S. News"; Aches and Pains: Sizing Up Soreness After Exercise; Katherine Hobson; March 2008
- "Journal of Athletic Training"; Stretching Before and After Exercise: Effect on Muscle Soreness and Injury Risk; J. C Andersen; July 2005
- "Metro Weekly"; The Pain of Gain; Kimberly E. Soehnlein; March 2004
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