Muscle soreness after exercise, otherwise known as delayed onset muscle soreness, can hinder both your exercise routine and daily activities. If you feel a dull soreness for a few days after an intense bout of physical activity, it is likely that you are suffering from this common condition. If this soreness is accompanied by shooting pains and swelling, however, you may have caused more serious damage to your shoulders
Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness
Delayed onset muscle soreness, or DOMS, is caused by physical damage to your muscle fibers. While it was once believed that lactic acid buildup plays a role in DOMS, this theory has lost favor due to the majority of the lactic acid being removed from the muscle site shortly after exercise. Unlike muscle strains and common aches and pains, the symptoms of DOMS begin to appear eight hours after exercise and continue for many days. Characterized by a lasting, dull soreness and some mild swelling, DOMS commonly occurs after beginning a new and demanding exercise routine.
Eccentric Exercise
Small tears to your muscle fibers contribute to the pain characteristic of DOMS. Eccentric exercise, or exercise that involves contracting your muscles while extending them, is one of the most effective ways of inducing such tears. While any demanding physical activity can potentially cause DOMS, eccentric exercises are more likely to lead to DOMS symptoms due to the great stress they place on your muscles.
A great example of eccentric exercise is the downward motion of a squat. By slowly lowering yourself, your muscles contract to slow the effects of gravity, holding your body up while extending as you bend your knees.
Treatment for DOMS
According to Declan Connolly of the University of Vermont, there is no consensus on effective treatments for DOMS. In a 2003 review of DOMS treatments, Connolly found ice and anti-inflammatory medication to be the most effective, with acupuncture, herbal remedies, massage and stretching generally ineffective.
Despite discrepancies in the research, Connolly suggests that antioxidant supplements may help in the treatment of DOMS. However, Cian McGinley at the University of Limerick, Ireland, found no such effect in a 2009 review of the literature. Many studies demonstrate that antioxidant supplements may interfere with your body's natural adaptations to exercise. As this can impede recovery from DOMS and worsen its symptoms, McGinley recommends against taking high dose antioxidant supplements.
Muscle Strains
Unlike DOMS, muscle strains are characterized by intense, immediate shooting pains to a particular area, often accompanied by bruising and swelling. While DOMS is a normal part of beginning a new, demanding exercise routine, strains occur when an exercise is performed incorrectly or too frequently. This incorrect or overly zealous exercising can lead to severe muscle tears, twists or overextension, leading to the symptoms associated with muscle strains.
Though not accompanied with a delay similar to DOMS, strains become less severe with time, often reducing in pain to soreness similar to that of DOMS. If you did not experience intense pain while exercising or immediately after, it is unlikely that a strain is the cause of your sore shoulders.
Treatment for Strains
If you are experiencing a great deal of discomfort and swelling from a muscle strain, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible. If your symptoms are not so severe, rest your shoulder and apply ice for two to three days after the strain. Coupled with anti-inflammatory and pain medications, rest and ice will help relieve the pain and swelling in your shoulder. Once you feel comfortable, performing light exercises, stretching and applying heat to your shoulder will help to speed up your recovery.
References
- Dr. Mirkin: What Causes Muscle Soreness?
- MedlinePlus: Muscle Strain Treatment
- "Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research"; Treatment and Prevention of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness; Declan A.J. Connolly, et al.; February 2003
- "Sports Medicine"; Does Antioxidant Vitamin Supplementation Protect Against Muscle Damage?; Cian McGinley, et al.; December 2009
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