Let’s talk DOMS
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We are three weeks into January, so let me guess how things are going…
You’ve got yourself back into the gym, you’ve pushed yourself to your limits in the first few weeks so now you are feeling so sore you are ready to give up until next January rolls back around again. You know that ‘I can barely walk up the stairs’ feeling where every muscle aches with each step you take. That soreness you are experiencing may be delayed onset muscle soreness, otherwise known as DOMS.
DOMS is the term used to describe the aches and pains felt in muscles usually 24-72 hours after, especially after doing high-intensity physical exercise that your body isn't accustomed to. This pain can range from mild to severe and other symptoms include local loss of mobility, muscle tension, some muscle spasms and even inflammation. While the exact cause is unknown, theories suggest that it may be muscle spasm, micro-tears in muscle or connective tissue, inflammation or an influx of enzymes into the affected area; or a combination of these.
Maybe that’s what they mean by no pain, no gain.
DOMS doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing, let’s reframe your mindset. You could view it as a sign that you’ve had a successful workout although it does seem cruel that our bodies would reward us with pain. When muscles are exposed to stress, they experience microscopic damage which in this context is a good thing. The greater the damage to the muscle tissue the more the body needs to repair itself; the resulting cycle of damage and repair eventually makes the muscles grow and get stronger as they adapt to progressively greater demands.
Muscle soreness is particularly common after unfamiliar exercise, especially if it involves a lot of eccentric loading or sharp increases in intensity. In translation, you haven’t worked out in over a month and you suddenly shock your glutes with a 75kg hip thrust because this was a personal best 6 months prior. If you stop exercising for some time, your muscles will shrink and this may mean you need to ease yourself in when you return to training to ensure you remain consistent.
Here’s what you can do to reduce and relieve symptoms of DOMS…
Heat treatments such as hot baths, hot water bottles, heating pads and compresses
Cold treatments such as ice baths, ice packs or cold water submersion
Cool downs and stretching after exercise
Use of a foam roller on the target muscle
Massage
Take appropriate rest
My recommendation is to reduce exercise intensity and introduce new or progressive exercises gradually to a programme to build strength and hypertrophy without leaving you sore for days on end.
For more tips on how to structure your workouts to minimise the impact of DOMS click here.