DOMS is often mistakenly believed to be caused by a build up of lactic acid, but lactic acid is not involved in this process. Anyone can develop DOMS, even those who have been exercising for years, including elite athletes. It can be alarming for people who are new to exercise, and may affect their initial enthusiasm to get fit.
The good news is the soreness will decrease as your muscles get used to the new physical demands being placed upon them. The soreness is part of an adaptation process that leads to greater stamina and strength as the muscles recover and build.
Any movement you're not used to can cause DOMS. Taking up a new exercise, a harder than usual workout, or working your muscles in a different way can all cause DOMS. DOMS typically lasts between 3 and 5 days. The pain, which can range from mild to severe, usually occurs 1 or 2 days after the exercise. This sort of muscle pain should not be confused with any kind of pain you might experience during exercise, such as the acute, sudden and sharp pain of an injury, such as muscle strains or sprains.
DOMS does not generally require medical intervention. But you should seek medical advice if the pain becomes unbearable, you experience severe swelling, or your urine becomes dark. One of the best ways to prevent DOMS is to start any new activity programme gently and gradually. Allowing the muscle time to adapt to new movements should help minimise soreness.
There's not much evidence that warming up will be effective in preventing DOMS. But exercising with warmed-up muscles will reduce your chance of injury and improve your performance. Progress slowly with new workout types, says Miranda. So if you normally do equally timed contractions for strength training—spending about the same time on lifting and lowering—but want to start incorporating eccentric training, you might want to start gradually adding it into your routine.
If you normally do four sets of regular biceps curls, maybe you do one or two sets the first time you try eccentric biceps curls, for instance.
If you want to try a new type of training, like with a virtual class, choose a shorter class aimed at beginners, which will introduce you to the moves rather than throw you right in. Foam rolling after your workout may also help reduce the intensity of DOMS. A review of 14 studies published in the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy 5 concluded that self-myofascial release, as performed by a foam roller or a roller massager, after an intense exercise session helped decrease perceptions of muscle soreness in the following days.
A syndrome called rhabdomyolysis occurs when overworked muscle fibers die and release the protein myoglobin into the bloodstream, which can lead to kidney damage and even failure.
This is a medical emergency, and along with extreme muscle pain, weakness, and swelling, the main sign is often cola-colored urine. If you notice these signs, get to a doctor ASAP. SELF does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional.
What types of workouts cause muscle soreness? Are there different types of muscle soreness? Is it okay to exercise with sore muscles? How sore is too sore after a workout? What helps relieve muscle soreness after a tough workout?
Focus on getting plenty of sleep. How to prevent muscle soreness post-workout. Foam roll after your workout. Alexa Tucker is a freelance writer and editor based in Denver, Colorado. She covers all things health and wellness including fitness, nutrition, and general health, as well as travel, beauty, and lifestyle. Alexa received her bachelor's degree in journalism from the renowned Missouri School of Journalism, and her digital work Read more.
Sign up for our SELF Motivate newsletter Get exclusive workouts, fitness tips, gear and apparel recommendations, and tons of motivation with our weekly fitness newsletter. Sore muscles will heal faster if rested , though doing light weightlifting or other low-stress exercise like swimming causes muscle fibers to become more fibrous so they can later endure more strain during harder workouts. After lifting weights for the first time or for the first time in a while, there will be less muscle tissue damage and soreness, which will lead to a speedier recovery.
Athletes often cross-train for this reason — to enhance their muscle strength. Too much soreness could be problematic. For instance, if soreness is keeping you from carrying out your daily activities, then you may want to visit your doctor and refrain from working out until you've healed. When lifting weights, make sure you're using proper form.
If you have difficulty maintaining correct form, decrease the weight or amount of repetitions. If you're unsure whether you're doing an exercise correctly, ask a trainer or fitness specialist for help.
The best way to alleviate soreness is to slowly build up to a difficult exercise with a lighter version of the exercise. With weightlifting, for example, you can begin with lighter weights and build up to heavier ones to prevent arm strain from lifting. This will help you warm up before your arm workout. It's also important to stretch before and after exercise. Although stretching will not necessarily prevent soreness, it may help prevent a pulled muscle and other weightlifting injuries.
Read more: Stretches for a Sore Arm. Make sure to stay hydrated while you're sore. This will flush the kidneys, preventing protein buildup in the blood. You'll know if you're hydrated if your urine is a light yellow. Just as important is watching your diet.
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