Have you had a great workout where everything went your way and you felt awesome about it, only to feel like you need a walker the next day or two days later?
Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness
That post leg day pain keeping you from getting up off of the couch ( or toilet) is known as DOMS. DOMS stands for Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness and can happen within 24 to 48 hours of your recent workout.
DOMS And Pain Are Not The Same!
Muscle soreness and pain are two different things that you will have to learn to differentiate between. If you've ever heard the phrase, "No Pain, No Gain", this is what they are talking about, not a debilitating "clicking" or pinching pain that might leave you injured.
DOMS is more of a muscle fatigue feeling where you have a lot of muscle tightness and ache in the specific areas that you worked out. For example, a heavy leg day might result in barely being able to climb stairs two days later if you aren't used to working out your legs hard.
If you are a beginner or changing your normal workout routine, you should expect to feel a bit of DOMS within the following days after your workout.
So What's Really Going On There? It's Not Lactic Acid!
I'm sure you've heard many people say that soreness is lactic acid buildup in the muscle, when in fact, this is not the case.
For one, we know that it's not lactic acid because the lactate that builds up in the muscle during the workout quickly disappears shortly after.
In addition, if it were the fault of lactic acid, every workout would result in muscle soreness. That doesn't happen because the body learns to adapt to the change.
There are many proposed reasons for DOMS, but the most likely cause is ripping of muscle fibers that are adjusting to the new workout type during muscle contraction.
How to Reduce and Recover From DOMS
One of the best ways to ease your soreness is definitely to massage the area. Not only does it feel good, but massage has been shown to decrease DOMS by at least 30%. Deep tissue foam rolling massage and vibrational therapy are also a great way to alleviate sore muscle. You can even put the two together and use a vibrating foam roller (what a treat!).
Another great way to reduce soreness is to get moving with active recovery! About 24 hours after that leg workout, going for a nice walk or bike ride is a great way to ease the pain.
If you want to get a little more pricey on your recovery method, electrical stimulation and kinesiotaping have also shown promise in the recovery department.
On a slightly more debatable note, some studies demonstrate that acupuncture might also exhibit DOMS reducing properties.
No matter which method you choose, active recovery, electrical stimulation, and foam rolling show equal effect (according to this study).
So as long as you keep moving and do something, DOMS will go away in time for next weeks session!
Theres a Bright Side
Don't worry, the DOMS will subside!
With a combination of the aforementioned recovery methods, plenty of sleep, and an appropriate diet, the muscle soreness will be over before you know it.
Most importantly, don't let muscle soreness stop you from continuing on toward your goals. Remember, that soreness is an indication of change and strength to come!
I’ve always worked out the next day, even if the soreness from DOMs was there. It made me recover faster, and I didn’t understand why till now. Great post!