Why do my Muscles get Sore After Working out? How can I Deal With it?

By Allison-mhangoh | Health nuggets | 4 May 2021

Muscle Soreness is a common menace associated with regular exercise, especially for starters. Chances are that you’ve already felt the sting before, especially in the initial stages of the exercise program or whenever you tried to upgrade to a more intense routine.

In general terms, Muscle Soreness refers to a vague, dull muscle pain that typically occurs following exercise. It may be localized to the muscles which were primarily involved in the exercise or may be generalized.

Due to its direct relationship with physical activity, it is considered to be a result of stressing a group of muscles to greater loads than they are accustomed to. Muscle soreness can either be a manageable pain that lasts for hours immediately after exercise, or may kick-in hours after the exercise to last for a few days. The latter is commonly known as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness(DOMS).

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)

This form of Muscle Soreness typically sets in at around 12-24 hours after Physical Exercise. The pain tends to persist for days, eventually peaking at 24-72 hours after onset.

What Exactly Causes Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness(DOMS)?

A variety of explanations exist. However, the most popular and plausible explanation identifies microscopic damages within the muscle structure as a key trigger factor. The pain comes in as part of the body’s response to damage, known as inflammation.

This understanding is based on the fact that DOMS are associated with the presence of an enzyme known as Creatine Kinase in the circulating blood. This links muscle soreness to structural damage in the sense that the enzyme is found in muscle cells only, and cannot be present in blood unless if there is some sort of muscle damage.

Some theories attribute DOMS to accumulation of Lactic Acid. However, this is not supported by current scientific research.

DOMS and Exercise Types

Current research consistently links the phenomenon to a form of exercise known as Eccentric Exercise. These exercises involve active lengthening of the involved muscles as they are trying to control movement of the involved limb and load. A good example is the second phase of the famous Biceps Curl. If you’ve ever done Biceps Curls before, you might have noticed that as you are lowering the weight, you will have to actively control the weight’s descent using the same muscle.

Biceps Curl

The difference with the first phase of the Biceps Curl, which involves lifting, is that the muscle lengthens even if it is actively contracting to keep the movement smooth and coordinated. This is what’s known as Eccentric muscle action.

Another good example is jogging or running downhill. During this activity, certain key muscles such as the Quadriceps (thigh muscle) have to perform this action to control movement by countering the body weight. Exercises which predominantly involve this type of muscle work are known as Eccentric Exercises, and have been associated with increased incidence of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness.

Another important factor in the development of DOMS is exercise intensity. The greater the exercise intensity, the greater the severity, and this has been identified by a good number of research studies and authorities such as the American College of Sports Medicine. However, there seems to be evidence that DOMS’ severity decreases with continuation of the exercise over a certain period of time.

This is largely due to muscle adaptation to the newly imposed demands. In fact, it’s been shown that one session of the new exercise has the potential to decrease the likelihood of Muscle Soreness associated with the activity for as long as a couple of weeks to several months.

Prevention of Deayed Onset Muscle Soreness

Since DOMS are associated with unaccustomed exercise intensities, it is only logical that exercise programs be approached with a fair amount of caution. No matter how enticing it is, try to follow the general principles of exercise in any exercise routine. Slow and systematic progression to higher intensities often proves helpful especially when you are a beginner.

This allows the muscles enough time to carry out the necessarily structural and functional changes to handle new levels of physical exertion. Additionally, it’s always important to warm up before the exercise and stretch the muscles as it allows the muscles and the whole body to get ready for the impending physical activity.

Preventing muscle soreness seems to hinge on adherence to general principles of exercise. Proper screening, planning and execution of exercise programs should always be in mind in the pursuit of sound physical fitness.

Treatment

In most cases, DOMS do not require a medical consultation unless the pain is unusually persistent and debilitating. Most remedies can be done at home. However, there lacks adequate evidence from research to identify one remedy that works for everyone. Treatment should be individualized, which implies that the best approach is to identify the treatment method that works for you. Additionally, these interventions do not necessarily speed-up the repair process, but rather help to alleviate the pain sensation and related symptoms.

Massage

A proper massage can help with improving blood flow to the affected muscle, thus improving the nutrient needs of the repair processes. Though it’s easy to think of it as a way of accelerating the repair processes, there is not much evidence available supporting this thought in both the long and short term. Additionally, massage has the potential to reduce overall pain through muscle relaxation, and interfering with pain signals to the Central Nervous System.

This could be the reason why some affected individuals feel relieved after the intervention. Involvement of a professional such as a Massage therapist, or a Physiotherapist should be considered whenever possible. Wrong massage techniques can easily make the problem far much worse.

Ice therapy

Ice has been used in sports injuries as one effective way of countering pain, especially in acute sports injuries. A possible explanation is that by stimulating cold receptors (sensory nerves adapted to the cold sensation) in the skin and the involved muscle, pain signals going to the Spinal Cord and Brain are blocked at the level of the spinal cord.

This is known as the Pain Gate Theory in professional circles. Again, much as it proves effective in some affected individuals, studies haven’t been able to come up with anything conclusive in larger populations.

Heat Therapy

This typically involves heating the affected areas by means of a variety of methods to increase blood flow, as well as reducing the menacing pain. In terms of pain, most authors attribute it to the Pain Gate Theory, as in Ice Therapy. However, there is also a lack of general consensus when it comes to larger populations. Therefore, no general conclusions can be made.

Medication

In severe cases, anti-inflammatory drugs can be used to reinforce the counter effect from other treatment methods. However, this also faces the generalizability problem from research evidence.

Stretching

In some cases, regular stretching of the involved muscles can have a positive effect. This can be attributed to the relaxation effect that stretching can have on a muscle as well as stimulation of special sensory cells known as Stretch Receptors.

Should I stop working out because of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness?

In most cases, which are mild to moderate in nature, the best approach is to adjust the intensity to a lighter version of the same exercise. Consider DOMS as the body’s signal to take it slower. Switching to lighter intensities helps to sustain the initial gains, that’s if you are already a regular exerciser. This approach tries to take advantage of the changes that are taking place within the muscle, which are necessary in adapting to the new stress levels.

In severe cases, continuing with the new exercise intensity doesn’t usually help. In most cases, it tends to worsen the pain in the short term. The best way is to allow the healing to take place for a few days, and then resume at a lower exercise intensity which you can gradually adjust for a more favorable experience.

Bottom line

DOMS are largely preventable when you stick to sound principles of Physical Exercise. Management focuses on allowing the healing to take place while employing the most effective methods to reduce pain and related signs and symptoms. Adjusting the exercise intensity is key to avoiding reoccurrence.

Effective exercise doesn’t necessarily need to be painful. Progression should be reasonable. The no-pain-no-gain notion doesn’t hold a lot of water though it’s possible to work through the pain and still get results.