Every athlete will experience delayed onset muscles soreness (DOMS) at some point in their training plan. Usually it's a sign that your muscles are responding favorably to your training. In fact, it's a sign you are getting better! Don't let DOMS stop this process. Below I'm going to tell you what causes DOMS, exactly what it is, and exactly how to deal with it. Muscle soreness felt a day or two after a training session is referred to delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). The word delayed is used because the soreness isn't felt until some time after the training session. The soreness usually spreads from the muscle-tendon junction to the rest of the muscle. It is completely normal to experience DOMS after almost any hard training session. The level of soreness is usually directly related to discrepancies in activity. The worst bout of DOMS always comes after
The eccentric motion of the muscles is the primary catalyst of DOMS. This is when the muscles lengthen under contraction. For example, when descending to squat, the hamstrings and gluteus need to lengthen and stay tight at the same time. Also, when lowering the weight in a bicep curl, the bicep stays tight but must lengthen in order to lower the weight. Down hill running is also a very eccentric motion. The pain associated with DOMS is the result of very small tears in the muscle tissue and the associated inflammation that comes with it. I particular, there is an increase of several specific muscle enzymes. Here is what happens.
Fortunately, the pain of DOMS doesn't cause any significant damage and can be relieved. The best source of relief for DOMS an active warm up. This means
Sometimes foam rolling relieves DOMS, but it is not the most effective treatment plan. There are several ways to avoid DOMS.
The presence of DOMS means your training plan is working. Your body is responding to the training and you are getting stronger and faster. Use the information in this article to understand DOMS and continue to get better despite the presence of DOMS.
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AuthorFormer mathematics teacher and track & field coach at Phillips Academy in Andover, MA. Categories
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April 2017
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