Oh my GOD! I killed my legs!
I am walking funny, sitting and standing are major efforts involving much concentration and
zen like pain blocking, and riding to and from work is one long silent scream. I have DOMS, because
being healthy for the first time in several months, I ran straight back to the gym, and continued
my previous programme without so much as a cautionary nod to my lengthy layoff. My muscles are
attempting to force my brain to learn patience.
Defining:
Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) is pain or discomfort in muscles that have undergone unaccustomed exercise. Eccentric(1) exercise produces greater soreness, fatigue and damage than isometric(2) and concentric(3) contractions. It is a temporary condition characterised by time course of pain following activity. The soreness usually develops within 24 hours of exercise and is characterised by a dull ache with tenderness and stiffness. Soreness subsides within 5 to 7 days regardless of further activity.
Causation:
Various authors have proposed different mechanisms of injury following eccentric exercise, however very little is known about the mechanisms involved in the production of DOMS or the accompanying responses such as prolonged loss of ROM (Range of Motion) and strength, increased muscle enzymes in the blood, swelling and structural damage. It is thought that firstly a mechanical injury followed by a biochemical injury is responsible for the changes in the muscle following eccentric exercise.
The exact cause is unknown however inflammation and swelling are considered prime factors. Fluid accumulates in the muscle for five days after exercise then moves into the subcutaneous area as demonstrated in MRI studies. Swelling within the muscle compartment could produce pain and increase intramuscular pressure. It may also result in sensitisation of pain receptors to other noxious stimuli.
In practical terms, personal experience has shown that DOMS occurs when I have lost condition through not training for some time, and then jump straight back in at full intensity. This is quite counter-productive, and usually means that I can't step in the gym again until at least a week after my first attempt. Do I learn? Apparently not. Do not introduce a friend to your wonderful gym life by getting them to copy the workout programme which it has taken you 6 months to build up to. Your friend will feel like they have been bludgeoned to death several times with iron pipes sometime the next day, and for some days into the future. Not a good way to develop a love of exercise.
Treatments and their effectiveness:
Intermittent pneumatic compression has been shown to reduce swelling and stiffness especially on days 2-3 post exercise (but who wants to bandage their legs, or buy a barometric chamber?).
Cryotherapy has so far proved to be unhelpful, but there are numerous critical limitations to the research conducted so far in this area.
Massage may be effective if performed 2 hours following exercise to increase blood flow and disrupt the inflammatory reaction. However, other research has rejected the theory that massage increases blood flow to large muscle groups, concluding that squeezing a bean bag or simply walking can increase blood flow to target muscle groups by up to 10 times beyond that provided by massage. In any case, massage at some point beyond 1-3 hours following
exercise was shown to be not effective at reducing DOMS symptoms. Prevention, not cure, apparently.
Ultrasound within 24 hours improves muscle performance and reduces DOMS. This naturally requires some expensive-ass
equipment and a comprehensive health care fund if you aren't spectactularly fiscally endowed.
The most effective treatment appears to be submaximal resisted exercise of the affected muscles. Ride a bike, go for a walk, do a light workout. This is
an excellent way to aid short term recovery by increasing blood flow. DO NOT work through the pain with
the same workout which caused the pain: you are just piling up damage on top of damage.
Prevention
The simplest aspect is prevention. Just like Mum probably said 'Prevention is better than
Cure'. Start light. The eccentric exercise which is a primary cause of DOMS is
also the primary preventative measure. Lighter versions of the target exercise, with a shortened range
of motion (lengthened gradually with training) are a good method of working up to the big stuff.
As was alluded to earlier, massage within a brief period (1-3) hours following exercise, may also reduce
the severity of subsequent DOMS, but it would be better avoided altogether by proper preparation.
Sources
I have shamelessly cut and pasted bits, and paraphrased others, from the sources
below
http://www.html2go.com/odp/prt2tj.htm
http://www.curtin.edu.au/curtin/dept/physio/pt/edres/exphys/ep652_98/domseimd.shtml
http://www.coolrunning.com/major/97/training/news/09173.htm
(1) Eccentric contraction - resisting whilst the muscle lengthens (imagine a weight too heavy for you, that you struggle against while it slowly lowers)
(2) Isometric contraction - a stalemate. Resistance
whilst the muscle is not changing length. Stand in a
doorway and push out at the doorframe. Lots of effort,
no movement.
(3) Concentric contraction - a contraction leading to
a shortening of the muscle ..HAHAHA, I LAFF AT DIS PUNY
WEIGHT!