DOMS Recovery

Post exercise soreness and achiness are common in any fitness activity or sport. So whether you can't bend your arms without pain or you have jelly legs walking up the stairs; you're not alone and it doesn't necessarily mean you are unfit or have something wrong with your muscles.

This is because DOMS is usually a direct result of starting a new physical activity or an increase in intensity that your body is not used to so it's just your body's response while it tries to recover.

It is however a sign that the particular muscles that are hurting are not strong enough for either the new activity or weight (if you're working out).

In this blog post, we will discuss what DOMS is, how it is caused and recommend some recovery products that will help you treat DOMS or any muscle pain after exercising. 

What is DOMS?

Delayed-onset muscle soreness (aka DOMS) is a term used to describe muscle pain and fatigue caused by physical activity. The 'delayed-onset' part of the term tells us that it is usually felt a couple of days later. 

This depends on the person, change in intensity or how demanding the new physical activity is so the effects of DOMS can be felt anywhere between 8 and 48 hours with the apex of this being in the last 24 hours. 

You can get DOMS from any physical activity such as sports and running but it is more common in exercise that focuses on muscle building or muscle strengthening such as gym workouts. 

What are the symptoms and causes of DOMS?

Some of the symptoms of DOMS are:

• Soreness and muscle aches 
• Pain 24-72 hours after physical activity
• Tenderness and muscle tightness

The main cause or risk factor for DOMS is starting a new physical activity that you've never tried before. This is because the muscles are not used to what has been demanded from them. 

Similarly, suddenly increasing the intensity of a workout, training session or other physical activities can also cause DOMS because just like in the previous example, your muscles aren't used to the strain and overloading. 

What actually happens when you have muscle soreness is the muscles have microscopic tears or the muscle tissue breaks down and this makes the muscles vulnerable and weak.  

The good news is this is only temporary and over time your muscles get used to the intensity or the new type of exercise being peformed.

If you go to the gym then you might already know this because most workout enthusiasts will know that intense exercise causes muscle tears and when these heal; the muscles grow in size and get stronger. The scientific term for this is hypertrophy.

How do you get rid of DOMS?

Here are some things to do in order to help the muscles to feel less painful and provide your body with the care and attention needed to recover faster and get rid of DOMS.

A study found that contrast, cryotherapy, vibration, ultrasound, massage and active exercise have beneficial effects on DOMS-related pain ^[1]

Kinesiology Tape (Kinesio taping) was also found to speed up the regeneration of muscles according to a study on the effects of Kinesio taping on DOMS in the quads. ^[2]

Massage

Massaging the sore muscles is essential for DOMS recovery because it helps to ease the muscles relieve pain. In fact, massage has been found to be one of the most effective ways for reducing DOMS and fatigue. 

Sports Massage and similar massage techniques can be used to get rid of DOMS temporarily by increasing discharge from lower sensory fibres and blocking the pain sensation.^[3]  Of course, for most, access to a sports massage therapist after exercise is not feasible. In this case, a self-administered massage through a vibration massage tool would be the next best option.

Compression garments

Compression is a very common method of pain relief, it is used to treat a wide range of soft-tissue injuries and it will help with DOMS recovery as well as perceived fatigue.^[4] 

Rest 

Resting the muscles is extremely important for getting rid of DOMS because it allows your muscles to properly recover and it allows the muscles to repair themselves in preparation for the next activity or workout.

Make sure you are getting enough sleep! Studies have found that without adequate amounts of sleep, our bodies start failing slowly in one way or another.

Anti-inflammatories and Contrast Therapy

Anti-inflammatories such as Ice packs, cold gels and ibuprofen gels can help to relieve some of the pain caused by muscle soreness.

You can also use hot and cold therapy together in order to get more benefits out of this type of treatment.

More Protein and a good diet 

A good, balanced diet is important for recovery from any physical activity because it allows your body to replenish any nutrients spent trying to recover from DOMS.

Similarly, protein is essential for repairing and building the muscles because Hypertrophy requires increased protein intake (proteins are the essential building blocks for muscle growth).

If you've been working out then a protein shake can help to ease some of the effects of DOMS and similar products such as protein bars can come in handy for athletes and sports enthusiasts.

Here's a list of foods that can help you get rid of your DOMS quicker and recover better

• Foods with Antioxidants e.g Potatoes with the skin on, dark chocolate, berries, nuts
• Whey Protein supplements or foods e.g. dairy products (yoghurt, cheese, etc.)
• Foods High in Omega 3s e.g. tuna, sardines
• Anti-inflammatory foods e.g. green leafy vegetables (spinach, etc.) nuts like walnuts and almonds, olive oil 

Foam rolling 

Foam rolling and using massage balls can help to get rid of DOMS by preventing it and treating it. In terms of prevention, it can be a useful tool for stretching before physical activity or workouts. 

They are also very useful for recovery as they can be used to massage muscles and can also be used as a general pain relief treatment 

Can I exercise with DOMS?

Yes, you can exercise with DOMS but you should rest as much as possible, especially if your muscles are really sore. It is better to stick to low-intensity exercises to keep you active. Things like cycling and swimming are good options for active recovery.

Although DOMS effects can be felt 24 hours - 72 hours after exercising, sometimes you might still feel a bit fragile for up to a week or more after the initial exercise.

If you have a strict training programme to stick to or you are a workout enthusiast who doesn't like to take long breaks then you'll probably have to get back to exercising for most instances where you develop DOMS.

This is completely okay and won't damage your muscles any further but always make sure it's not an injury if you have a really bad case of muscle soreness. 

Pain Relief Products for DOMS

Recovery Gel for Muscle Soreness

This recovery gel from Naqi relaxes the muscles and helps reduce muscle fatigue after physical activity and sports.

It contains essential oils of eucalyptus, peppermint, cypress, arnica and juniper, and vanillyl butyl ether to stimulate blood flow and increase the supply of nutrients and oxygen to tired muscles. These ingredients all work together to help you get rid of DOMS and reduce pain after exercising.

Epsom Salts is also a useful product that helps reduce muscle pain and swelling. Just dissolve the salt in a water temperature of atleast 33 degrees celsius and bathe your affected body parts for a minimum of 15 minutes. Most people run a hot bath and add the epsom salts to the running water as this is the easiest way to reach all muscle groups.

By speeding up the removal of waste materials building up in the muscles, you will enjoy a quicker recovery after intense exercise.

Thumper Massagers 

As we noted above, vibration massage tools, like the Thumper, can be used as a cost-effective substitute for manual massage therapy when it comes to recovery. Not only are these local vibration devices effective in reducing DOMS, but they can also shorten recovery time. 

Thumper Massagers are powerful hand-held percussive devices that transmit energy deep into the muscle tissue, relieving tension through all fascia layers. Each device penetrates ¼ inch deep, 28 times per second. Unlike cheaper options available elsewhere online, the Thumper range is made of high-grade components and offers maximum comfort for both experienced and new users. With almost 40 years in production and more than 200,000 units worldwide used by professionals, the Thumper brand is one you can rely on.

diPulse Smart Recovery Kit

This is the smart recovery kit from diPulse, it's a fully integrated NMES (Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation) kit which makes use of an innovative approach to muscle recovery. NMES is particularly good for DOMS recovery as it helps the muscles to recover better by using electrical stimulation to treat the muscles and other soft tissues. 

It is the ultimate recovery solution and the kit comes with the Smart Belt, Smart Straps and all the accessories needed to help you recover faster and more effectively. 

Ice Pack 

As mentioned earlier, Ice packs are extremely useful tools for getting rid of DOMS. They do this by reducing inflammation and the cold response helps provide pain relief while also increasing oxygen delivery to the sore muscles. As a more intense form of cold therapy, an ice bath is an effective way to reduce inflammation, ease achey muscles and increase blood flow after an intense workout.

We also sell a reusable hot and cold pack if you're looking for something you can use to alternate between hot and cold therapy.

Biofreeze - Muscle Rub and Cold Spray

Biofreeze is a brand of pain relief creams and cold gels, if you know what Tiger Balm is then it's basically the same except it has an active ingredient that targets sore muscles and other soft tissues which will be very instrumental in getting rid of DOMS and recovering better. 

The anti-inflammatory effects of Biofreeze will also help to make sure your muscles aren't too irritated and provide additional relief. 

Kinesiology Tape 

As mentioned earlier, Kinesiology Tape is effective for getting rid of DOMS and helping with muscle recovery.

Kinesiology Tape not only provides pain relief by improving the circulation of blood vessels around the soft tissues; it also increases lymphatic drainage which helps the muscles to recover faster and ease muscle soreness

How to prevent DOMS and avoid getting it again 

Ultimately, it is almost impossible to prevent DOMS, it is a natural body response to either increased intensity or something completely new so there's not much you can do to prevent DOMS besides approaching physical activities and workouts with more preparation. 

If you read our injury prevention blog post, we explained how properly warming up, activating your muscles and stretching them can prevent damage by making sure they are ready for anything you are going to do in the training or workout routine. 

Although DOMS isn't necessarily 'damage' to your muscles (if anything it is a good response); it's still very important that the muscles are well prepared for anything you throw at them let alone higher intensity workouts or a new physical activity.

Rest is also important, give your body time to recover properly with enough rest days and take a break if you feel like it's straining your muscles.

Although the 'one rep max' (1RM) is a good guideline for a lot of workout exercises like Deadlifts and Squats, remember to listen to your body and don't push yourself too much when you first start to increase any intensity in your training.

Stretching, Activation and Warm-Up exercises  

 

Sources and References

Movegb - 10 ways to ease DOMS

[1] - Nahon, R. L., Lopes, J. S. S., & de Magalhães Neto, A. M. (2021). Physical therapy interventions for the treatment of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS): Systematic review and meta-analysis. Physical Therapy in Sport, 52, 1-12.

[2] - Boguszewski, D., Szkoda, S., Adamczyk, J. G., Piesio, S., & Bialoszewski, D. (2020). The effects of kinesiotaping applied to delayed-onset muscle soreness of the quadriceps femoris. Physical Activity Review, 1(8), 39-45.

[3] - Zainuddin Z, Newton M, Sacco P, Nosaka K. Effects of massage on delayed-onset muscle soreness, swelling, and recovery of muscle function. J Athl Train. 2005 Jul-Sep;40(3):174-80. PMID: 16284637; PMCID: PMC1250256

[4] - Dupuy O, Douzi W, Theurot D, Bosquet L, Dugué B. An Evidence-Based Approach for Choosing Post-exercise Recovery Techniques to Reduce Markers of Muscle Damage, Soreness, Fatigue, and Inflammation: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis. Front Physiol. 2018 Apr 26;9:403. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2018.00403. PMID: 29755363; PMCID: PMC5932411.

[5] - Wiewelhove, T., Döweling, A., Schneider, C., Hottenrott, L., Meyer, T., Kellmann, M., ... & Ferrauti, A. (2019). A meta-analysis of the effects of foam rolling on performance and recovery. Frontiers in physiology, 376.

[6] - Pearcey, G. E., Bradbury-Squires, D. J., Kawamoto, J. E., Drinkwater, E. J., Behm, D. G., & Button, D. C. (2015). Foam rolling for delayed-onset muscle soreness and recovery of dynamic performance measures. Journal of athletic training, 50(1), 5-13.

[7] - Skinner, B., Moss, R., & Hammond, L. (2020). A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of foam rolling on range of motion, recovery and markers of athletic performance. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 24(3), 105-122.