June 22, 2021 2 min read

WHAT IS DELAYED ONSET MUSCLE SORENESS, A.K.A. D.O.M.S  

After a tiring routine at the gym, a hard day’s work at the office, or an intense cleaning of the house, there is always a probability of feeling pain, and the pain is likely to affect your overall functioning and even has a profound influence on your family life and relationship. It seriously affects one's quality of life. 

 

The feeling of soreness after an intense physical activity is likely to be the result of one of two, depending on its occurrence. 

  • Pain felt during or immediately after an intense physical activity is called acute muscle soreness, and it is a burning sensation due to lactic acid build-up. 
  • Muscular pain and stiffness that typically occur up at least 8 to 10 hours with soreness peaking 24 to 48 hours after an unaccustomed strenuous activity is delayed onset muscle soreness, commonly referred to as DOMS, and is a result of muscle tissue damage. 

THE D.O.M.S. 

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is a common result of physical activity that stresses a muscle beyond its limits. It usually occurs with "eccentric" exercise or a lengthening contraction of a muscle. An example of this is when you try to slowly lower a dumbbell to train the eccentric strength of your biceps. This creates microscopic tears to the muscle resulting in pain and inflammation. 

With DOMS, your muscles are feeling weak, fragile and cannot withstand an additional load, especially if you workout a bit too aggressively. Your muscles can be potentially damaged in the long run and can include the surrounding soft tissues, leaving you more disabled. 

D.O.M.S. Treatment 

At its onset, DOMS should be treated with RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation), especially if the muscle is swollen. Other treatment options include: 

  • Wearing of pressure garments, like compression tights, socks, and arm sleeves 
  • Gentle massage during the early stage of inflammation 
  • Light stretching of the muscles  
  • Low-level heat has also been known in DOMS pain reduction 
  • Light and low-intensity exercise 
  • NSAIDs may be used for temporary pain relief 

Massage and D.O.M.S. 

Gentle massage has been shown in research studies to provide a reduction in the duration and severity of DOMS. However, deep tissue massage should be avoided during the early phase to avoid the aggravation of the injury. 

GET PUMPED UP!!!RECOVER FROM D.O.M.S. WITH RECOVAPRO! 

Your muscle needs blood, oxygen, and nutrients to repair itself and recover fast, and the easiest way to get blood efficiently pumped into your muscle is through massage, either administered by a massage therapist or better yet, a massage gun. Massage guns are powered by vibration technology to deliver blood, oxygen, and nutrients to your muscles so you can recover from DOMS quicker. So get pumped up and recover Like a PRO with RECOVAPRO MASSAGE GUNS. 

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