This MedLibrary.org supplementary page on Delayed onset muscle soreness is provided directly from the open source Wikipedia as a service to our readers. Please see the note below on authorship of this content, as well as the Wikipedia usage guidelines. To search for other content from our encyclopedia supplement, please use the form below:
Related Sponsors
Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), also sometimes called muscle fever, is the pain or discomfort often felt 24 to 72 hours after exercising and subsides generally within 2 to 3 days. It is frequently said to be caused by lactic acid buildup;citation needed however, since lactic acid disperses fairly rapidly, it could not explain pain experienced days after exercise, and some concentric-only exercises produce lactic acid, but rarely produce DOMS.[1]
Although the precise cause is still unknown, the type of muscle contraction seems to be a key factor in the development of DOMS. Exercises that involve many eccentric contractions, such as downhill running, will result in the most severe DOMS. This has been shown to be the result of more muscle cell damage than is seen with typical concentric contractions, in which a muscle successfully shortens during contraction against a load.[2]
Some research claims that DOMS is not caused by the pain from damaged muscle cells, but from the reinforcement process.[3] The muscle responds to training by reinforcing itself up to and above its previous strength by increasing the size of muscle fibers (muscle hypertrophy). This reinforcement process causes the cells to swell in their compartment and put pressure on nerves and arteries producing pain.
Training with DOMS
DOMS typically causes stiffness, swelling, strength loss, and pain.[4][5] Continued exertion of sore muscles can cause further swelling and pain, and lengthen the period of muscular soreness. There is some scientific evidence that further training—a so-called second bout—has no negative effect on the reinforcement process.[6] Training in a state of constant soreness would be uncomfortable, although one may be able to adapt to it. The relationship between muscular soreness, the rest required, and hypertrophy is a contentious topic in bodybuilding. Claims that perpetual muscular soreness assures muscle growth are opposed by reports of stagnation through overtraining.
Stretching before and after exercise has been suggested as a way of reducing DOMS, as has warming up before exercise, cooling down afterwards, and gently warming the area.[7] However, there is also evidence that the effect of stretching on muscle soreness is negligible.[8] Overstretching itself can cause DOMS.[9] Some recommend contrast showers as a treatment, alternating between cold and hot water; it may increase circulation.[10]
References
- ^ DOMS at Sports Injury Bulletin
- ^ Roth, S. (2006, January 23). Why does lactic acid build up in muscles? And why does it cause soreness? ScientificAmerican.com. Retrieved on July 24, 2006.
- ^ Yu, J., Carlsson, L. & Thornell, L.E. (2004). Evidence for myofibril remodeling as opposed to myofibril damage in human muscles with DOMS: an ultrastructural and immunoelectron microscopic study. Histochemistry and Cell Biology, 121(3), p. 219-227. link
- ^ Connolly, D. A., Sayers, S. P. & McHugh, M. P. (2003) Treatment and prevention of delayed onset muscle soreness (abstract.) Journal of Strength Conditioning Research, 17(1):197-208. Retrieved from PubMed.gov on July 24, 2006.
- ^ Szymanski, D. (2003). Recommendations for the avoidance of delayed-onset muscle soreness. Strength and Conditioning Journal 23(4): 7–13.
- ^ Ji-Guo, Y. (2003). Re-evaluation of exercise-induced muscle soreness: an immunohistochemical and ultrastructural study. Abstract of unpublished doctoral dissertation, Umeå Universitet, Sweden. ISBN 91-7305-503-4
- ^ WebMD article on DOMS
- ^ BMJ "Effects of stretching before and after exercising on muscle soreness and risk of injury: systematic review"
- ^ DOMS
- ^ "Alternating hot and cold water immersion for athlete recovery: a review"
External links
Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 7 September 2008, at 13:44.
Wikipedia Authorship and Review
Wikipedia content provided here is not reviewed directly by MedLibrary.org. Wikipedia content is authored by an open community of volunteers and is not produced by or in any way affiliated with MedLibrary.org.
Wikipedia Usage Guidelines
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article on "Delayed onset muscle soreness".
The URL for this specific entry is:
All Wikipedia text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details). Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.