If 
you are going hard in the gym, you will inevitably suffer from delayed-onset muscle soreness or DOMS. While you might not recognize the clinical name, you may recognize how this condition can affect your life. Consider the following examples:
· Do you struggle to sit or stand from a seated position, following a leg workout?
· Do you find it challenging to reach for a bowl in the upper cabinet after training arms?
· Is your toddler suddenly 30 pounds heavier after a tough back workout?
If any of the aforementioned situations sounds familiar, you have suffered from DOMS. The interesting thing about DOMS is that the experienced and inexperienced athlete can suffer from it.
Here are several other signs of delayed-onset muscle soreness:
· Swelling of the affected body part(s)
· Joint stiffness and a corresponding limitation in range of motion
· Temporary reduction in strength of the affected muscle(s)
· Elevated creatine kinase (CK) enzyme blood levels
The DOMS effect is caused by an inflammatory response to exercise, which disrupts skeletal muscle ultrastructurally. While numerous studies have evaluated DOMS, the researchers of this trial wanted to evaluate the correlation between muscle damage and muscle soreness. Muscle damage was evaluated based upon the level of inflammatory markers found in the test subject’s blood, and muscle soreness (DOMS) was tabulated using test subject anecdotal feedback.
For the first time, researchers were able to show a positive correlation between muscle damage and muscle soreness. The correction began 4 hours after exercise, peaked at 72 hours and decreased at 96 hours. It should be noted that both muscle damage and muscle soreness remained elevated above pre-exercise levels at 96 hours and for some time thereafter.
Unless you plan to stop exercising, DOMS is evitable, so the next logical question to ask is what can be done to lessen the effects of muscle soreness? A small study from the University of Rhode Island promotes the consumption of caffeine. Caffeine is already widely known to improve athlete performance, but according to the researchers, ingestion of caffeine “decreased perception of soreness in the days after a strenuous resistance training workout.”
Here are several other methods for managing DOMS:
· Start a new exercise program slowly
· Warm-up prior to exercise by walking on a treadmill or lightly biking
· Stretching post workout
· Foam rolling to relax muscles and connective tissue
· Oral pain relief
· Massage
· Ice bath or application of ice packs
Body Fuse Sponsored Athlete: http://bodyfuseusa.com/athletes/regie-simmons/
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