Q: I accompanied a friend to her high-intensity training class and three days later I still cannot move my limbs, never mind walk. Is this excruciating stiffness after exercise normal?
A: You have been introduced to the devil of training that goes by the name doms: delayed onset muscle soreness. Yes, it is a thing, where you lower yourself onto the toilet and swear you’d rather stay there than attempt to ever stand again.
If you work in an office environment you’ll no doubt have witnessed someone fighting doms, creeping around the office like a velociraptor. As if acting out a scene under the direction of Steven Spielberg, this colleague will move around the office on the balls of their feet, knees bent and arms retracted inward, letting out a “raaargh” every now and then.
The good news is that it can and does happen to anyone. The bad news is that when it strikes you can only ease the symptoms and wait for it to pass. It’s usually OK, if not excruciating, but in severe cases it could signify something more serious.
It used to be said that the pain was the result of a lactic acid build-up and you needed to “get it out” — I remember those days because sadists would then squeeze and rub my legs, as if milking a cow, stopping just before I lost consciousness. Thankfully, the world has moved on.
Today, it is attributed, probably more accurately, to a secondary cascade of anti-inflammatory and metabolic functions that are initiated as a response to the original trauma, or exercise. It tends to start about a day after the activity, sometimes sooner, and often peaks on the second or third day, before gradually easing.
A novel, intense stimulus has the potential to cause doms. This could be a new exercise pattern or intensity level you are not used to, or jumping straight back into an exercise regimen after a layoff without giving your body time to recondition itself for exercise.
It is said that eccentric exercises are the main culprit — this is where you contract and lengthen the muscle at the same time (such as the lowering portion of a biceps curl or running down hill), because fewer motor units are recruited meaning more tension over a smaller area. It’s also the reason weekend warriors at local gyms do “negatives”, or focused eccentric training.
Once you have doms, the best thing you can do is keep moving. You won’t be tempted to try the same activity again as you just won’t be able to. Some swear by ice baths or warm baths. Some people feel that massage eases the symptoms, while many use topical ointments or anti-inflammatory medication. In my experience going for an easy walk, cycle or swim works best. If you do nothing it will become worse, which is why it tends to be most painful when you wake up.
Can you prevent doms? Doing a low-intensity cool down after a particularly intense session, such as a 20-minute gentle cycle after an intense lower-body day, will help your recovery. Stay hydrated — drink water before, during and after training. Stretching improves mobility, while doms tends to curl you up.
The best way to avoid doms is to ease into something new. Especially if you are just starting out or have been away for a few weeks or longer. Ease into it and gradually increase the intensity. You do not need to experience doms to know you’ve had a good, effective workout. However, every now and then you will turn it up a notch or run a long race, just be mindful of how you cool down and approach your recovery.
I have witnessed first-hand how new trainees are put off exercise for life after battling through their first bout of doms. A bit of muscle stiffness never harmed anyone, but if you’re constantly battling doms you need to question your training methods. If the soreness is replaced by sharp or shooting pains, severe swelling or if you notice unnaturally dark urine, seek medical attention.
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