Managing Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) Effectively

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) is the pain and discomfort you can feel around 2-5 days after a good workout. Often complemented by fatigue and tenderness, your muscles can feel pretty exhausted at this stage, something that can prevent you from getting the most from your next workout. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to manage DOMs effectively and ensure that you don’t lose exercise motivation. Please keep reading to find out what they are. 

Massage 

One of the main causes of DOMs is the lactic acid build-up in your muscles. Massage can help move this build-up faster than your body can manage without help, which can help reduce the discomfort, fatigue and soreness associated with DOMs. 

Of course, one option is to go and see a professional masseuse. However, this can be pretty expensive and is not accessible for most people outside of the rich and famous altheres. Instead, why not try using a simple and cost-effective tool like a foam roller, where you use your body weight to help facilitate the muscle drainage you need. 

Pain relief 

Another option you can consider when dealing with DOMs is using pain relief. Many people believe ibuprofen can help alleviate the feeling of DOMs, as it's designed for muscle aches. However, some experts suggest that taking ibuprofen could interfere with the natural healing processes that are taking place during DOMs, making it a less-than-satisfactory option that could do more harm than good. 

Another option is to do your research on the best CBD gummies for pain and consider those when suffering from DOMs. Indeed, because indica strains, which are often used for pain relief, are also anti-inflammatory, they could be a good option for those experiencing DOMs.

Active recovery 

While resting when your muscles hurts because of DOMs can seem like the best idea, it can actually work against your recovery. This is because gentle exercise can help alleviate the pain associated with DOMs and promote faster healing. 

What that means is engaging in low intensity active recovery options such as swimming where all the muscles are support by the water, or walking which is low impact can help reduce your DOMs symptoms sooner. 

Sleep 

Sleep is when your body repairs torn muscles, which is the mechanism at work during DOMs. Indeed, as we sleep, we not only rest our muscles, but our bodies also generate the hormones needed to repair them. That means getting enough sleep is not only vital for minimizing DOMs but also for building muscle. 

With that in mind, doing this that can help you enhance your night’s sleep is a good idea. One option is to make sure you have a set bedtime each night. This can make it easier for your body to know when to start getting sleepy and improve both falling and staying asleep. 

Avoiding activities that are too stimulating before bed such as playing franic computer games can also be a good idea. Then you will already be pretty relaxed when you head hits the pillow, making it easier to drift off into a restful sleep.