How to Prevent Sore Muscles?

Soreness after starting a new exercise program or changing to a new exercise activity is a completely normal response.  The term most often used is DOMS or Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness and it is defined as small tears in the muscle which causes pain or discomfort in the muscles 24 to 72 hours after exercise and subsides within 2 to 3 days after that.  DOMS typically causes soreness, stiffness, pain, swelling and loss of strength.  There is no danger to the muscle that is afflicted by DOMS and even exercising while you are experiencing the discomfort of muscle pain will not cause further injury, it is just uncomfortable.

DOMS is common and almost everyone suffers from it when starting a new program, but can it be prevented or at least reduced?  The answer is, yes, DOMS can be reduced or prevented.  Begin a program with a slow warm up and end it with an easy and light cool down.  At the conclusion of the activity be sure to stretch the muscles activated.  For example, if you choose to go for a run as your activity, you want to start with a walk, then increase your speed, start to jog lightly until you reach your ideal and sustainable pace.  Upon completion, reverse the start order.  Once you have stopped, stretch the quadriceps, hamstrings and gluteal muscles.

If you are just starting a running/ jogging program, don’t go for a 2 hour marathon.  Begin with a light jog around the park and increase distance little by little.  If you want to incorporate other types of exercise follow the same pattern of gradual to intense and realize that with each new activity there are new muscles being activated and therefore the need to stretch other parts of the body. 

But, what if you didn’t heed the advice above and now find yourself sore?  There are things you can do to minimize the pain you are in.  Engage in light activity to increase the blood flow to the body, lightly massage the areas experiencing pain, apply non-steroidal anti-inflammatory cream, or simply avoid all exercise for 3 to 7 days.  You can also apply ice to the muscles if you feel you really overdid it.  These suggestions will help ease discomfort. 

If you are still in pain after seven days, you may have an injury and should seek medical advice.  Pay close attention to pain in the joints as these are not muscle related pains.  The joints are bone to bone points and should not be ignored.  If you press into a point on the painful area and there is extreme pain, you should seek medical advice as well.  In addition and a more obvious sign of injury are numbness, tingling and swelling in the area.

If you begin a new program slowly and carefully, you should not experience injury and DOMS is uncomfortable but not unbearable so don’t allow these to be your excuse to not begin what you know is a necessary element to your health and wellness.

By christina Leon, Staff Writer