What the Heck is DOMS?

You've probably heard the word "DOMS" thrown around if you've hung around a gym long enough.

DOMS is actually an acronym for the term "delayed onset muscle soreness" and is mostly due to the effects of eccentric movements during exercise. To illustrate the eccentric portion of an exercise, let's refer to the bicep curl. As you curl up into your curl bring the palm toward the shoulder, you are contracting the biceps brachii muscle. As you lower the weight back down to your side, you are completing the negative portion of the exercise, or the eccentric action. So, although you  may feel you are only "working" as you curl the dumbbell up toward your shoulder, you are actually working and promoting muscle breakdown (which ultimately promotes regrowth and strength) during the lowering or eccentric phase.

DOMS starts 12-24 hours after exercise and is at it's peak 48 hours post-workout. This is the time when you are going to feel the most sore. In my experience, I am usually the most sore at the 36 hour mark. The soreness you feel is partially due to the result of micro-trauma to the muscle and connective tissue, which typically results in simultaneous inflammation and swelling.

Tips to decreasing the intensity of DOMS onset:

• According to the American College of Sports Medicine, massage therapy has been shown to help relieve some soreness.
• Foam rolling
• Icing the affected areas (20 min on/20 off) to decrease swelling.
• Increasing blood flow by introducing some light cardio and stretching.