How does muscle soreness occur

In severe cases, the muscles can break down so much that you can become very ill and cause damage to your kidneys. Seek medical attention immediately if you experience any of the following after a workout or activity that causes muscle soreness:. It WILL get better and your muscles will thank you later. Skip to main content. July 02, , am EDT. COVID patients can become kidney patients. You can provide lifesaving support today with a special monthly gift. Donate Now. When muscles are required to work harder than they're used to or in a different way, it's believed to cause microscopic damage to the muscle fibres, resulting in muscle soreness or stiffness.

DOMS is often mistakenly believed to be caused by a build up of lactic acid, but lactic acid is not involved in this process. Anyone can develop DOMS, even those who have been exercising for years, including elite athletes. It can be alarming for people who are new to exercise, and may affect their initial enthusiasm to get fit. The good news is the soreness will decrease as your muscles get used to the new physical demands being placed upon them.

The soreness is part of an adaptation process that leads to greater stamina and strength as the muscles recover and build. Any movement you're not used to can cause DOMS. Taking up a new exercise, a harder than usual workout, or working your muscles in a different way can all cause DOMS. DOMS typically lasts between 3 and 5 days.

The pain, which can range from mild to severe, usually occurs 1 or 2 days after the exercise. This sort of muscle pain should not be confused with any kind of pain you might experience during exercise, such as the acute, sudden and sharp pain of an injury, such as muscle strains or sprains. DOMS does not generally require medical intervention.

But you should seek medical advice if the pain becomes unbearable, you experience severe swelling, or your urine becomes dark. One of the best ways to prevent DOMS is to start any new activity programme gently and gradually.

Allowing the muscle time to adapt to new movements should help minimise soreness. There's not much evidence that warming up will be effective in preventing DOMS. There are a few indicators that your pain can be something more serious than DOMS:. If you are concerned about any of the above, your chiropractor can conduct a thorough assessment and offer non-pharmacological pain management strategies, stretches, or manual treatments.

You will be referred to the appropriate medical professional if the cause of pain is out of scope of chiropractic care. Tiidus PM. Skeletal Muscle Damage and Repair. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics; Muscle soreness and delayed-onset muscle soreness.

Clin Sports Med. Sports Med. X Member Login Username. Forgot Password. What causes muscle soreness after working out? How to deal with muscle soreness Although DOMS is a natural process that indicates your body is getting stronger, you can reduce the discomfort.