DOMS, pain and trying to figure things out

sammniamii
sammniamii Posts: 669 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I recently found out what DOMS is after suffering from it during what I thought was a mild workout - it wasn't even strength training, it was only cardo (treadmill, elliptical then bike). It took my nearly 10 days to recover. Then I went back to "try" to start strength training - only 2-3 reps, sets of 10 and kept the weight to what I could handle or even under. It hit again, but thankfully not as bad. Yes, I do know this is supposed to be a marker that I am heading in the right direction, but probably need to scale it back.

But it is more than enough pain to prevent me from even doing a Low Impact work-out, Yoga or even Pilates. It hurts so bad, I was brought to tears within minutes. This is what made me stop my very intensive workouts 5 years ago.... I was doing 4 hours a day of hard exercise (strength & cardo) and the pain became so constant and debilitating, that I stopped and gave up.

And yes, yell at me I'm weak and pathetic, it's supposed to hurt, man (or woman) up and keep going...

But a few things to take into consideration (in my case): I already have arthritis & I have scoliosis w/ spinal fusion. I refuse to take pres pain meds and I've lived in moderate to severe pain for nearly 2 decades.

I've tried doing a protein supplement before exercising, i use "icy Hot" like it's going out of style, ibuprofen, homeopathic medications, warm compresses and massages, but it doesn't help. I take a whole slew of vitamins & supplements:

-multivitamin
-calcium/D3/magnesium (twice a day)
-flax seed (twice a day)
-garlic & hawthorn
-veg Glucosamine /MSM /Hyaluronic Acid (twice a day)
-Chelated Chromium
-Niacin - non flushing
-Ginkgo Biloba
-Fiber supplement (twice a day)

I've tried scaling back my work-outs, to the point I feel like I'm doing nothing (slow walking, almost no weights, lightest impact I can find) and even then DOMS still hits. Or my pain stops me.

I was joking around w/ my coworker about the energy drink I was drinking having weird stuff, BCAA, in it. He promptly told me that stuff was good, so i did some research about it and now am considering adding this either before I go to bed or just before my work-outs.

But.... any advice about what I could do, to either stop the pain (or at least ease it so I can work-out more than once a week).... any ideas about what I am doing, what I could do better, anyone have similar issues?

I'm at a loss, my doctor isn't much help, my attempts at fixing this isn't going anywhere.... I want to move, exercise, do something that isn't gonna put me in tears.

Replies

  • sammniamii
    sammniamii Posts: 669 Member
    bump
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    Ibuprofen helps.
    Epsom salt bath helps.
    hot/cold water cycles helps.

    Well, they take the edge off.

    Light activity does more for DOMS than anything else.
    If it's bringing you to tears, it might be an actual injury/pulled muscle.


    I do think BCAA before workout helps (I suggest the Xtend watermelon madness. Unflavored BCAA tastes like potting soil.)
    I can't quantify how much, but I like it.



    Anyway, I have arthritis in my knees. They would ACHE -FOREVER- after exercise. Once the joint strengthened up, they ached less. Once I strengthened them a lot, they don't hurt at all any more. Obviously YMMV, and it won't help severe arthritis, but just know that strengthening joints/ligament/tissue in general is very beneficial.
  • ilovedeadlifts
    ilovedeadlifts Posts: 2,923 Member
    Ibuprofen helps.
    Epsom salt bath helps.
    hot/cold water cycles helps.

    Well, they take the edge off.

    Light activity does more for DOMS than anything else.
    If it's bringing you to tears, it might be an actual injury/pulled muscle.


    I do think BCAA before workout helps (I suggest the Xtend watermelon madness. Unflavored BCAA tastes like potting soil.)
    I can't quantify how much, but I like it.


    all of this.

    there is a difference between soreness and pain. DOMS will be "painful" on occasion after a really intense workout, but otherwise I'd probably an actual injury if it's bringing you to tears.
  • JNick77
    JNick77 Posts: 3,783 Member
    Ibuprofen helps.
    Epsom salt bath helps.
    hot/cold water cycles helps.

    Well, they take the edge off.

    Light activity does more for DOMS than anything else.
    If it's bringing you to tears, it might be an actual injury/pulled muscle.


    I do think BCAA before workout helps (I suggest the Xtend watermelon madness. Unflavored BCAA tastes like potting soil.)
    I can't quantify how much, but I like it.



    Anyway, I have arthritis in my knees. They would ACHE -FOREVER- after exercise. Once the joint strengthened up, they ached less. Once I strengthened them a lot, they don't hurt at all any more. Obviously YMMV, and it won't help severe arthritis, but just know that strengthening joints/ligament/tissue in general is very beneficial.

    RE BCAA Consumption: Before workout is good but during workouts is also a very good idea. Xtend is an awesome product to introduce yourself to BCAA's. The Blue Raspberry is friggin' delicious too.
  • SandiBren
    SandiBren Posts: 33 Member
    DOMS? What's that?
  • lizzybethclaire
    lizzybethclaire Posts: 849 Member
    Wow, I should not have read Fifty Shades of Grey because when I saw the title I thought this was about something else. I hope everything works out for you.
  • rmhand
    rmhand Posts: 1,067 Member
    Are you eating enough protein to help your body rebuild?
  • sammniamii
    sammniamii Posts: 669 Member
    The tears part is normal, I hate to say. I have really bad joints and alot of pain in my hips & back. Trying to "follow" any work-out video, even low impact and slow, causes some pain. If I move wrong (and I can't always tell when it's about to hit) I'll get a stabbing electric pain that steals my breath away. And let me clarify - this happens even if I'm walking down the street, sitting at work, ect. It has done with since high school and all the doctors just say is LIVE with it or here, want some pain pills. No, i don't.

    But, if I can get up and moving (past the first horrible pains) and keep moving, I do ok until I stop. Then it starts all over. Even when I do housework (and for me, housework is a cardo workout - running around, up and down stairs, heavy lifting and constant movement - lol).

    So I think I'll go with trying the BCAA - I found a caplet form that I might try as I may not always be home or at work to mix it up before I hit the gym (i can carry caplets in my purse) -- http://www.vitacost.com/vitacost-bcaas-l-leucine-l-valine-l-isoleucine
  • tripod271
    tripod271 Posts: 112 Member
    Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness
  • hbrittingham
    hbrittingham Posts: 2,518 Member
    DOMS? What's that?

    Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness.

    tripod typed faster than me.

    I would think that getting lots of water and potassium would help.
  • TheCats_Meow
    TheCats_Meow Posts: 438 Member
    Wow, I should not have read Fifty Shades of Grey because when I saw the title I thought this was about something else. I hope everything works out for you.

    :laugh: SO did I!!!!!!

    I was like "whoa! heavy duty stuff for a Friday morning!" :laugh:
  • still_crafty
    still_crafty Posts: 682 Member
    Wow, I should not have read Fifty Shades of Grey because when I saw the title I thought this was about something else. I hope everything works out for you.

    :laugh: SO did I!!!!!!

    I was like "whoa! heavy duty stuff for a Friday morning!" :laugh:

    Me too! But my mind is always in the gutter these days
  • skendrick0601
    skendrick0601 Posts: 58 Member
    For me, BCAA's work better after a workout. You need to find out what works for you. I take the pill form. I also do a protein drink to help with recovery and soak in an epson salt bath. With your fusion you need to be really careful. As a reminder, do a few minutes of cardio to warm up your muscles, take about 10 minutes to stretch all of your muscles then proceed with your workout. Take another 10 minutes to stretch after. If I don't stretch after, I usually have a lot more discomfort the next day. A foam roller also helps after a work out. It helps get rid of the lactic acid.
  • tobnrn
    tobnrn Posts: 477 Member
    I get DOMS 2 days later. Especially after doing legs. What has really helped me is making sure I stretch those muscles after a good workout and every couple hours after for 2 days and make sure I move no matter how painful. Moving helps to loosen those muscles along with motrin and alternating heat/ice. If its too bad try cutting back a little and building up slowly. Good luck. Feel better.
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    You were doing 4 hours a day? Yikes! It's hard to come down from that level of activity! Especially tough mentally, I think.

    Overtraining (endurance running) nearly destroyed me! I was young and addicted to my runner's high and when my body finally broke down and couldn't do it anymore, I became so depressed. It took a couple of years to get healthy again and to rebuild my fitness without going overboard and injuring myself. I totally get how down you feel when you just want to move, but you have to force yourself to take it easy.

    I'm not the badass I once was, but I'm definately fit and much healthier now that I'm in better control of myself and not overtraining.

    I like the advice people gave about the epsom salts. The magnesium is absorbed right through your skin. It definately helps. I like to take a half dose of an anti-inflammatory before and a half dose after my runs. I have very little to no pain.

    ETA: If you have overtrained and weakened your body, even light workouts may hurt for a long time. I actually had to stop running all together for a couple of years. I had pain I called "marathon hip" for years, that hurt even just laying in bed for too long. I thought I had permanently broken myself. In the past 2 years, since gradually building up my workouts again, that pain is completely gone - but it didn't start to improve until I got back to working out - carefully. It can take a lot of patience and care to rebuild a broken body. I think I would have healed faster if I had been more patient and if I'd gotten back to exercise sooner. Good luck and be gentle with yourself!
  • msdelta
    msdelta Posts: 3
    I have a neuro-muscular disease so it is easy for me to overdo with only a light workout on some days, never know which ones that will be, and I will experience the intense pain you describe for days after, not to mention muscle weakness so bad that I can barely move. I don't want to take meds because I can't take NSAIDs and the others that help with the pain knock me out for hours at a time. When I discussed it with my neurologist he "prescribed" hot cocoa made with milk (soy, rice or almond if you are allergic) after a workout or at least before bed that night. Said that some chemical in it helped muscles. Of course I have to work the calories into my eating plan, but it helps a lot as long as I keep it up so I use it as a 100 calorie snack. Doc also told me that eating more pineapple and cherries for my fruit servings would help with the pain and to work Salmon into my diet up to three times a week. I have found that following my doctors "prescription" keeps me moving and having more and more pain free days. I hope you find something that works for you.
  • artbkward
    artbkward Posts: 238 Member
    Wow, I should not have read Fifty Shades of Grey because when I saw the title I thought this was about something else. I hope everything works out for you.

    :laugh: SO did I!!!!!!

    I was like "whoa! heavy duty stuff for a Friday morning!" :laugh:


    I just finished the second book last night so, yeah, I thought this too. DOM followed by the word pain is very reminiscent of FSoG
  • msdelta
    msdelta Posts: 3
    I can almost literally feel your pain over this. I suffer from a neuro-muscular disease that I am usually able to work around or through with only OTC pain meds occasionally. After surgery early last year I was hit with a bout that lasted for over 8 months. On days that the muscle weakness wasn't too bad I would try to power through the pain and get some exercise in which would put me back to having to struggle to even get my feet under me for days to weeks. Finally I saw a physical therapist who gave me a list of exercises and made sure I was doing each one correctly, especially slow enough. I felt that the exercises weren't really exercises at all, but my neurologist thought they were just the ticket, so I tried them. After about three months I was back to normal and, with help from the PT so I didn't blow it entirely, was able to ramp back up to something that felt more normal for me.

    The things that the PT emphasized to me:

    1. Take it slow and easy, even Jane Fonda has gotten off the no pain-no gain theory. I was told to spend 2-5 minutes of every hour that I am awake doing some of my exercises instead of doing it all at one time. Some of the exercises (but not all) that I was given didn't even seem like exercises at all; such as sitting sideways in a chair at a table or counter with my hand on a towel at my side then slowly slide it as far as I possibly can and pull it back slowly, stand in a doorway and push against the doorjamb with the back of my hand-take a step back and push forward--two steps forward and push back, Use a pulley system (less than $20 to assist pulling my arms over my head and to also lift my legs. and of course slow walks on a treadmill or using the exercise bike with very little drag. There were more, but I think you can see what I mean by no exercise from this. It was to help the fibers in my muscles heal without letting them atrophy. It worked.

    2. Drink 8 pz of water before, during and immediately after exercise. Yeah, I know I wasn't sweating it off, but there was something about the water helping to rid my body of whatever my body was putting off because of this disease.

    3. Eat small (handful size or smaller) meal made up of mostly lean protein, vegetables and fruit 5 or 6 times a day with as little sugar and processed foods as possible.

    3. Pay attention to the rules and do what I was told, not what I thought would be better.

    It all seemed counter-intuitive to me but it put me back on the right track and I was able to build my exercising back to more than pre-episode and never hurt. My energy level and sleeping was better than ever and I was losing several pounds a month the whole time I was doing the "nothing" exercises.

    Perhaps you might want to get a PT, even just once, and see if a regime built for your disorder might help you to heal and get back a bit closer where you want to be.

    I wish you the best of luck whatever you try.

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