How do you treat your DOMS

facilitators1334
facilitators1334 Posts: 48
in Fitness and Exercise
I have a bad case of it right now. Squats. It's been two days and my legs are still in pain,weak and sore to the touch. I drink lots of water.
How do you treat yours?
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Replies

  • RepsnSets
    RepsnSets Posts: 805 Member
    I keep exercising and if Im at work I try and move around every 30 minutes. Usually the first 48 hours are the worse (second day is the worse of all) and from then on I loosen up
  • EmmaKarney
    EmmaKarney Posts: 690 Member
    Stretching and more exercise!
  • facilitators1334
    facilitators1334 Posts: 48
    Thanks for the tips. I'll be at the gym tomorrow.
  • Morninglory81
    Morninglory81 Posts: 1,190 Member
    Hair of the dog! Work the muscle again. Advil helps also.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Lots of water, walk it out, stretch, and a foam roller!
  • SuperSexyDork
    SuperSexyDork Posts: 1,669 Member
    Lots of water, walk it out, stretch, and a foam roller!

    This + another work out!
  • rick_po
    rick_po Posts: 449 Member
    I complain about my poor aching legs to my wife. I'm sure she loves it.
  • facilitators1334
    facilitators1334 Posts: 48
    Ok..Advil taken..walking/light elliptical done..stretching and drinking water right now..no foam roller at the moment. Ty guys
  • Lady_Bane
    Lady_Bane Posts: 720 Member
    I don't...I keep working out
  • MyOwnSunshine
    MyOwnSunshine Posts: 1,312 Member
    Hot bath with epsom salts.
    Heating pad.
    Tylenol or Ibuprofen if they're really bad.
    Yoga in the mornings.
    Adhere to normally scheduled workouts.
    Whimper like a baby every time I have to sit down on the toilet.
  • Catjag
    Catjag Posts: 107
    Lots of water. Stretching/foam roller. Walk. Hit the pool. I also love to hit the steam room. Also, I use the handicap stalls for at least two days. Glutes day+DOMS=my butt not wanting to sit on a toilet seat.
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
    I sit down on the toilet in the morning to pee and just deal with the fact I won't be getting up again that day.
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
    I work around it, try to work other muscles the next day...although I get it so unfrequently now I secretly love it.
  • Shr3dded
    Shr3dded Posts: 232
    Stretching and more exercise!
  • ahmadfahmy
    ahmadfahmy Posts: 214 Member
    stretching and a slight increase in calories (usually carbs)
  • Elisirmon
    Elisirmon Posts: 273 Member
    It's called lactic acid and stretching and intense massage or even epson salt baths will help or IBprofin...
  • mmddwechanged
    mmddwechanged Posts: 1,687 Member
    I have hot baths and keep taking the stairs two at a time.
  • bostonwolf
    bostonwolf Posts: 3,038 Member
    A medium intensity workout after a good warmup and stretch is usually enough to purge some of that lactic acid out.

    An ice bath would also help (and yes I mean go get two bags of ice, fill the tub with cold water, add the ice, and get in for 20 minutes.)

    DOMS for me is mostly in muscles that I haven't used in a while. After a few workouts you'll find that it diminishes into normal soreness.
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
    It's called lactic acid and stretching and intense massage or even epson salt baths will help or IBprofin...

    Lactic acid buildup is no longer considered the cause of DOMS, but rather microfractures in the muscle fibers themselves.
  • Hexahedra
    Hexahedra Posts: 894 Member
    I'm almost always suffering from DOMS; most of the time it's mild enough that a little stretching would send it away, sometimes it's a little sharper so I would take a couple of ibuprofen pills.
  • facilitators1334
    facilitators1334 Posts: 48
    This bout is the kind where you go to sit down and you just fall in your seat. I did a short set of squats hugging a huge bucket of sand. About 40lbs. I know it doesn't sound pretty but I'm doing it for strength. I went low and slow. :sick:
  • jody664
    jody664 Posts: 397 Member
    I had the same thing when i started squats. Luckily my gym has a whirlpool spa so I made good use of that. Other than that, you've got some good suggestions. A hot bath, stretching, and don't stop working out.

    ETA: And water. Lots and lots of water.
  • LongIsland27itl
    LongIsland27itl Posts: 365 Member
    Bulk BCAA's and electrolyte infused water
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
    don't do what I did and just do nothing you will hurt way longer yoga finally did the trick :)
  • mtbke5
    mtbke5 Posts: 96 Member
    Lots of water, stretching and BCAA's
  • aelunyu
    aelunyu Posts: 486 Member
    This might be a little against the grain, but, you cant treat DOMS. nothing will accelerate the mitigation of that sort of pain that's really effective. You can "loosen up" the muscle and work it again and the pain subsides (dopamine, adrenaline, seratonin, heat, all make the pain manageable during workouts). But the rate at which micro tears in your fiber heal is pretty much strictly genetic, assuming you are meeting basic caloric requirements and getting enough rest and hydration.

    So, assuming you are not energy, nutrient, or rest deficient, you'll just have to wait it out. Squats sometimes keep me sore for 6-8 days.
  • jayche
    jayche Posts: 1,128 Member
    More frequent training, other than that I usually just complain it off
  • mandaface415
    mandaface415 Posts: 17 Member
    Hot bath with epsom salts.
    Heating pad.
    Tylenol or Ibuprofen if they're really bad.
    Yoga in the mornings.
    Adhere to normally scheduled workouts.
    Whimper like a baby every time I have to sit down on the toilet.

    All the way, yes! Especially on the last one
    :ohwell: :ohwell:
  • tomg33
    tomg33 Posts: 305 Member
    Lactic acid buildup is no longer considered the cause of DOMS, but rather microfractures in the muscle fibers themselves.

    Actually I believe it is microtears in the connective tissues which surround and permeate the muscle bellies, not the contractile tissue itself, but don't quote me on that. Not that it matters.


    To address the OP, as far as I know you can not significantly increase the rate of recovery of DOMS. Certainly there are strategies used to reduce the pain but I don't think these methods actually address the cause. That said, I strongly believe in stretching, foam rolling, self-massage, and active recovery, and to a lesser extent (temperature) contrast showers/ice baths because they're ridiculously uncomfortable.

    To continue, DOMS is not a sign of progress or growth in any real meaningful sense. DOMS occurs as a result of your body not being adapted to your training program. It is acceptable to experience DOMS for several weeks after starting a new program, or for some period of time after significantly altering your training parameters, but if you are constantly feeling sore it probably means you actually don't train ENOUGH. The typical bro-split idea of training each body part once a week and beating the hell out of it so it's sore for a week is simply pointless and has no real basis in exercise science, at least for a non-drug assisted individual that is.
  • aelunyu
    aelunyu Posts: 486 Member
    Lactic acid buildup is no longer considered the cause of DOMS, but rather microfractures in the muscle fibers themselves.

    Actually I believe it is microtears in the connective tissues which surround and permeate the muscle bellies, not the contractile tissue itself, but don't quote me on that. Not that it matters.


    To address the OP, as far as I know you can not significantly increase the rate of recovery of DOMS. Certainly there are strategies used to reduce the pain but I don't think these methods actually address the cause. That said, I strongly believe in stretching, foam rolling, self-massage, and active recovery, and to a lesser extent (temperature) contrast showers/ice baths because they're ridiculously uncomfortable.

    To continue, DOMS is not a sign of progress or growth in any real meaningful sense. DOMS occurs as a result of your body not being adapted to your training program. It is acceptable to experience DOMS for several weeks after starting a new program, or for some period of time after significantly altering your training parameters, but if you are constantly feeling sore it probably means you actually don't train ENOUGH. The typical bro-split idea of training each body part once a week and beating the hell out of it so it's sore for a week is simply pointless and has no real basis in exercise science, at least for a non-drug assisted individual that is.

    I agree with most of this. Though the once a week bodypart bro split is not exactly pointless, just not optimal from an unassisted standpoint. You can recruit such a regimen with good results if you do strength+hypertrophy in one session, but it still probably does not beat out upping frequency.

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