Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

Treatment Of DOMS


There have been many different treatment strategies to help reduce the intensity of DOMS and to return the athlete to training as fast as possible. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen, have demonstrated dose-dependent effects but can be influenced by when the dose was given.

I am not against all NSAIDS for there are times when the patient might need them on a temporary basis to relieve the symptoms, but I would suggest only using these when other methods have failed. Many problems can occur with the over medication of these drugs that far outweigh their usage. The key word in the use of NSAIDS is TEMPORARY.

Massage has also shown some varying results that can be attributed to the time and type of massage technique used. I love the benefits of massage and tell my patients that weekly massage treatments will do a lot of good for their overall health


n a study published in the Journal of Athletic Training in 2003, ten healthy subjects (5 men, 5 women) with no history of upper arm injury and no experience in resistance training were asked to perform 10 sets of 6 maximal isokinetic eccentric movements of the elbow flexors with both arms.

One arm received 10 minutes of massage 3 hours after the exercise; the other arm received no treatment. They concluded that massage was effective in alleviating DOMS by approximately 30% and reducing swelling, but it had no effects on muscle function.

According to a study published by the School of Community Health and Sports Studies: Cryotherapy (ice packs), stretching, homeopathy, ultrasound and electrical current modalities (muscle stimulation) all have demonstrated no effect on the alleviation of muscle or other DOMS related symptoms.

Exercise is the most effective means of relieving pain during DOMS, but the analgesic effect is temporary. If you have to train on a daily basis, then you should reduce the duration and intensity of exercise for 1-2 days following the exercise that caused the DOMS. You can also train less effected body parts to allow time for the body to recover.

Another key is to train a hard day/light day after you start a new program or routine. Rest is often overlooked in the training regime and you should plan for it. I believe that we usually over train and never give our bodies the required "rest" that it needs to rebuild and repair itself. I know that the "burn" feels good after a workout but it isn't the best thing for you.

Your body is designed to adapt to whatever stress is imposed upon it so if you want to grow, or get in better shape, you have to make changes periodically in your routine to stop from hitting a plateau and getting bored. Any significant change in your workout can increase the risk of DOMS. When it happens, use the suggestions provided above... and don't let your kids decide that today is "wrestling day".