Dealing with DOMS – Practical Advice For Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness

We’ve all felt that burning and soreness that happens after a really good work out, usually on the day after. It can even feel kind of good because you know you’ve really worked your body and pushed your limits! However, it can also be a literal pain in the a** or whichever other parts of the body you have been working. Especially if you have another active day planned. The good news is that there are some strategies you can use to deal with DOMS and minimise its effect. Read on to find out more. 

Drink plenty (of water!!!!!) 

If you want to minimise the effect of DOMS, it vital to stay hydrated, especially during your workout. This means drinking water, plenty of it. Avoiding sugary and caffeinated drinks a good idea. This is because the body has to work harder to process things like tea, coffee and sodas. So they are likely to cause dehydration rather than remedy it. 

Boost circulation to the affected area

Muscles are built through a process of micro-tears and repairs. Unfortunately, there can be a significant amount of soreness and pain during the tear stage. The good news is that by speeding up the repairs to your muscles, you can help to minimise the effect of DOMS. 

One way to do this is to increase blood flow to the areas that are affected. After all, the more blood there is the more oxygen and nutrients that your muscles need to repair. In particular, you may wish to use massage or compression clothing to help boost blood flow. You can also consider a warm bath. Although, do be careful that it is not too hot as this may end up making your muscle aches worse.  

Get a good night’s rest 

Sleep is the great healer, and this is most certainly the case when it comes to DOMS. Unfortunately, sometimes the muscle soreness that we get after a workout can stop us from being able to nod off. Something that can stop us getting the very thing we need to alleviate the pain. 

The good news is that there are some techniques you can use to make sleep come that little bit easier, even after the most challenging workout. One of these is to try CBD for muscles in the form of a rub. Then not only will you get the healing and relaxing properties of cannabinoids, but you will increase the blood flow to the affected area as well. 

Cool it, hotshot! 

Finally, when it comes to dealing with DOMS, it is vital to always make sure you do a proper cool down. This is because it gives your body a chance to burn off some of that lactic acid build-up which is essential for combatting DOMS. 

With that in mind, never go straight from the highest level intensity of your workout to a standstill. Instead, build in some time for light movement and stretching. Your body will indeed thank you for it the next day.