Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is something anyone who’s done any serious exercise will experience, and it refers to the muscle soreness experienced typically 24-72 hours after intense or unfamiliar exercise.
With chronic illness, people are also more prone to DOMS because of a variety of reasons. Often their pain perception is more sensitive or their recovery mechanisms for muscles are weakened due to their chronic illness.
If you suffer from chronic illness, it’s also likely that you’re overall activity has reduced and your muscle tone has reduced leading to less strength and flexibility.
We all know that exercise and specifically movement is a core part of a person’s health, and doing exercise whilst chronically ill requires more effort and energy than a normal person needs.
If you have a fatigue causing condition, you’re energy is likely bottomed out from just doing basic chores and responsibilities. You have no reservoir to pull from on in order to push your body into damage.
Usually people’s recovery leads to an improvement the original structures that were damaged. But with chronic illness, you just pile on the damage and never recover, there’s no resources to recover. Your body is already at a resource limit.
Many conditions also stifle the body’s ability to absorb nutrients, without sufficient nutrients, your body won’t be recovering anything. Instead your body harvests those nutrients from it’s own organs and systems, further depleting your overall health.
For normal healthy people there are some very well known and general solutions to DOMS ;
- Rest: To allow your muscles time to recover by resting and avoiding further strenuous activity.
- Hydration: Drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated, which aids in muscle recovery and reduces soreness.
- Gentle Stretching: Performing gentle stretching exercises to help alleviate muscle tightness and improve flexibility.
- Foam Rolling: Using a foam roller to massage and release tension in sore muscles, promoting blood flow and faster recovery.
- Massage: Getting a professional massage or using self-massage techniques or devices such as a massage gun to reduce muscle soreness and improve circulation.
- Heat Therapy: Applying heat packs or taking warm baths or going to a sauna to relax muscles and increase blood flow, which can help alleviate soreness.
- Cold Therapy: Using ice packs or take a cold bath to reduce inflammation and numb sore muscles, providing temporary relief from discomfort.
- Over-the-Counter Pain Relief: Taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen or aspirin to reduce pain and inflammation associated with DOMS.
- Proper Nutrition: Ensuring you’re consuming a balanced diet rich in protein, carbohydrates, and antioxidants to support muscle repair and recovery.
- Gradual Exercise: Engage in light, low-impact activities like walking or swimming to promote blood flow and aid in recovery without further stressing already sore muscles.
There are also various supplements that are generally advised for treating DOMS ;
- Creatine: Widely studied for its performance-enhancing effects, creatine has also been found to reduce muscle damage and inflammation, potentially mitigating DOMS.
- Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs): BCAAs, particularly leucine, isoleucine, and valine, are essential for muscle protein synthesis. Supplementing with BCAAs before or after exercise may help reduce muscle soreness and promote recovery.
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Found in fish oil supplements, omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties that may help reduce muscle soreness and speed up recovery.
- Tart Cherry Juice: Tart cherry juice contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that may help reduce muscle soreness and improve recovery time.
- Curcumin (Turmeric): Curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, has potent anti-inflammatory properties that may help alleviate muscle soreness and promote recovery when taken as a supplement.
- Protein Supplements: Whey protein, casein protein, or plant-based protein supplements can provide the necessary amino acids for muscle repair and recovery after exercise, potentially reducing DOMS.
- Magnesium: Magnesium plays a role in muscle function and relaxation. Supplementing with magnesium may help reduce muscle cramps and soreness associated with DOMS.
- Caffeine: Caffeine has been shown to enhance endurance and reduce perceived exertion during exercise. Some studies suggest that caffeine may also reduce muscle soreness when consumed before or after exercise.
