The Paris 2024 Olympics have motivated you to resume running, and after a successful 15-kilometer run, you felt fine. However, two days later, you experience severe pain in your calves, making even simple activities like climbing stairs difficult.
This delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS) is a common phenomenon that many athletes experience, yet the scientific community has not fully deciphered the exact mechanisms behind it. Although the pain only emerges after some time, it doesn’t necessarily indicate immediate physical damage.
Muscle soreness is believed to result from various complex biological processes, particularly after intense workouts involving eccentric contractions, such as descending stairs. These exercises cause micro-lesions in the muscle tissue, specifically within the sarcomeres.
However, these lesions alone do not directly cause pain, as muscle soreness typically develops 24 to 48 hours later. The delayed pain is likely due to a series of physiological responses triggered by these micro-lesions, including the leakage of muscle cell components and subsequent inflammatory and immune reactions.
These physiological responses can also lead to functional impairments like muscle stiffness, swelling, and loss of strength. Interestingly, none of these markers perfectly aligns with the sensation of pain, suggesting that muscle soreness likely results from the interplay of multiple mechanisms.
The nervous system plays a crucial role in this process, as pain is not felt directly in the muscle but is the result of the brain interpreting nociceptive signals—or warning signals—received from sensory receptors in the muscle.
Despite the discomfort, muscle soreness is generally not a cause for concern and typically resolves within a few days. However, functional impacts, such as reduced strength, may persist longer, and the absence of soreness does not necessarily indicate full muscle recovery.
To prevent future episodes of soreness, it is advisable to gradually increase the intensity of your training, allowing your muscles to adapt to the new demands. Stretching, contrary to popular belief, does not effectively prevent muscle soreness, and once it sets in, there are no proven remedies to alleviate it completely.
Muscle soreness is a complex, multifaceted phenomenon that arises from both physiological damage to muscle fibers and the nervous system’s interpretation of these signals.
While it can be uncomfortable, it is usually harmless and can be mitigated through gradual training and patience. Continuing to exercise at a lower intensity may help ease the symptoms, but ultimately, the best approach is to allow your body time to recover naturally.
