Ever wonder why you ache after Exercising?

[BabsieGirl]

It's common for many people, especially when they're just starting an exercise program, to feel sore for the next day or two after exercise. To prevent delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS for short), we're always told to spend a lot of time on stretching exercises immediately after exercise.

But does it really help?

Not according to a team of Danish researchers. They found that stretching before and after exercise has no effect on muscle soreness.

Stretching exercises
Publishing their findings in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, the researchers persuaded seven healthy (but untrained) women to take part in two experiments.

??? During the first experiment, the women exercised their right quadriceps (the group of muscles in the front of your thigh) to exhaustion. Ratings of muscle pain were taken for the next seven days.

??? In experiment two, the women performed the same type of exercise. This time, however, they spent 90 seconds stretching before and after exercise. Again, muscle pain was assessed for seven days.

Contrary to popular belief, results showed that the stretching exercises had no effect on muscle soreness, which reached a peak two days after exercise.

So, what actually causes the soreness?

A bout of exercise causes inflammation, which leads to an increase in the production of immune cells (comprised mostly of macrophages and neutrophils). Levels of these immune cells reach a peak 24-48 hours after exercise. These cells, in turn, produce bradykinins and prostaglandins, which make the pain receptors in your body more sensitive.

The result? Whenever you move, these pain receptors are stimulated. Because they're far more sensitive to pain than normal, you end up feeling sore.

This doesn't mean that you shouldn't perform any stretching exercises after exercise. But if you're only doing it to ease muscle soreness, there's little evidence to show it makes any real difference.

Reference
Lund, H., Vestergaard-Poulsen, P., Kanstrup, I.L., & Sejrsen, P. (1998). The effect of passive stretching on delayed onset muscle soreness, and other detrimental effects following eccentric exercise. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, 8, 216-221

 

[BabsieGirl]

DO NOT SMUDGE UP MY THREAD...IF YOU DON'T LIKE WHAT THIS ARTICLE HAS TO SAY....RESPECT OTHERS OPINIONS....please!

No arguing!!!

 

[Rocco32]

Just wanted to say I enjoy reading all the articles you post on here Babs, keep it up!

 

[BabsieGirl]

Thank you Rock. My goal is to be informative of the many questions and concerns other people have. I know everyone will have there opinion. Which they're entitled to. I just don't like it when people get into arguments is all.

Your comment is very acceptable. Thank you very much. I'll keep posting articles and my opinions, there's no doubt about that.

Keep up the reading. There are TONS of information yet to be explored and TONS of opinions from others.

 

[Dero]

Ok,I have a question...
If stretching before and after a said excercise is rendered useless,what is there do to prevent delayed-onset muscle soreness.(DOM)?
After a 50 miles long mountain bike ride I do hurt...
And NOT BIKING IS NOT AN OPTION!!!!!!

 

[BabsieGirl]

Okay. First do you understand what DOMS is?

 

[Mudge]

Originally posted by BabsieGirl
delayed onset muscle soreness

Mayhaps? Or do you mean why it happens.

 

[Dero]

Ok...Point me in the right direction so that I can find out about DOM and the whys of DOM.
Need input!!!!

 

[I Are Baboon]

Originally posted by Dero
Ok...Point me in the right direction so that I can find out about DOM and the whys of DOM.
Need input!!!!

Dero, DOMS is the soreness you feel in your muscles a day or two after you exercise them. Stretching after you ride will not prevent muscle soreness, but stretching will help prevent cramping and will help keep you flexible.

The other soreness you feel is your old rickety bones and joints. I recommend some Centrum Silver for that.

 

[BabsieGirl]

Causes of DOMS

DOMS is thought to be a result of microscopic tearing of the muscle fibers. The amount of tearing (and soreness) depends on how hard and how long you exercise and what type of exercise you do. Activities that require muscles to forcefully contract while they are lengthening ("eccentric") seem to cause the most soreness. You use eccentric contractions when you descend stairs, run downhill, lower a weight, or perform the downward motion of squats and push-ups. In addition to muscle tearing, swelling can ocur in and around a muscle, which can also cause
soreness hours later.

Another Example

When you are training or racing, it is the muscle fibres which are depleted of glycogen which are the most susceptible to the micro-trauma which causes DOMS. So "hitting the wall" may be caused not only by glycogen depletion, but by muscle fibre damage.

While most people carbo-load to prevent glycogen depletion, few incorporate training which aims to protect muscle fibres from structural damage

Reproducing DOMS-causing exercise while training can help protect muscle fibres against future damage for several weeks. These specific exercises may even help prevent you from "hitting the wall".


Okay, so what happens to my muscles again? Dif. break down for you. Just a dif. explanation.

When you get DOMS, research has shown that it is as a result of structural and chemical damage to the cell wall of the muscle fibre, tendons and connective tissues.

Damage to cell walls causes chemicals within the tissues to leak, resulting in swelling around the muscle fibres. The nerves which surround the muscles and tendons are then stimulated, resulting in soreness.

However, DOMS is typically only felt 24 to 72 hours after exercise, suggesting that there has to be an accumulation of these chemicals before the nerve endings are stimulated.


Preventing DOMS

While DOMS is common and annoying, it is not a necessary part of getting into shape. There are many things you can do to prevent, avoid and shorten DOMS. Here are a few tips:


*Warm up thoroughly before activity and cool down completely afterward.
*Start with easy to moderate activity and build up your intensity over time.
(Avoid making sudden major changes in the type of exercise you do.
*Avoid making sudden major changes in the amount of time that
you exercise.

If you're already sore and you're just now reading this. Wonder how to help EASE the pain?

*Wait. Soreness will go away in 3 to 7 days with no special treatment. (Your Choice)
*Avoid any vigorous activity that increases pain.
*Do some easy low-impact aerobic exercise - this will increase blood flow to the affected muscles, which may help diminish soreness.
*Use the RICE princliple
*Gently massage the affected muscles,
*Try using a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (aspirin or ibuprofen) to reduce the soreness temporarily, though they won't actually speed healing.
*There is some evidence that vitamin C may decrease soreness.
*Allow the soreness to subside thoroughly before performing any vigorous exercise.
*Don't forget to warm up before your targeted activity.
*If your pain persists longer than about 7 days or increases

Learn something from the experience! Use prevention first.

 

[Arnold]

Originally posted by BabsieGirl
DO NOT SMUDGE UP MY THREAD...IF YOU DON'T LIKE WHAT THIS ARTICLE HAS TO SAY....RESPECT OTHERS OPINIONS....please!

No arguing!!!

what if we want to discuss or debate what is said in the article?

 

[Jodi]

Originally posted by Prince
what if we want to discuss or debate what is said in the article?

My thoughts exactly!

 

[BabsieGirl]

I don't care about comments. What I don't want is the arguing. Debate and discuss all you want.


Please feel free to discuss as I didn't say....please, no commenting or asking questions!

 

[Jodi]

Debate is an argument.

 

[BabsieGirl]

What I mean....people getting pissed off to where the thread gets all junk up and has no further purpose.

Okay......put it this way..................Keep it fair and respect what others have to say WITH OUT GETTING ALL PISSY.

 

[BabsieGirl]

another example.....the antagonists in IM...they need to stear clear! They usually stir the pot

Go ahead and state your piece Prince and Jodi.

 

[Arnold]

the article is fine, I have no debate. (that's a first, huh?)

I was just wondering why you would not want anyone discussing it.

 

[Mudge]

For better or worse thats what boards are for, otherwise it would just be a newsletter

 

[BabsieGirl]

Okay. I did mention I didn't care who all chatted in here...I just don't want the fighting......debate all you want...just have some respect is all I asked...limit the bad language...I don't want it getting off topic. I also commented that there would be TONS of opinions from others. Everyone is entitled to it.

If there's anything further to say please keep it on topic

 

[Mudge]

I guess I have something "on topic." It was claimed by one book, that research in Bulgaria found that with proper diet and rest, a muscle could recouperate in 3 hours time, sore or not.

This helped give birth to the "overtraining" program I used some years ago that actually worked pretty well, although I heard later that Phil Hernon spoke publically that it was bogus. Both Hernon and Tom Platz had some small part in putting their name on the product for marketing.

 

[BabsieGirl]

That's interesting Mudge. Did it matter how hard you worked out, or was it a general statement?

 

[Mudge]

They were claiming full workouts. Muscle tissue aside though, connective tissue needs a break.

 

[Dero]

Originally posted by BabsieGirl
Causes of DOMS

DOMS is thought to be a result of microscopic tearing of the muscle fibers. The amount of tearing (and soreness) depends on how hard and how long you exercise and what type of exercise you do. Activities that require muscles to forcefully contract while they are lengthening ("eccentric") seem to cause the most soreness. You use eccentric contractions when you descend stairs, run downhill, lower a weight, or perform the downward motion of squats and push-ups. In addition to muscle tearing, swelling can ocur in and around a muscle, which can also cause
soreness hours later.

Another Example

When you are training or racing, it is the muscle fibres which are depleted of glycogen which are the most susceptible to the micro-trauma which causes DOMS. So "hitting the wall" may be caused not only by glycogen depletion, but by muscle fibre damage.

While most people carbo-load to prevent glycogen depletion, few incorporate training which aims to protect muscle fibres from structural damage

Reproducing DOMS-causing exercise while training can help protect muscle fibres against future damage for several weeks. These specific exercises may even help prevent you from "hitting the wall".


Okay, so what happens to my muscles again? Dif. break down for you. Just a dif. explanation.

When you get DOMS, research has shown that it is as a result of structural and chemical damage to the cell wall of the muscle fibre, tendons and connective tissues.

Damage to cell walls causes chemicals within the tissues to leak, resulting in swelling around the muscle fibres. The nerves which surround the muscles and tendons are then stimulated, resulting in soreness.

However, DOMS is typically only felt 24 to 72 hours after exercise, suggesting that there has to be an accumulation of these chemicals before the nerve endings are stimulated.


Preventing DOMS

While DOMS is common and annoying, it is not a necessary part of getting into shape. There are many things you can do to prevent, avoid and shorten DOMS. Here are a few tips:


*Warm up thoroughly before activity and cool down completely afterward.
*Start with easy to moderate activity and build up your intensity over time.
(Avoid making sudden major changes in the type of exercise you do.
*Avoid making sudden major changes in the amount of time that
you exercise.

If you're already sore and you're just now reading this. Wonder how to help EASE the pain?

*Wait. Soreness will go away in 3 to 7 days with no special treatment. (Your Choice)
*Avoid any vigorous activity that increases pain.
*Do some easy low-impact aerobic exercise - this will increase blood flow to the affected muscles, which may help diminish soreness.
*Use the RICE princliple
*Gently massage the affected muscles,
*Try using a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (aspirin or ibuprofen) to reduce the soreness temporarily, though they won't actually speed healing.
*There is some evidence that vitamin C may decrease soreness.
*Allow the soreness to subside thoroughly before performing any vigorous exercise.
*Don't forget to warm up before your targeted activity.
*If your pain persists longer than about 7 days or increases

Learn something from the experience! Use prevention first.

In other words, take two aspirins,vitamin "C" and take it easy ...
Hmmmm,not what I wanted to hear...

See,I don't really believe in popping a pill for everything that is wrong,aren't there any NATURAL WAYS???

 

[BabsieGirl]

Massage therapy

 

[Dero]

Well,am I ever DOMing today!!!