I’m 53 years old, and I recently started taking F45 classes. I’ve always been active, but I’ve never pushed myself quite as hard as I have in these classes. After three classes in four days, I’m feeling the effects. I’m sore, tired, and feeling a little weak. But I’m also proud of myself for pushing myself and challenging myself.
What is DOMS?
DOMS stands for delayed onset muscle soreness. It’s a type of muscle pain that typically occurs 24-48 hours after intense exercise. DOMS is caused by microscopic tears in the muscle fibers. These tears heal over time, and the muscle becomes stronger as a result.
The Symptoms of DOMS
The symptoms of DOMS can vary from person to person, but they typically include:
- Muscle pain
- Muscle stiffness
- Muscle tenderness
- Muscle weakness
- Swelling
- Redness
- Fever
How to Recover from DOMS
There are a few things you can do to help relieve DOMS:
- Rest: The best way to recover from DOMS is to give your muscles time to rest. Avoid strenuous activity for a few days.
- Ice: Applying ice to the affected area for 20 minutes at a time can help to reduce inflammation and pain.
- Compression: Wearing a compression sleeve or compression wrap can help to reduce swelling and pain.
- Elevation: Elevating the affected area can help to reduce swelling and pain.
- Stretching: Gentle stretching can help to improve range of motion and reduce stiffness.
- Over-the-counter pain medication: Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) can help to reduce pain and inflammation.
It’s also important to listen to your body and avoid pushing yourself too hard too soon. If you’re feeling pain, take a break. Don’t be afraid to modify exercises or take a day off completely.
My Experience with DOMS
I’ve been feeling the effects of DOMS for the past few days after taking three F45 classes in four days. My muscles are sore, stiff, and tender. I’m also feeling a little weak. But I’m confident that I’ll recover soon.
I’ve been following the tips for recovering from DOMS that I’ve mentioned above. I’ve been resting, icing, compressing, elevating, stretching, and taking over-the-counter pain medication. I’m also listening to my body and taking breaks when I need to.
I’m excited to get back to F45 and continue challenging myself. I know that DOMS is a normal part of the process, and I’m confident that I’ll get stronger as I continue to push myself.
Tips for Preventing DOMS
There are a few things you can do to help prevent DOMS:
- Start slowly: If you’re new to exercise, start slowly and gradually increase the intensity and duration of your workouts.
- Warm up: Warming up before exercise helps to prepare your muscles for activity and can help to prevent injuries.
- Cool down: Cooling down after exercise helps to reduce inflammation and muscle soreness.
- Stretch regularly: Stretching regularly helps to improve flexibility and range of motion, which can help to prevent injuries and muscle soreness.
- Get enough sleep: Sleep is essential for muscle recovery. Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep per night.
- Eat a healthy diet: Eating a healthy diet provides your body with the nutrients it needs to repair and rebuild muscle tissue.
Glossary
- DOMS: Delayed onset muscle soreness.
- Inflammation: A natural immune response that causes redness, swelling, and pain.
- Pain medication: Medications that are used to relieve pain.
- Range of motion: The amount of movement that a joint is capable of.
- Repetition: One complete cycle of an exercise.
- Set: A group of repetitions of an exercise.
- Stretching: A type of exercise that involves lengthening the muscles.
- Warm-up: A period of light activity that is performed before exercise.
- Cool-down: A period of light activity that is performed after exercise.