You’re not the only one. I’m sure many of us have wrestled with the stairs after a wonderful weekend up hill and down dale. And it’s all because of DOMS.
What is DOMS?
“After a hard, long walk, we often experience muscle stiffness and discomfort sometimes lasting two to three days,” says physiotherapist and long-distance runner Danny Brunton. “But don’t worry as this is natural response to exercise known as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS).”
DOMS is common and caused by over-exertion whereby micro-damage to the muscle results in an inflammatory response. That manifests itself as pain.
Can you treat DOMS?
Treatment’s perhaps counterintuitive as movement and gentle exercise helps, with weight-bearing swimming and steady cycling popular options. An increase in circulation reducesstiffness and cranks up the healing process.
There are other, more technical ways to reduce the severity of symptoms, if not necessarily accelerate recovery. “Compression garments help, as does gentle massage and cryotherapy (cold treatment),” says Brunton.
Of course, few have access to a cryotherapy chamber, aside from elite sports folk like footballer Ronaldo who had one installed in his Spanish home when playing for Real Madrid. Whether chilling in one can result in a Ronaldo six pack remains to be seen! “There’s also the option of an ice bath,” adds Brunton, “though even an ice pack is beneficial.”
Can you prevent DOMS?
As ever, prevention’s better than cure, so what can be done beforehand? “A reason we often experience DOMS post a good walk or hike is because it’s primarily caused by repeated eccentric muscle action, meaning the muscle working as it lengthens,” says Brunton. “An example of this is when we hike downhill. Our quadriceps, or thigh muscles, work very hard as they lengthens to slow us down and to prevent us from falling forwards.
“That’s why a proven way at preventing or reducing the effect of DOMS is by training your muscles to be more accustomed to these actions. An example of this could be graded exposure to the walking distance and/or terrain over time; in other words, progress slowly so your muscles can keep up with the stress. You can also carry out strengthening exercises once or twice a week such as mini squats, single leg knee dips and sit to stands.”
During your walk there are further techniques that can help. These include the use of walking poles, wearing of compression garments and slipping into well-cushioned shoes with supportive insoles, something Brunton often recommends to his clients.
“With a cushioned arch support to prevent pronation [natural inward roll of your foot during foot landing], a slight raised heel to aid tight muscles, a mid-foot drop point to help reduce pain in the big toe (or bunion) and a forefoot pad to spread any localised high pressure, the correct inserts in your hiking boots can work wonders for comfort and performance,” says Brunton.
All in all, DOMS is a sign you’ve been working hard and is a physical memory of a wonderful walk. Just keep telling yourself as you temporarily hobble down those stairs…