Understanding DOMS
The Science Behind Muscle Soreness After Exercise
Why DOMS Matters for Lifters, Runners, and Weekend Warriors Alike
You crushed your workout — and now your body is letting you know. That slow, creeping soreness a day or two later? That’s DOMS, or Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. Whether you’re new to fitness or a seasoned athlete trying something different, DOMS has probably made an appearance more than once — making simple tasks like walking downstairs feel like an extreme sport.
But here’s the twist: DOMS isn’t just a nuisance. It’s a window into how your body responds to stress, recovers, and becomes stronger. Understanding DOMS can help you train smarter, avoid unnecessary setbacks, and recover more effectively. It can also help you distinguish the difference between good pain and potential injury — a crucial skill for long-term progress.
In the sections that follow, we’ll explore what DOMS really is, what causes it (spoiler: it’s not lactic acid), and why it’s an essential part of your body’s adaptation game plan.
What Is DOMS?
Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, Explained
Ever finish a workout feeling great, only to wake up the next morning struggling to walk down the stairs or lift your coffee cup? That’s DOMS in action. Short for Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, it’s the stiffness and aching that creeps in 12 to 72 hours after a challenging or unfamiliar workout — especially one filled with eccentric movements (think: slowly lowering into a squat or controlling the downward motion of a bicep curl).
This soreness isn’t a sign that something’s gone wrong. On the contrary, it’s part of how your body adapts. DOMS occurs when tiny tears form in your muscle fibers — a natural response to pushing them beyond their comfort zone. These microtears kickstart a repair process that ultimately helps your muscles grow stronger, more resilient, and better prepared for future challenges.
So while DOMS might be uncomfortable, it’s often a signal that your body is doing exactly what it’s supposed to do: recover, rebuild, and come back tougher.
What Actually Causes DOMS?
Debunking the Lactic Acid Myth & Understanding Muscle Repair
For years, DOMS was blamed on lactic acid build-up — but that’s an old myth we can finally put to rest. Lactic acid is cleared from your muscles within an hour post-exercise and plays no part in that next-day soreness. So what’s the real culprit?
DOMS is now understood to result from a complex, multi-step process:
Microscopic muscle damage: Eccentric movements place high mechanical stress on muscle fibers, leading to tiny structural tears.
Inflammatory response: Your immune system detects this damage and jumps into action, triggering inflammation to start the repair process.
Fluid buildup and swelling: Increased blood flow and immune activity cause mild swelling, which adds pressure and contributes to that stiff, tight feeling.
Chemical signaling: The damaged area releases compounds that sensitize nearby nerve endings — which is why soreness can feel more intense or delayed.
All of this might sound like something to avoid, but it’s actually a vital part of muscular adaptation. Your body is learning, healing, and adjusting — which means the next time you tackle that same workout, DOMS will likely hit a little less hard.
This process is part of the body’s adaptive mechanism. As muscle tissue repairs, it becomes more resilient — which is why DOMS is often less intense as your body adapts to a routine.
How Long Does DOMS Last?
Understanding the Timeline of Muscle Soreness
DOMS doesn’t hit right away. In fact, you might walk out of the gym feeling like a rockstar — only to wake up the next day wondering why your legs feel like cement blocks. This delay is part of what makes DOMS so sneaky and misunderstood.
Here’s a general timeline of how it unfolds:
Onset: 6–12 hours after exercise
Peak intensity: 24–72 hours post-workout
Duration: Typically lasts 3–5 days, but can linger up to 7 depending on the severity
The soreness usually builds gradually, intensifies on day two, and then slowly begins to fade. However, if your workout involved high volume, eccentric loading, or movements your body isn’t used to, DOMS may hit harder and stick around longer.
It’s also common for DOMS to flare up when you change training variables — such as increasing sets, reps, weight, or range of motion — or when you return from a break. Even experienced athletes aren’t immune. Many report noticeable DOMS after deloads, new cycles, or trying a completely different sport or modality (e.g., switching from powerlifting to CrossFit or running hills after flat terrain training).
While the discomfort can be frustrating, it’s usually nothing to worry about. In fact, the intensity of DOMS tends to decrease over time as your muscles adapt to the demands you’re placing on them — a process known as the repeated bout effect.
Who Gets DOMS? Risk Factors That Make It Worse
You're more likely to experience DOMS if you:
Do new exercises your body isn’t used to
Increase training volume or intensity too quickly
Emphasize eccentric movements (slow lowering, negatives)
Return to training after a long break
Perform high-impact or plyometric training
DOMS can affect anyone — beginners, intermediate, or even elite athletes — especially when routines change.
DOMS vs. Injury: How to Tell the Difference
While DOMS is harmless and temporary, it’s important to distinguish it from actual injury:
When in doubt, rest and consult a professional — don’t push through sharp or unusual pain.
Does DOMS Mean Muscle Growth or Just Soreness?
What Soreness Does and Doesn’t Tell You About Gains
It’s tempting to use soreness as a badge of honor — a sign that your workout "worked." But here’s the truth: DOMS is not a reliable indicator of muscle growth.
While experiencing DOMS may signal that your muscles were challenged in a new or more intense way, it doesn’t directly correlate with hypertrophy (muscle gain). In fact, many well-designed training programs minimize excessive soreness over time, thanks to the body's ability to adapt.
You can absolutely build muscle without feeling sore after every session. And on the flip side, just because you're sore doesn't mean you've stimulated muscle growth effectively. Extreme soreness could even interfere with performance, reduce training frequency, and increase injury risk — especially if it discourages consistency.
Instead of chasing DOMS, track progress by:
Monitoring strength and rep increases
Ensuring progressive overload over time
Noting improved performance and recovery between sessions
Staying consistent with training, nutrition, and sleep
Soreness can be a signal — but it’s not the scoreboard. Focus on long-term adaptation, not short-term discomfort.
How to Reduce DOMS and Speed Up Recovery
Evidence-Backed Strategies to Feel Better, Faster
You can’t completely avoid DOMS — especially when you push into new training territory — but you can manage it intelligently. These strategies help reduce discomfort and promote faster recovery so you can get back to training effectively:
1. Active Recovery
Gentle movement the day after a tough session boosts blood flow, which helps remove metabolic waste and deliver nutrients to healing tissues. Think walking, light cycling, swimming, or a yoga flow — just enough to get the body moving without adding strain.
2. Proper Warm-Up & Cool-Down
Don’t skip the basics. A dynamic warm-up preps your muscles and joints, reducing the risk of excessive strain. Likewise, a post-workout cool-down (like light cardio or stretching) can ease the transition from intense effort to rest and may lessen stiffness.
3. Foam Rolling & Massage
Self-myofascial release through foam rolling helps relieve muscle tightness, improve range of motion, and reduce perceived soreness. Professional massage therapy has also been shown to decrease inflammation markers and support faster recovery.
4. Anti-Inflammatory Nutrition
What you eat matters. Emphasize:
Omega-3s (e.g., salmon, walnuts, flaxseed)
Antioxidant-rich fruits and veggies (like berries, spinach, and kale)
Adequate protein to rebuild muscle fibers (target 0.7–1g per pound of body weight)
Hydration, which supports cellular repair and reduces cramping or fatigue
5. Sleep & Stress Management
Sleep is the cornerstone of recovery. During deep sleep, your body releases growth hormone — essential for muscle repair. Aim for 7–9 hours per night, and manage chronic stress, which can interfere with both recovery and performance.
6. Cold, Heat & Contrast Therapy
Cold therapy (like ice baths) can blunt inflammation and pain, though using it too frequently may interfere with muscle-building adaptations.
Heat therapy (e.g., warm baths, heating pads) relaxes muscles and enhances circulation.
Contrast therapy (alternating hot and cold) is a favorite among athletes, although evidence is mixed. Some report subjective relief even if the science is still catching up.
Should You Train With DOMS or Rest?
Knowing When to Push and When to Back Off
The short answer: yes, you can train with DOMS — but do it wisely.
Mild to moderate DOMS doesn’t necessarily mean you need to skip the gym. In fact, engaging in light or moderate activity can increase circulation, which helps deliver nutrients to sore muscles and speeds up recovery. That said, it’s crucial to listen to your body and adjust accordingly.
Here’s how to approach training when you’re sore:
Dial down the intensity: Swap out heavy lifting or high-impact sessions for lighter loads or reduced volume.
Avoid max-effort lifts: If soreness limits your range of motion, coordination, or control, pushing to failure increases your risk of poor form — and potential injury.
Prioritize movement quality: This is the time to focus on perfect reps, mobility, and technique. Don't compensate with other muscle groups to get through a set.
Train a different muscle group: If your legs are wrecked from squats, work your upper body or focus on core work.
Rest completely if DOMS is severe: If the soreness is intense enough to alter your gait or joint mechanics, it’s better to recover first before returning to training.
Bottom line: training through light soreness is often beneficial — but training through pain, stiffness, or limited mobility is not. Use DOMS as feedback, not a limitation.
How to Minimize DOMS in Future Workouts
Train Smarter, Adapt Faster, Stay Consistent
While you can’t avoid DOMS entirely — especially when trying something new — there are smart ways to reduce its severity and frequency over time:
Progress gradually: Sudden jumps in volume, load, or intensity are the fastest way to trigger DOMS. Increase in 5–10% increments to let your body adapt.
Repeat new movements sooner: The repeated bout effect shows that repeating a novel exercise within 7 days can dramatically reduce future soreness. Don’t wait weeks before doing it again.
Include eccentric-focused work: Eccentric movements build structural resilience in muscle fibers. Incorporate controlled lowering phases (e.g., tempo squats, slow push-up descents) regularly to toughen up your tissues.
Prioritize recovery like you prioritize training: Nutrition, hydration, sleep, and rest days aren't optional — they’re essential to bounce back stronger and reduce overall muscle soreness.
Warm up intentionally: A solid dynamic warm-up primes your body and can ease the shock of tough training sessions, making DOMS less severe.
The goal isn’t to avoid DOMS completely — it’s to train in a way that promotes adaptation without derailing your momentum.
Final Thoughts: Listen to Your Body, Train With Intention
Progress Isn’t Measured by Soreness — It’s Measured by Consistency
DOMS is a natural part of the training process — a temporary signal that your body is breaking down muscle fibers to rebuild them stronger. But it’s not the ultimate marker of progress. In fact, consistently chasing soreness can backfire by impairing recovery, reducing training frequency, and increasing risk of injury.
Instead, focus on:
Honoring your body’s signals
Recovering as hard as you train
Prioritizing form, progression, and sustainability
DOMS might slow you down for a day or two, but with smart strategies, it doesn’t have to throw you off track. Learn to manage it — not fear it — and you’ll stay on the path to long-term gains.
💡 Want to take recovery to the next level?
Discover how red light therapy may reduce muscle soreness and support faster healing in our article; Red Light Therapy: Fitness Recovery or Wellness Hype?
After an intense workout, I found myself dealing with DOMS. This article helped me understand the soreness and provided tips to recover quickly. Highly recommended!
Mark T.
★★★★★