Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS, beginners or rapid increase in training load)

1. Origin of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)
DOMS usually appears 24–72 hours after exercise. It occurs because unfamiliar or high‑intensity workouts cause numerous micro‑tears in muscle fibers and trigger inflammation. Common situations include beginners starting training, sudden increases in mileage or intensity, or workouts with downhill running and eccentric contractions. In short, the muscle was used beyond its usual load before it had adapted.

2. Warning Signs: How Does It Feel?

• Pain doesn’t appear immediately, but the next day or two days later

• Discomfort when touching or stretching the muscle

• Stiffness at the start of movement, easing slightly after activity

• Diffuse soreness across a whole muscle group, not a sharp pain at one point

• Usually symmetrical, widespread, and gradually subsides with time.

3. Prevention Before Exercise Key points: Gradual progression, Warm‑up, Don’t overdo it.

• Control training increase: Beginners or returning runners should increase mileage and intensity gradually.

• Proper warm‑up: Dynamic warm‑up before running helps muscles enter working state and reduces sudden micro‑damage.

• Plan recovery: After heavy training, schedule easy runs or rest the next day to allow repair.

Summary: DOMS isn’t an injury—it’s adaptation. But if soreness always disrupts training, it means the load is increasing too fast.