Tag Archive for: Muscle Pain

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Managing Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness Following Activity 

Managing Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness Following Activity 

Lack of motivation may be the most significant barrier to approaching a new workout, but delayed muscle soreness (DOMS) doesn’t help either — after all, pain isn’t particularly motivating. Still, there are things you can do to help manage delayed onset muscle soreness and aid recovery as you approach new or increased activity.

First, What Is DOMS?

DOMS is the acronym used to describe Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness – a phenomenon that typically occurs one or two days following new or increased activity. 

Common Signs & Symptoms of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

  • Sudden and increased onset of muscle stiffness and soreness within one to two days following activity
  • Muscle soreness that typically peaks 12-48 hours following activity and gradually subsides in the days that follow
  • Muscle tenderness upon palpation or massage
  • Slight swelling or water retention in the affected muscles
  • Muscle soreness and stiffness that’s worse in the morning

Unlike the burning feeling you experience from acute muscle soreness during strenuous activity (such as the last few reps of a weightlifting exercise), delayed muscle soreness isn’t typically felt until 12 or more hours following activity. 

What Causes DOMS?

While Delayed onset muscle soreness is harmless, it can vary in intensity and duration, which can be explained by the physiological process responsible.

Muscle fibres grow via a process of microscopic damage and repair. When your muscles are stimulated from progressively increased intensity, duration, repetition, or load, the stress creates microscopic tears in your muscle fibres. These small tears result in temporary inflammation and soreness while your body works hard to recover and repair. The good news is, pending you give your body sufficient rest and nutrition, your muscles are one step closer to growing stronger and more efficient. 

Who is Prone to Experiencing Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness?

Everyone suffers from occasional DOMS following activity, from elite athletes to exercise newbies. Delayed onset muscle soreness typically occurs one to two days after a physical activity that your body hasn’t adapted to yet. Activities that trigger DOMS includes anything from an intense workout or hike to a day of golf or gardening. Over time, and as your muscles adapt to the simulation you are placing them under, DOMS becomes less intense, requiring shorter recovery periods. 

Delayed onset muscle soreness is more pronounced when:

  • You engage in a new activity after periods of inactivity
  • You engage in eccentric exercises (exercises that place tension or load on a muscle when it’s lengthened, such as slowly lowering the weight during a biceps curl or the stretched position of a deadlift).
  • Your workout is harder or more intense than usual
  • You start a new sport or exercise routine
  • You add a new exercise to your workout
  • Your hydration, nutrition, or recovery is compromised
  • You overdo it during a workout or favourite activity

While it’s okay to return to light activity despite still being sore, it’s important to pay attention to the signs your body sends you about whether its ready engage in certain activities yet. While light activity can help relieve DOMS-related stiffness and pain, sometimes the best thing you can do for your fitness is knowing when to rest.

Pushing your muscles to perform beyond exhaustion and before they’ve had a chance to sufficiently recover can lead to injury and more serious conditions, such as rhabdomyolysis. 

Signs and Symptoms of Something More Serious

While delayed onset muscle soreness can leave you feeling pretty beat up for a couple of days, it’s important to be aware of signs and symptoms of other more concerning causes of muscle pain and soreness (that warrant prompt medical attention). 

If your muscle pain is severe, worsening, or accompanied by any of the following signs and symptoms, contact your physician immediately.

Intense muscle pain or soreness accompanied by:

  • Flushing, fever, or chills
  • Dizziness or nausea
  • Dark, tea-coloured urine
  • Decreased thirst and urine output
  • Swelling, tightness, and redness of the affected area
  • Intense cramping or crushing pain in one affected limb
  • Rash, wound, or red streaks on or near the affected area
  • Sharp or shooting pain when you place weight on a limb or move the affected area
  • Stiffness and tingling or decreased circulation of the affected limb (e.g., extreme pain and swelling in calf muscle accompanied by numbness and pins and needles feeling in feet) 
  • Sharp, shooting pain when moving or placing your weight on the affected limb. 
  • Muscle pain and stiffness that get worse and don’t subside within 3-5 days of rest
  • Sudden intense crushing-like pain or pain that travels from one area to another

Managing DOMS

While delayed onset muscle soreness can’t be avoided entirely, there are things you can do to manage the discomfort and facilitate a faster recovery from DOMS.

Ease into activity and intensity: It can be tempting to jump into an activity you enjoy or a new exercise routine with enthusiasm and a desire to push yourself well beyond your comfort zone, but moderation is key! Overdoing things too early leads to increased muscle soreness and longer recovery periods. 

Adequate recovery and light movement: It seems counterintuitive when you’re already sore from activity, but one of the best ways to decrease delayed onset muscle pain and tension is by engaging your muscles in light activity. If your DOMS is particularly intense, it’s best to give yourself a day or two of complete rest. But resume light activity (such as yoga, swimming, or walking) as soon as you can to ease muscle stiffness and increase circulation. 

Eat and hydrate well: your body needs ample hydration and nutrition, including amino acids and glycogen from carbohydrates, to repair your muscle fibres and recover from inflammation. You’ll still experience occasional DOMS, but you’ll be helping your body to recover faster.

Take a bath or sauna: The magnesium your skin absorbs from an Epsom salt bath and increased circulation from a warm bath or sauna can help with muscle stiffness and soreness.

Therapeutic massage: while your muscles may feel sore to the touch, a massage therapist will know what techniques to use to help facilitate lymphatic circulation and release tension in your muscles and fascia.

When in doubt, seek help: If delayed onset muscle soreness persists and interferes with your ability to return to activities after a few days of rest, it’s best to have things checked out to rule out muscle injury. A consultation with one of our practitioners can go a long way in helping you improve your physical strength, endurance and abilities while preventing pain and injury. 

Take the Next Step 

Give our team of practitioners a call at Diversified Health Clinic today at (250) 382-0018 or book an appointment online. If you’re not sure who to book your appointment with, ask us when you call. We’re happy to help answer your questions, address the cause of your pain and discomfort, and get you on the road to recovery.

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Ouch! Is It A Strain or A Sprain?

When an injury occurs, it can often be difficult to determine just how severe an injury is – or even what type of an injury you have. Strains and sprains are similar but different and they can be hard to assess. A sprain or a strain of a muscle can be so intense that it can easily mimic a fracture of a bone. Even trained medical professionals will often have to rely on imaging to help them make an accurate diagnosis.

There are some common signs and symptoms that each of these injury types have that can help you in assessing just what type of injury you may be dealing with.

Here is a quick overview of what to look for:

Strains

 

  • A strain is a stretching or tearing of a muscle or tendon. Tendons are the connective tissue that connect muscle to bone.
  • There are two main types of strains: chronic and acute.
    • Acute strains may happen when slipping or falling on ice, jumping or running ballistically, an awkward bend or movement during lifting a heavy object’
    • Chronic strains happen over time, occurring from repetitive use activities such as golf, tennis, rowing or other sports.
  • Common symptoms include:
    • Pain
    • Swelling
    • Muscle spasms or soreness
    • limited ability to move the affected area

 

Sprains

 

  • A sprain is the stretching or tearing of ligaments. Ligaments are the bands of fibrous tissue that connect bones to each other throughout the body. They are most often seen in joints that have multiple normal ranges of motion such as ankles, knees, wrists and shoulders.
  • Commonly caused from an acute traumatic injury or the extreme sudden stress on a joint.
  • Patients often report hearing a “pop” or “crack” at the time of injury. It’s this that can cause the confusion between a severe sprain or a break. Medical imaging is often necessary to rule out a fracture.
  • Common symptoms include:
    • Pain
    • Swelling
    • Bruising
    • Limited or complete inability to move the joint or bear weight

 

When to seek immediate medical attention for a suspected strain or sprain

 

If you are experiencing any of the following, an urgent trip to a medical professional is your best course of action:

 

  • Numbness or loss of circulation in the affected area
  • Inability to walk more than a few steps without severe pain
  • Inability to move the affected joint area
  • Pain directly over the bone

 

Strains and sprains can range from mild, requiring no medical intervention, to sever, requiring surgery and rehabilitation to heal properly. If you are in doubt, let a professional assess you and determine what course of action is best.

 

For mild to moderate strains and sprains the initial course of treatment is home care and includes:

 

  • Rest: stay off the affected joint and allow the area to rest.
  • Ice: cold helps to reduce swelling and inflammation and reduces pain. Apply ice in intervals of for 10-20 minutes, repeating for the first 2 to 3 hours immediately following the injury.
  • Compression: To help with swelling and to assist in stabilizing the joint, you can use an elastic bandage to compress the area. Be sure not to wrap too tightly as you want to ensure proper circulation. If wrapping causes an increase in discomfort, numbness or if swelling increases, loosen or remove the wrap.
  • Elevation: elevating the injured area (above the level of your heart) will help with swelling and discomfort.

 

Most mild to moderate strains and sprains heal on their own with some care and attention as noted above but if you are not seeing some improvement in pain and the ability to move and bear weight in a few days, you may want to see a medical professional to assess the injury.

 

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What is Myofascial Pain Syndrome? | Health Care Victoria

What is myofascial pain syndrome?Myofascial pain syndrome is a chronic musculoskeletal pain disorder that can involve either a single muscle or a muscle group. It refers to pain and inflammation in the body’s soft tissues. Myofascial pain is a chronic condition that affects the fascia (connective tissue that covers the muscles).

The pain associated with this condition can range from burning, stabbing, aching sensations to include a combination of these symptoms.   With myofascial pain syndrome, excessive strain on a particular muscle, muscle group, ligament or tendon can prompt the development of a “trigger point” that, in turn, causes pain.

Where a person experiences the pain may not be where the myofascial pain generator is located. This is known as referred pain.  Myofascial pain symptoms usually involve muscle pain with specific “trigger” points which can be made worse with activity.

What causes myofascial pain & what are the symptoms?

Myofascial pain typically occurs after a muscle has been contracted repetitively. This can be caused by repetitive motions, injury to an intervertebral disc, or lack of activity (such as a broken leg).

The main symptom of myofascial pain is ongoing muscle pain, in areas such as the low back, neck, shoulders, and chest.  These symptoms may include a muscle that is sensitive or tender when touched, or a pain that feels aching, burning, stinging, or stabbing and does not lessen in intensity.  Another symptom is reduced range of motion in the affected area and a feeling of weakness in the affected muscle.

How is myofascial pain diagnosed?

Trigger points can be identified by pain produced upon digital palpation (applying pressure with one to three fingers and the thumb). In the diagnosis of myofascial pain syndrome, four types of trigger points can be distinguished:

  •  An active trigger point is an area of extreme tenderness that usually lies within the skeletal muscle and which is associated with a local or regional pain.
  • A latent trigger point is a dormant (inactive) area that has the potential to act like a trigger point.
  • A secondary trigger point is a highly irritable spot in a muscle that can become active due to a trigger point and muscular overload in another muscle.
  • A satellite myofascial point is a highly irritable spot in a muscle that becomes inactive because the muscle is in the region of another trigger pain.

How is myofascial pain treated?

Treatments may include any of the following:

  •     Massage Therapy
  •     Physiotherapy
  •     Lifestyle changes -adjusting your workstation, improving posture, avoiding muscle tension
  •     IMS | Trigger point dry needling
  •     Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation | TENS
  •     Laser
  •     Ultrasound

Often a combination of physical therapy, trigger point dry needling and massage are needed in chronic cases.  Please talk with one of our health care practitioners to discuss myofascial pain syndrome.

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