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  • Writer's pictureBankstown Physiotherapy

Why do my muscles ache after a workout?

Have you realised that when you prolong your gym-going days, finally end up going after how long, and do your workout, you end up with muscle pain after exercising? Well apparently they have a name for that particular circumstance – delayed onset muscle soreness or D.O.M.S. This generally occurs a couple of hours post-workout and deepens throughout.




How does it happen?


Usually our muscles work constantly and act as an almost-endless system to make us move and grow. The exercise that encourages the pain aching around our muscles consists of eccentric (lengthening) muscle contractions in which constricting muscles are elongated.


Additionally, when we're using dumbbells, our eccentric exercises occur when we lower a heavy weight from an elbow activated to a spread position. The muscles that make the elbow joint flex cause the eccentric exercise.



DOMS is actually considered to be a pointer for damaged muscles or overworked muscles. This is due to the functions of a muscle lessening, and if we want to go technical, blood is increased by proteins that are attracted to the muscles ONLY, which essentially represents plasma membrane damage.


Research shoes eccentric exercise training produces greater increases in muscle strength and size when compared with concentric exercise training, but this is not necessarily associated with “muscle damage".


The benefits…


Research indicates that your muscles actually increase greater when your performing eccentric exercises than when perform concentric exercises.


Although the idea of DOMS can have a nuisance on people you shouldn’t be afraid of receiving the aches and pains of a post-workout experience. It’s basic logic, the more you exercise the less painful it becomes.



If you would like to see a Physiotherapist, give us a call at (02) 9793 3119 or visit our website for more information!


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