What is DOMS?

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) is a very common occurrence for most people. Everyone has experienced it at one time or another. DOMS is a result of giving your muscles more stress than they are accustomed to handling. This increased stress can cause microtears in the muscle tissue. These tears are believed to be the source of muscle soreness and pain after a workout. These tears will eventually heal and the muscle will come back stronger, but the recovery process can be pretty uncomfortable. DOMS is a normal response to increased exertion and is a normal part of the adaptation process. Soreness usually peaks around 2 days and starts to withdraw after that.

How Can You Treat DOMS?

· Ibuprofen can decrease the perception of muscle soreness as a result of exercise but cannot assist in restoring muscle function or accelerating the recovery process.

· Ice can also help alleviate the pain associated with DOMS buthas not been found to help accelerate the recovery process.

· Very light activity involving the affected muscles may help diminish soreness as a result of increased blood flow.

· Increased water consumption along with light activity might help in flushing out any metabolic waste that may be lingering in the muscle tissue.

· By far the best treatment is rest and recovery. Most soreness peaks after 2 days and will go away on its own in 4-7 days with no special treatment. You just have to wait for Mother Nature to do her thing.

How Can You Prevent Future Episodes of DOMS?

DOMS does not have to be a part of getting into shape. You can prevent and shorten it by following the subsequent steps.

· Ease into your workout program. In the Pure Power Program the first month of all levels is fairly easy in order to try and avoid as much as possible the soreness that accompanies most new workout programs.

· Always warm-up before and cool down after your workouts

· Start out using light resistance for the exercises you are going to be performing that day. If you are working your legs, start off by doing some easy body weight squats before you head to the leg press or squat rack.

· Avoid trying to make significant changes in the number, type or intensity of the exercises you perform. Also try to avoid significantly increasing your overall workout time in a short time span (a few days).

· Gradually build up your exercise intensity over a few weeks or even a few months.

By easing into your golf fitness program you give yourself a much better chance of having long term success and staying with the program. It is much easier to prevent DOMS than it is to treat it.