Priscilla M. Clarkson, Ph.D.
University of Massachusetts
1996
Muscle soreness can be produced by many types of muscular activities.
It is most frequently caused by:
- Movements that resist gravity or forward momentum, such as
downhill running, lowering heavy barbells, and the downward
phase of push-ups or sit-ups; and
- Movements that resist forces exerted by stronger opponents,
such as a pin or hold in wrestling and a block in football.
These movements produce tension as the involved muscles are
forced to lengthen. The muscle actions needed for these movements
are known as "eccentric" or "negative" actions. While all activities
involve some eccentric actions, such actions are most prominent
in the aforementioned sports movements.
WHAT CAUSES SORENESS?
Popular explanations for muscle soreness include lactic acid
accumulation, muscle spasms, or muscle damage. Lactic acid
and muscle spasms have been largely discredited as reasons,
but the muscle damage explanation has a sound scientific basis.
Movements that cause muscle soreness have been shown to produce
localized damage to the muscle fiber membranes and contractile
elements. Chemical irritants such as histamine are released from
damaged muscles and can irritate pain receptors in the muscle.
Muscle damage often causes a swelling of the muscle tissue,
which creates enough pressure to stimulate pain receptors. How-
ever, it has been shown that severe swelling often persists long
after the muscle soreness has disappeared. Thus, the pain receptors
either gradually adapt to the swelling or to some other factors
present.
Whatever the precise mechanisms, current scientific thought
points toward muscle damage as the culprit in muscle soreness.
TREATMENT OF SORENESS
Typical recommendations for treatment of muscle soreness include
stretching, topical application of athletic balms, creams,
and/or ice, submersion in hot baths, and exposure to a sauna.
Each of these treatments may provide temporary relief, but
none is effective for long. The use of aspirin or other anti-inflammatory
drugs may provide some relief but scientific studies of these
effects have been equivocal.
Since no effective treatment has been identified, training
programs should be designed to minimize or prevent soreness.
MINIMIZING SORENESS
Athletes who have sore, stiff muscles will not be able to practice
or perform to their full potential. One reason for this is
that damaged muscles can result in a loss of strength. The
new training program, therefore, should be gradually and progressively
increased in intensity and duration over several weeks to prevent
or minimize soreness, weakness, and injury.
Furthermore, the early phase of the training program should
minimize unnecessary movements that have a large eccentric component
such as downhill running and plyometric jumping. When training
for cross-country running and other activities in which eccentric
actions cannot be avoided, coaches should allow ample time for
muscles to recuperate.
Sore muscles are usually damaged muscles. As with any damaged
tissue, damaged muscles must be given time to heal. This may
require adding a few easy days of training following a training
day that causes marked muscle soreness.
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