DOMS: why your muscles are sore after a workout and how long it lasts

You felt fine after the first gym session in months. Then you woke up two days later and walking down the stairs felt like a team sport. That stiff, achy feeling has a name: DOMS, or delayed onset muscle soreness.

Here is what DOMS is, how long it usually lasts, what actually helps, when to train again, and how the Thrive Health Band and the Thrive by Optihealth app can show you how your own body bounces back.

What is DOMS?

DOMS is the muscle soreness and stiffness that turns up hours after exercise, rather than during it. It's most likely when you:

• try a new type of workout, or go back after a break
• lift heavier, run further or do more sets than usual
• do a lot of lowering or downhill work, such as the lowering part of a squat, lunges or running downhill

That lowering part matters. When a muscle lengthens under load, it picks up tiny changes in the muscle fibres. Your body's repair response is what you feel as soreness a day or so later.

And no, it isn't lactic acid. Lactate clears within an hour or so of finishing, long before DOMS shows up.

How long does DOMS last?

DOMS usually follows a fairly predictable path:

• 6 to 24 hours after: soreness starts to build.
• 24 to 72 hours after: it's usually at its worst. This is the "I can't sit down on the couch" stage.
• About 5 to 7 days: it has generally eased off on its own.

You may also feel weaker or stiffer than normal while it lasts, which is why a workout two days later can feel harder than it should.

The good news is that your body adapts. After one tough session, the same workout tends to cause much less soreness the next time, even weeks later. So being very sore isn't a sign that a workout was better, and feeling less sore doesn't mean you didn't work hard. It often just means your muscles are used to it.

Is it DOMS or an injury?

DOMS is a dull, spread-out ache in the muscles you used, felt mostly when you move, stretch or press on them. It eases a little once you warm up and gets better day by day.

An injury tends to feel different. Pain that is sharp, starts suddenly during exercise, sits in a joint, or stays in one spot is worth getting checked by a physio or your GP.

What helps sore muscles?

There's no quick fix, but a few things can help you feel better while your body does its work:

1. Keep moving gently. A walk, an easy ride or a light swim often eases stiffness for a while.
2. Sleep well. Sleep is when much of your repair happens, so a couple of good nights can make a real difference.
3. Eat enough, including protein. Regular meals with some protein give your muscles what they need to rebuild.
4. Drink water. Especially if you trained in warm weather.
5. Be kind to yourself on the next session. Go lighter or work a different muscle group.

Warming up and cooling down may help reduce soreness a little.

Should you work out with DOMS?

Usually yes, gently. Light activity is fine and often feels good. If you're very sore, give the sore muscles a lighter day and train something else, or go for a walk instead. Heavy, all-out training on very sore muscles is the bit to skip.

The best way to make DOMS less likely is to build up gradually. Add weight, distance or a new class a bit at a time, and give yourself a week or two to settle into anything new. If you're starting out, our pieces on strength training for women and starting to run gently are good places to begin.

See how your body recovers with Thrive

Soreness is something you feel, and the Band doesn't measure it directly. But the signals around it are where Thrive helps.

Wear the Thrive Health Band day and night. It has no screen, so it's comfortable in bed, and up to 14 days of battery means fewer nights lost to charging. Overnight, it tracks your sleep, resting heart rate, HRV and temperature. Over time, Thrive learns what is usual for you right across your health, from sleep, heart and activity to mood, energy, stress, meals, medications and more.

After a big session, the Recovery Estimate gives an estimate of how long until you're back to your usual baseline, such as "you need 5 hours rest". It takes into account things like how hard your day was compared with normal, a late evening workout, a short night and an overnight resting heart rate that's above your usual.

Today's Vitality brings it together each morning, with a Sleep and Recovery driver and a Today's Load driver, so a lower score after a tough week makes sense. A lower score isn't a judgement. It's information.

In your Daily Check-In you can tag Heavy training, Stretching, Massage or Walking, and log how you feel. Then you can ask Ask Thrive things like:

• "How long does it usually take me to get back to normal after heavy training?"
• "Do I sleep better on days I go for a walk after leg day?"

And if you train with someone, Thrive Loops lets you share selected information with a participating trainer, health professional or someone you trust. You decide what to share and with whom, and you can change or revoke access at any time. Here's more on active recovery and signs of overtraining.

When to talk to your GP

DOMS settles by itself. Get medical help straight away if your pee turns dark brown or cola coloured after hard exercise, or if the pain and swelling are severe (see a doctor urgently or go to an emergency department). Book in with your GP or a physio if soreness hasn't eased after a week, keeps coming back, or sits in a joint.

Thrive isn't a diagnosis, but your training, sleep and resting heart rate history is all in the app. Ask Thrive can help you pull together what changed and when, and you can show your Thrive trends to your GP.

Before you buy

You'll need a compatible iPhone or Android phone, because the Thrive app is on the Apple App Store and Google Play, in Australia and eight other countries. The app stores are only for downloading the app, though; they aren't where you buy the Band or a Plan. You can buy at thrivehealthband.com, or at a participating World Gym Australia location or health and wellness clinic.

The Thrive Health Band is A$660 for the first year under the launch offer. That includes the Band, which is yours to keep, and 12 months of the Thrive by Optihealth app, My Health on the web, Health Fingerprint, Ask Thrive, Thrive Loops and your data, paid once upfront. Prices are in AUD and include GST. Free Australia-wide shipping during the launch offer (usually A$14.99).

Nothing renews automatically. After your first year, you can get a new band plus 12 more months for A$660, or keep your band and renew the Thrive Connected Plan for A$240 a year, or A$29 a month with no lock-in.

You're also covered by a 12-month Thrive Care Warranty, and consumer guarantees under Australian Consumer Law always apply. See Returns if something is wrong with your purchase.

Common questions

Is DOMS a sign of a good workout?

Not really. It mostly tells you the workout was new or harder than usual. Steady progress matters more than how sore you feel.

Can you get DOMS from walking?

Yes, especially after a long hike, lots of hills or downhill sections, or if you haven't walked far in a while.

Should I use heat or ice for DOMS?

Either may feel nice, but neither is likely to shorten DOMS much. Gentle movement and good sleep tend to help more.

For more answers, see Questions.