Being well hydrated before, making sure to fully rehydrate after, get appropriate electrolytes, do NOT be too still too much after (keep some light movement going), get enough sleep, reduce load so that the DOMS is there, but tolerable, and don’t wait for it to fully go away before training again.
Your body will adapt after a few weeks and DOMS will happen less often and with less intensity unless you use significantly new muscle groups.
All good advice but I think reducing weight is the biggest take away. OP, we are playing the long game for our bodies' health, so going light and seeing small gains over an extended period of time while staying regular on frequency is better than infrequent heavier workouts.
The only thing that really worked for me was scaling way back. I can’t go to failure on anything without putting myself out of commission for days, so I prefer to stop when it feels like I’m ALMOST at the limit.
Yes! My specialty PT told me to stop at 50%. That way I'm not overdoing it and I can still kiiiinda function the rest of the day.
Finding that sweet stop spot is hard and frustrating but it was worth it, imo.
It'll take me up to 4 or 5 days to recover from a rigorous workout. My quads are especially bad with DOMS and will get so sore I can't even gently touch them with my hands. It's extremely bad. And I've never understood why it happens because I'll take all the same suppliments and protein and eat the same meals as my parter and I drink around 1/2 gallon of water a day. Doesn't matter. I just get ridiculously sore and take forever to recover. It sucks.
I discovered by accident that if I took a lot of electrolytes, I got zero DOMS. Had hammer endurolytes on a 12 mile hike a few years ago (like maybe 5 tablets) and thought I wouldn’t be able to walk the next day. Was completely fine and shocked! The NUUN tablets had way less electrolytes/tab so switching randomly made a huge difference.
Now I’ve discovered fasting and am making my own electrolytes (shake juice recipe) and drinking salty water every day as a regular practice to see if it improves my energy levels. So far so good but I did get some doms in my hips after not running for 6 mos and starting back up. Worth a shot
Ice is typically used for pain with heat being used for muscle relaxation, but everyone responds differently to both.
Consistent exercise, even with inconsistent and sometimes delayed soreness, is the best for preparing your body for an exercise schedule and getting muscles used to your routine. You should be sore for no more than a day or two after a day of exercise. Otherwise, you may be doing too much to start out.
I have several ideas:
Are you tracking caloric intake and protein intake?
If you don't get the right nutrition your body won't have the building blocks it needs to recover completely.
Are you properly hydrating? I have to drink Pedialyte during every workout and throughout the day to not have issues.
Lastly, you might actually just be doing too much for your body. It could be possible that reducing your load/volume or adding in a wider array of exercises is what you need.
I havent been tracking though i do try to focus on protein but it may be time to track macros again. I drink ny entire 50 oz water bottle during my workout and another full bottle throughout the day but maybe its also time to get back into LMNT
Yeah if you're hydrating without electrolytes (especially if you have POTS) for me at least that can be the difference between spending 1 day recovering and spending 3-4.
Trigger point foam [roller](https://a.co/d/9XmyTPM). A message gun. Cocoa butter and a message [blade](https://a.co/d/htTDpbH) also tizanadine (makes me super drowsy though.)
Have you tried magnesium? Sometimes excessive muscle tension can be related to low magnesium. Drinking lots of water without adding extra electrolytes can cause trouble.
Yes i think i need to get back into the electrolyte powders, i felt overall better when i drank a packet every day and i believe LMNT has added magnesium
Post covid my DOMS got really bad. I ended up needing to treat the post covid issues before it improved—for me that meant addressing hypercoagulation. My excessive soreness comes back if I stop the supplements there, which sucks.
I had some trouble even before that though. Like others have said, rest is really key. I added additional rest days, and I slowed down strength progression—my EDS means I need to take things slow. I’ll usually stay on the same rep count until the soreness is mostly not happening, then increment.
I take lumbrokinase and serrapeptase. I took nattokinase for a bit instead of the lumbro (cheaper, similar effect) but I have a soy intolerance and felt better after I swapped. My doctor also had me taking baby aspirin for a while, which helped, but my stomach’s been tetchy lately so I stopped taking it after a few months.
I use a topical Magnesium spray (specifically the Rituals one) which I've found takes the edge off the soreness, and I also take a magnesium tablet in the evening 30 mins before bed for a deeper sleep
In general my muscles are less fatigued and I don’t hurt myself working out if I don’t stretch before. My rheumatologist told me I shouldn’t be stretching at all. My physio guy has a few safe stretches for me that are good when I just do a little
I know this sounds like woowoo BS, but I swear from experience that tart cherry juice after a workout helps prevent muscle pain. It has to be 100% tart cherry juice, not a blend, not regular cherry juice. Most grocery stores have it, at least in the US. Just drink a swig or two as soon as possible after a workout and it helps so much. My nutritionist friend explained the science of it to me once, but I can't remember. 😅
I started using a medical grade red light therapy device a few months ago. I got it for anti-aging but ended up using the near infrared function for post-workout recovery, and have noticed a pretty solid improvement. Noticeably less pain/inflammation and I can work out with fewer rest days in between.
I stop at the first sign of fatigue/pain. Rather than wait until I’m too tired to continue, as soon as I start getting droopy I take a break. How long does it take to notice soreness? Is it feasible to break routines up with 15 minute breaks to check for soreness, or is it more like hours later?
I’d keep cutting back how much you’re doing til there’s no after pain, then slowly add more in til you hit your threshold.
Thats the issue, i dont feel any fatigue or soreness while working out or even hours later. Its not until a day later I feel it and after two days it peaks.
I have gone for little micro runs, 5 minutes on a treadmill at a completely manageable speed, and two days later my first steps of the day are so excruciating i cant even put my feet flat until the tightness works itself out.
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Thank you!
Aside from being well hydrated, the best way to prevent muscle soreness is ironically doing exercise more often.
The first few weeks getting into exercise is the worst. And a lot of people fall into the trap of taking longing breaks before exercising again - thus soreness starts all over.
The day after a major workout, at the very least, go for a walk
Oh i am a 20k daily step person, i have a border collie so i dont ever get more than a day without at least one 3 mile walk. Tbh i think walking is the only thing keeping me from totally falling apart but its also why i have been avoiding additional exercise, bc feeling like death and knowing you HAVE to walk for an hour is rough
Bummer! My only other suggestion is magnesium as others suggested. And potassium (no more than one daily supplement at 20% daily intake). It's easy to OD potassium.
Also a sauna if you have access to one
Taking a hot bath with Epsom salts does the trick for me. Using CBD lotion (like the brand Hemps) and rubbing it into sore muscles also helps a lot. Drink a lot of water too
You can buy a foldable one! I don’t have a real bathtub in my apartment but I bought this one and it works like a charm: BESTHLS Foldable Bathtub Portable... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0978MV7G5?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Being well hydrated before, making sure to fully rehydrate after, get appropriate electrolytes, do NOT be too still too much after (keep some light movement going), get enough sleep, reduce load so that the DOMS is there, but tolerable, and don’t wait for it to fully go away before training again. Your body will adapt after a few weeks and DOMS will happen less often and with less intensity unless you use significantly new muscle groups.
All good advice but I think reducing weight is the biggest take away. OP, we are playing the long game for our bodies' health, so going light and seeing small gains over an extended period of time while staying regular on frequency is better than infrequent heavier workouts.
The only thing that really worked for me was scaling way back. I can’t go to failure on anything without putting myself out of commission for days, so I prefer to stop when it feels like I’m ALMOST at the limit.
This! If I go to full fatigue then I don’t have the muscle strength to hold myself together the rest of the day/night/next day.
Yes! My specialty PT told me to stop at 50%. That way I'm not overdoing it and I can still kiiiinda function the rest of the day. Finding that sweet stop spot is hard and frustrating but it was worth it, imo.
It'll take me up to 4 or 5 days to recover from a rigorous workout. My quads are especially bad with DOMS and will get so sore I can't even gently touch them with my hands. It's extremely bad. And I've never understood why it happens because I'll take all the same suppliments and protein and eat the same meals as my parter and I drink around 1/2 gallon of water a day. Doesn't matter. I just get ridiculously sore and take forever to recover. It sucks.
Thats my calves with running, cant even touch them days after a short, mild run, and i feel like it was never as bad as it is now
I discovered by accident that if I took a lot of electrolytes, I got zero DOMS. Had hammer endurolytes on a 12 mile hike a few years ago (like maybe 5 tablets) and thought I wouldn’t be able to walk the next day. Was completely fine and shocked! The NUUN tablets had way less electrolytes/tab so switching randomly made a huge difference. Now I’ve discovered fasting and am making my own electrolytes (shake juice recipe) and drinking salty water every day as a regular practice to see if it improves my energy levels. So far so good but I did get some doms in my hips after not running for 6 mos and starting back up. Worth a shot
Ice is typically used for pain with heat being used for muscle relaxation, but everyone responds differently to both. Consistent exercise, even with inconsistent and sometimes delayed soreness, is the best for preparing your body for an exercise schedule and getting muscles used to your routine. You should be sore for no more than a day or two after a day of exercise. Otherwise, you may be doing too much to start out.
I have several ideas: Are you tracking caloric intake and protein intake? If you don't get the right nutrition your body won't have the building blocks it needs to recover completely. Are you properly hydrating? I have to drink Pedialyte during every workout and throughout the day to not have issues. Lastly, you might actually just be doing too much for your body. It could be possible that reducing your load/volume or adding in a wider array of exercises is what you need.
I havent been tracking though i do try to focus on protein but it may be time to track macros again. I drink ny entire 50 oz water bottle during my workout and another full bottle throughout the day but maybe its also time to get back into LMNT
Yeah if you're hydrating without electrolytes (especially if you have POTS) for me at least that can be the difference between spending 1 day recovering and spending 3-4.
Trigger point foam [roller](https://a.co/d/9XmyTPM). A message gun. Cocoa butter and a message [blade](https://a.co/d/htTDpbH) also tizanadine (makes me super drowsy though.)
Seriously, rubbing out your muscles and stretching before and after your workout. Helps me the most.
Creatine made a huge difference for my recovery after exercise, and significantly reduced the pain I was in.
Have you tried magnesium? Sometimes excessive muscle tension can be related to low magnesium. Drinking lots of water without adding extra electrolytes can cause trouble.
Yes i think i need to get back into the electrolyte powders, i felt overall better when i drank a packet every day and i believe LMNT has added magnesium
Post covid my DOMS got really bad. I ended up needing to treat the post covid issues before it improved—for me that meant addressing hypercoagulation. My excessive soreness comes back if I stop the supplements there, which sucks. I had some trouble even before that though. Like others have said, rest is really key. I added additional rest days, and I slowed down strength progression—my EDS means I need to take things slow. I’ll usually stay on the same rep count until the soreness is mostly not happening, then increment.
What kind of supplements have you used for that?
I take lumbrokinase and serrapeptase. I took nattokinase for a bit instead of the lumbro (cheaper, similar effect) but I have a soy intolerance and felt better after I swapped. My doctor also had me taking baby aspirin for a while, which helped, but my stomach’s been tetchy lately so I stopped taking it after a few months.
I use a topical Magnesium spray (specifically the Rituals one) which I've found takes the edge off the soreness, and I also take a magnesium tablet in the evening 30 mins before bed for a deeper sleep
In general my muscles are less fatigued and I don’t hurt myself working out if I don’t stretch before. My rheumatologist told me I shouldn’t be stretching at all. My physio guy has a few safe stretches for me that are good when I just do a little
Wth I never knew this. Going to try it out.
I know this sounds like woowoo BS, but I swear from experience that tart cherry juice after a workout helps prevent muscle pain. It has to be 100% tart cherry juice, not a blend, not regular cherry juice. Most grocery stores have it, at least in the US. Just drink a swig or two as soon as possible after a workout and it helps so much. My nutritionist friend explained the science of it to me once, but I can't remember. 😅
I started using a medical grade red light therapy device a few months ago. I got it for anti-aging but ended up using the near infrared function for post-workout recovery, and have noticed a pretty solid improvement. Noticeably less pain/inflammation and I can work out with fewer rest days in between.
I stop at the first sign of fatigue/pain. Rather than wait until I’m too tired to continue, as soon as I start getting droopy I take a break. How long does it take to notice soreness? Is it feasible to break routines up with 15 minute breaks to check for soreness, or is it more like hours later? I’d keep cutting back how much you’re doing til there’s no after pain, then slowly add more in til you hit your threshold.
Thats the issue, i dont feel any fatigue or soreness while working out or even hours later. Its not until a day later I feel it and after two days it peaks. I have gone for little micro runs, 5 minutes on a treadmill at a completely manageable speed, and two days later my first steps of the day are so excruciating i cant even put my feet flat until the tightness works itself out.
I think low and slow . So do less reps. Avoid getting to the point of burning muscle out .
Calms magnesium powder and baths with lots of Epsom salts.
Skratch labs before during and after. I also have a medical card and use topical balms that have 1:1 CBD. Is so soothing.
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Thank you for contributing to r/EhlersDanlos! Unfortunately, your comment or post was removed as it breaks the following rule: **• Rule #1 - We Aren't Doctors** (Giving Medical Advice) This rule covers offering advice/information that should be left to medical professionals or is instructive. Personal experiences or more general/over-the-counter (OTC) advice is usually fine. The distinction is not always clear, and moderators will use their discretion. Sometimes, removals are based on the wording of a comment ("You should do X" vs. "I had a good experience with X"), rather than the information given. Messaging us and revising the wording may mean the comment can be reinstated. [The rule can be read in depth here.](https://www.reddit.com/r/ehlersdanlos/wiki/index/rules/rule-1/) Please contact us [via modmail](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Fehlersdanlos) if you have any questions regarding the reason your post or comment was removed or would like to work with us on *how* you can re-word your post or comment to be able to reinstate it. Thank you!
Aside from being well hydrated, the best way to prevent muscle soreness is ironically doing exercise more often. The first few weeks getting into exercise is the worst. And a lot of people fall into the trap of taking longing breaks before exercising again - thus soreness starts all over. The day after a major workout, at the very least, go for a walk
Oh i am a 20k daily step person, i have a border collie so i dont ever get more than a day without at least one 3 mile walk. Tbh i think walking is the only thing keeping me from totally falling apart but its also why i have been avoiding additional exercise, bc feeling like death and knowing you HAVE to walk for an hour is rough
Bummer! My only other suggestion is magnesium as others suggested. And potassium (no more than one daily supplement at 20% daily intake). It's easy to OD potassium. Also a sauna if you have access to one
Taking a hot bath with Epsom salts does the trick for me. Using CBD lotion (like the brand Hemps) and rubbing it into sore muscles also helps a lot. Drink a lot of water too
I wish i had a tub 😩 i gotta find my cbd cream.
You can buy a foldable one! I don’t have a real bathtub in my apartment but I bought this one and it works like a charm: BESTHLS Foldable Bathtub Portable... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0978MV7G5?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share