Welcome to Ask Healthy Living -- in which you submit your most burning health questions[1] and we do our best to ask the experts and get back to you. Have a question? Get in touch here[2] and you could appear on Healthy Living!


"Ask Healthy Living" is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. Please consult a qualified health care professional for personalized medical advice.


Why do I sometimes feel more sore, or sore in different muscles, two days after a workout, as opposed to the day right after?


There's a name for this type of delayed onset muscle soreness, and -- surprise! -- it's delayed onset muscle soreness[3] (or DOMS).


DOMS usually sets in one to three days after your tough workout, but it may persist for up to 10. There are a number of theories as to what's really going on at the muscular level to create pain so far after the fact, including lactic acid buildup and inflammation, not to mention real damage to muscles and/or tendons. Experts say it's likely, however, that a combination of two or more of the going theories are probably at work.


One thing seems pretty certain, at least, and that's that DOMS is likely the result of a specific type of muscle movement or contraction called eccentric muscle contractions, Dr. Steven Stovitz, M.D., MS, associate professor in the department of family medicine and community health and a team physician at the University of Minnesota, writes to HuffPost Healthy Living in an email. Eccentric contractions occur when the muscle is contracting at the same time as it is lengthening, like in the biceps during the downward-moving portion of a curl or in the quads while running down hills, he explains.


Typically, it's "untrained" muscles that ache days later, says Stovitz, which is why you might be more likely to feel sore the second or third day after a workout you've never done before, or why athletes experience DOMS at the beginning of their seasons, says Dr. William Briner, M.D., sports medicine physician at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.



"A muscle that is to perform excessive work in a concentric fashion (i.e. contracting while shortening) may fatigue and suffer immediate pain that resolves within a day," says Stovitz. "Also, a muscle that works eccentrically, but has been trained to do so, may also be sore for only a day and not suffer the delayed soreness." Therefore, your muscles that contracted eccentrically and are the least trained are the ones that are going to chime in a couple of days after the fact.


It's not all bad news, though: "It's not like pain in a tendon or a joint," Briner tells HuffPost Healthy Living. "It may mean you've pushed a little harder, but it's part of the process and it will go away." You might feel like taking a day off to give those sore muscles a little time to recover, but you don't have to, unless the pain is limiting your range of motion. In fact, a little light exercise may even help you heal[4] , Men's Health reported, since exercise boosts blood flow. Massage[5] or some anti-inflammatories can also help.


The best news is that after that first bout of DOMS, "it is likely that you will be better prepared to repeat the exercise without suffering the soreness," says Stovitz. Stick with that new move or routine, and you'll eventually be able to do it pain-free -- and you'll likely get stronger in the process[6] .




Have a question? Ask Healthy Living![7]



Earlier on HuffPost:




Loading Slideshow...



  • Should I Try Intermittent Fasting?


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/11/intermittent-fasting-does-it-work_n_3039869.html" target="_blank">Does this new trend in intermittent fasting</a> -- which entails drastically restricting calories on one or two days per week and then eating normally on others -- actually lead to sustained weight loss and better health?... <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/11/intermittent-fasting-does-it-work_n_3039869.html" target="_blank">MORE</a>




  • How Does Exercise Reduce Stress?


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/21/exercise-reduces-stress-levels-anxiety-cortisol_n_3307325.html" target="_blank">We've all read that exercise lowers levels of anxiety</a>, depression and stress. And that holds true even for people who are stressed out by the idea of exercise. But how exactly does it do that?... <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/21/exercise-reduces-stress-levels-anxiety-cortisol_n_3307325.html" target="_blank">MORE</a>




  • Do 3,500 Calories Equal A Pound Of Fat?


    The above quoted <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/05/3500-calories-one-pound-fat-calorie-burn_n_2806578.html?utm_hp_ref=health-problems" target="_blank">formula is taken as dieting orthodoxy</a>: to lose one pound of fat per week, simply create a 3,500 calorie deficit through diet and exercise et voila, lose a pound a week for as long as you can keep it up. If only it were that simple... <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/05/3500-calories-one-pound-fat-calorie-burn_n_2806578.html?utm_hp_ref=health-problems" target="_blank">MORE</a>




  • Why Do I Have Brittle Nails?


    Brittle nails, or onychorrhexis, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/24/brittle-nail-causes_n_2540959.html?utm_hp_ref=health-problems" target="_blank">is a very common condition</a>, affecting about 20 percent of the population and disproportionately common in women. It's characterized by easy breakage -- either splits lengthwise or nails that easily "peel" across from corner to corner... <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/24/brittle-nail-causes_n_2540959.html?utm_hp_ref=health-problems" target="_blank">MORE</a>




  • The Healthiest Way To Gain Weight


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/16/healthiest-way-to-gain-weight_n_2475362.html?utm_hp_ref=healthy-living">While fewer than two percent of the American </a>population is underweight, for those who try without success to put on pounds, the experience can be frustrating and, occasionally, of medical concern... <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/16/healthiest-way-to-gain-weight_n_2475362.html?utm_hp_ref=healthy-living">MORE</a>




  • How Much Water Should I Drink?


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/03/how-much-water-should-i-drink_n_2398712.html?utm_hp_ref=health-problems">The notion that we must all drink eight cups </a>of water per day to improve our health is an old one, but it isn't exactly accurate. Although the suggestion dates back to at least the 1940s, the latest to carry the mantel are, unsurprisingly, bottled water companies...<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/03/how-much-water-should-i-drink_n_2398712.html?utm_hp_ref=health-problems">MORE</a>




  • Why Am I So Grumpy In The Morning?


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/11/morning-mood_n_2273001.html?utm_hp_ref=health-problems">Some people are deeply, terminally grouchy</a> in the morning -- no one disputes this fact. But if you're "not a morning person," as such moodiness is often more delicately referred to, is this actually meaningful in some way? Does it say anything about the quality of your sleep? Or your life? ... <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/11/morning-mood_n_2273001.html?utm_hp_ref=health-problems">MORE</a>




  • Is Your Workout Better If Your Body Trembles?


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/15/muscle-shaking-causes_n_2140397.html?utm_hp_ref=health-problems">Many exercise programs advertise a certain kind of muscle quaking </a>that they hold up as evidence that their workout is effective. But is the "wobbling" Amanda refers to actually a sign that your body is getting stronger? <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/15/muscle-shaking-causes_n_2140397.html?utm_hp_ref=health-problems">MORE</a>




  • Is There A 'Wrong' Way To Eat Fruit?


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/12/the-best-way-to-eat-fruit_n_2114888.html?utm_hp_ref=health-and-fitness&ir=Health%20and%20Fitness">Fruit is an incredibly healthy food group</a>: packed with vitamins, nutrients, fiber and water. But there have been some nutritional claims circulating that suggest fruit can also be damaging if eaten in conjunction with other foods... <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/12/the-best-way-to-eat-fruit_n_2114888.html?utm_hp_ref=health-and-fitness&ir=Health%20and%20Fitness">MORE</a>




  • Should You Drink Water After A Massage?


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/05/water-after-a-massage_n_2075604.html">Many practitioners believe that deep tissue massage releases toxins from the muscles </a>and into the blood stream. They assert that the water helps the kidneys and pancreas to process those toxins. And while research shows that massage is useful for many conditions -- from anxiety to several types of cancers to childhood constipation -- the truth is that there's no research that clearly illustrates how massage affects toxicants in the body... <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/05/water-after-a-massage_n_2075604.html">MORE</a>




  • Why Can't I Stop Eating At Night?


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/25/late-night-snacking_n_2006566.html?utm_hp_ref=health-problems">Allison is hardly alone in her late-night eating habit</a>. We talked to nutritionists and sleep experts to get a better sense of what causes us to break into the fridge in the wee hours. Turns out, there are many conditions that can cause this type of eating, but they have markedly different symptoms... <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/25/late-night-snacking_n_2006566.html?utm_hp_ref=health-problems">MORE</a>




  • Do Food Cravings Indicate Nutritional Deficiency?


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/08/food-cravings_n_1940299.html?utm_hp_ref=health-problems">"If cravings were an indicator of nutritional deficiency, we'd all crave fruits and vegetables,"</a> says Karen Ansel, MS, RD, CDN. "The fact that we all want high carb, high fat comfort foods, along with the research, is a pretty good indicator that cravings aren't related to deficiencies." ... <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/08/food-cravings_n_1940299.html?utm_hp_ref=health-problems">MORE</a>




  • Is Neck Cracking Dangerous?


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/03/neck-cracking-dangerous-spinal-manipulation_n_1929690.html?utm_hp_ref=health-and-fitness&ir=Health%20and%20Fitness">If you crack your neck to relieve pain, you aren't alone</a>. By one estimate, chiropractors perform between 18 and 38 million cervical spine manipulation treatments each year. That involves quick motions to loosen the joint and ligaments, which often makes a "pop" sound -- and that helps explain the colloquial term we often use: "cracking." ... <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/03/neck-cracking-dangerous-spinal-manipulation_n_1929690.html?utm_hp_ref=health-and-fitness&ir=Health%20and%20Fitness">MORE</a>




  • How To Stretch Safely For Flexibility After 50


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/26/stretch-safely-for-flexibility-_n_1909997.html?utm_hp_ref=health-problems">It's true that as we age, flexibility becomes an even bigger concern</a>. All of the experts we interviewed agreed that older bodies come with an ultimatum: Use it or lose it. If you aren't maintaining an active lifestyle, you can expect accelerated muscle loss, decreased stamina, strength, range of motion, balance and flexibility... <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/26/stretch-safely-for-flexibility-_n_1909997.html?utm_hp_ref=health-problems">MORE</a>




  • Paleo Diet: Healthy Or A Hoax?


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/20/paleo-diet-healthy_n_1898529.html?utm_hp_ref=health-problems">If you're unfamiliar with this popular diet, the Paleo Diet (also known as the "Caveman Diet") prescribes a pattern of eating that mirrors the way your ancestors ate</a> back (way back!) in the day. The assertion is simple: diseases like obesity, diabetes and heart disease are illnesses "of civilization" and so, to combat the ill effects of the modern diet, we should return to a pre-civilization, hunter-gatherer diet of meat, fish, fruits and vegetables... <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/20/paleo-diet-healthy_n_1898529.html?utm_hp_ref=health-problems">MORE</a>




  • Is Organic Food Healthier?


    Last week, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/14/is-organic-food-healthy_n_1881046.html?utm_hp_ref=health-problems" target="_hplink">Stanford University researchers published a study</a> in the Annals of Internal Medicine that they said showed organically-grown food to be no more nutritious than conventionally-grown food. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/14/is-organic-food-healthy_n_1881046.html?utm_hp_ref=health-problems" target="_hplink">MORE</a>




  • Why Do My Eyelids Twitch?


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/31/why-do-my-eyelids-twitch_n_1844041.html?utm_hp_ref=health-problems">Myokymia, or involuntary eye twitching</a>, is a condition that many of us are familiar with. And it seems everyone has an opinion on what triggers it: Is it fatigue? Eye-strain? Stress? <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/31/why-do-my-eyelids-twitch_n_1844041.html?utm_hp_ref=health-problems">MORE</a>




  • Adult Acne: Why Does It Happen?


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/27/adult-acne_n_1825909.html?utm_hp_ref=health-problems">A pimple occurs when sebum</a> -- the lubricant that naturally moisturizes our skin and hair -- is trapped under dead skin cells and debris in a hair follicle, according to the Mayo Clinic. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/27/adult-acne_n_1825909.html?utm_hp_ref=health-problems">MORE</a>




  • Who Decides Serving Sizes?


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/23/serving-sizes_n_1822551.html?utm_hp_ref=health-problems">Believe it or not, we decide what a serving size is</a>. The unit we see at the top of our nutrition labels (eight cookies, 100 grams, half a bottle, e.g.) comes from the average amount that Americans over the age of four consume in a single seating. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/23/serving-sizes_n_1822551.html?utm_hp_ref=health-problems">MORE</a>




  • Is It Necessary To Eat Before A Workout?


    With all of the marketing of sports drinks, bars, gels and powders, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/13/eat-before-a-workout_n_1765397.html?1345662712" target="_hplink">this is an excellent question to ask</a>. There's certainly no harm in eating -- and it might help you meet your fitness goals by giving you more energy during the actual run or elliptical workout. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/13/eat-before-a-workout_n_1765397.html?1345662712" target="_hplink">MORE</a>




  • Why Does Weight Loss Get Harder?


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/07/losing-the-last-10-pounds_n_1752918.html?utm_hp_ref=health-problems" target="_hplink">Anyone who has tried to lose weight</a> knows about those frustratingly immobile final five or 10 pounds. And while there are a lot of suggestions (just Google "last 10 pounds" and you'll enter an echo-chamber of weight loss advice, scientific half-truths and can-do enthusiasm), the truth is that several pretty straight-forward reasons can explain that unshakeable weight. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/07/losing-the-last-10-pounds_n_1752918.html?utm_hp_ref=health-problems" target="_hplink">MORE.</a>




  • Should I Do Cardio Or Weights First?


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/06/cardio-or-weights-first-exercise-order_n_1739089.html?utm_hp_ref=health-problems" target="_hplink">Working out is always good for you</a>. The good news is that, whether you do it before or after weight training, cardiovascular exercise like running, swimming, biking or machine-work will improve everything from your heart health to your mood to your chance of avoiding many cancers. And lifting weights helps with everything from bone density to metabolism.

    But according to exercise physiologists and personal trainers we spoke with, the order of operation can change depending on a person's goal. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/06/cardio-or-weights-first-exercise-order_n_1739089.html?utm_hp_ref=health-problems" target="_hplink">MORE</a>




  • Should You Take A Multivitamin?


    The <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/01/should-you-take-a-multivitamin_n_1725380.html?utm_hp_ref=health-problems" target="_hplink">first thing to acknowledge</a> is that, for the most part, Americans are not deficient in vitamins. A recent CDC survey found that we're sufficiently nourished in essential nutrients like vitamins A, D and folate. But just because we aren't deficient, doesn't necessarily mean that our vitamin levels are optimal. The question is, how important are optimal levels? <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/01/should-you-take-a-multivitamin_n_1725380.html?utm_hp_ref=health-problems" target="_hplink">MORE</a>




  • How A Hangover Works


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/06/how-a-hangover-works_n_1861702.html">If the data is any indication, at least 75 percent of you will recognize this feeling</a>: a throbbing headache, exhaustion, queasiness and even muscle fatigue following a night of overindulging. But what is it about drinking alcohol that causes such discomfort? <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/06/how-a-hangover-works_n_1861702.html">MORE</a>




  • How Long After I Eat Is Weight Added To My Body?


    Given that <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/26/what-is-metabolism_n_1701547.html" target="_hplink">we all have different metabolic speeds</a>, what is the average amount of time it takes food to be digested and then shunted off to its various purposes? <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/26/what-is-metabolism_n_1701547.html" target="_hplink">MORE</a>




  • Why Am I So Hungry After A Big Meal?


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/16/why-am-i-hungry_n_1677364.html" target="_hplink">Big meals are often celebratory</a>, which means they may include foods that are decadent rather than nutritious: starchy vegetables like mashed potatoes, white dinner rolls, cake. Foods that fall high on the glycemic index can make your blood sugar spike, causing a surge of insulin to drag it back down. The quick vacillation in blood sugar can cause a disruption to the normal cycle of leptin -- a hormone secreted by the fat cells that signals to the brain when you've had enough to eat ... <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/16/why-am-i-hungry_n_1677364.html" target="_hplink">MORE</a>




  • What Is Excessive Sweating?


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/03/what-is-excessive-sweating-hyperhidrosis_n_1645264.html" target="_hplink">Let's start with the basics</a>: the primary purpose of sweating is to cool your body down. "Sweating is the body's natural, neurological response to cool the body by stimulating the sweat glands to produce moisture that cools the body by drawing heat from the body during evaporation," Perin tells HuffPost Healthy Living. "Because everyone's body is different, the response differs from one individual to another, producing varying levels of perspiration." <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/03/what-is-excessive-sweating-hyperhidrosis_n_1645264.html" target="_hplink">MORE</a>




  • Why Do My Muscles Burn So Much?


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/10/muscle-soreness-explained_n_1659777.html" target="_hplink">Let's talk about muscle soreness.</a> Delayed-onset muscle soreness, or DOMS as it is often called, is the common -- one could even say requisite -- result of a workout. If you do an activity you're not used to, such as taking a new type of fitness class, attacking a hill on your bike when you're used to riding on flat ground, or running a far longer distance than you are accustomed to -- the difference in muscle use can cause micro-tears in muscle fibers and connective tissue. As your body works to repair itself, you may feel some low-grade pain in the area ... <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/10/muscle-soreness-explained_n_1659777.html" target="_hplink">MORE</a>




  • Why Does My Face Flush When I Exercise?


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/26/red-face-exercise_n_1625480.html" target="_hplink">When you exercise, capillaries in your face</a> and throughout your body dilate and blood flows through them in an effort to move the heat your body is generating to the skin's surface, where it can be radiated off. This effort helps to keep you cool while you work out, but it can also make your skin look flushed -- especially in the face ... <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/26/red-face-exercise_n_1625480.html" target="_hplink">MORE</a>