Why does Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) happen with muscles? Why does it take your muscles 12-24 hours to become sore and feel pain, whereas with injuries the pain is instant and doesn’t buildup slowly over the days

Question

I just went to the gym this morning, and now I’m beginning to feel the pain. Afterwards I felt my muscle being fatigued and weak but there was no soreness/pain. Now 12 hours later I’m begging to feel the pain and by tomorrow morning I will be in a world of pain. Why does this happen?

In: Biology

Answer 1

Instant pain from “damage” of any sort to the body is caused by nerves, and is evolutionary in nature…to teach us with instant feedback HY we shouldn’t stick our hands in fire, or cut ourselves, or whatever.

Pain from exertion is caused by other root causes listed by others in other posts, and again, are delayed due to evolutionary reasons. If you felt the pain of the exertion instantly from sprinting, you wouldn’t do it, and would have been eaten by whatever was chasing you!