why does it take >24 hours to “feel” a hard workout?
In: Biology
As other said it is called DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). The actual soreness can be attributed to tissue damage (muscle tissue) and the subsequent inflammatory response that follows. Every time you workout your muscles tear or become damaged, with rest, the tissue repairs, resulting in a stronger, bigger muscle. Source: this was undergrad. Fun fact, the purpose of cold water treatment (ice baths, cold tubs, etc.) following workouts is an attempt to dampen/inhibit this inflammatory response (reduce DOMS, increase recovery time). The idea being less of a inflammatory response might cause less overall tissue damage and decrease recovery time. For the past several years, more research is coming out that indicates the cold treatment is more placebo and has the opposite effect, causing a delay in inflammatory response but also lengthening overall recovery time. Source: my thesis was on it.
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