Can You Run With DOMS?

Whether you’re deep in training for a running race or you did some deep squats in the gym, the next few days your legs feel a deep ache. You’ve got DOMS, or delayed onset muscle soreness. 

What is DOMS? Can you run with DOMS? How can you prevent DOMS? And how can you reduce DOMS quickly? Here’s what you need to know about DOMS. 

Here’s the key info about DOMS:

• Delayed onset muscle soreness comes on 12-24 hours after a hard workout or run and may last several days.
• If you have DOMS then light exercise and active recovery can help to alleviate the muscle soreness (at least temporarily), but avoid hard exercise on the same muscles as it can cause more muscle damage and will delay healing.
• DOMS could be confused with a niggle or injury, so always be cautious when exercising with DOMS.

WHAT IS DOMS? 

DOMS means ‘delayed onset muscle soreness.’

The muscle soreness will develop 12-48 hours after a particularly difficult run or workout, or after exercise intensity or conditions that you are unaccustomed to. DOMS could last 24-72 hours or more. 

The muscle soreness is caused by temporary minor muscle damage and inflammation. That’s not necessarily a bad thing as our body repairs the muscles and they become stronger, but the repairing process comes with soreness. 

DOMS can be caused by all exercise but it’s often worse after hard eccentric exercise – that means when the muscle lengthens while under strain. That could be the lowering movement of a squat, lunge, deadlift or bench press, or the impact of running fast (especially down hill), where your quads are lengthened as you land – if you’ve run a marathon then you’ll know it’s your thighs which feel it most over the next few days. 

DOMS is most common when you’re new into a training block or training type, when you’re increasing the weight that you lift, or increasing the intensity or duration of runs.

WHAT DO DOMS FEEL LIKE? 

• DOMS is a tired, aching, heavy feeling in the muscle which will likely feel tight when moving. 
• Generally you’ll feel DOMS throughout the affected muscle, and not in an isolated location.
• As you move around, the aching typically eases – but this relief is temporary and the next time you sit the aches will return. 

Here’s Sarah sharing what you need to know about DOMS.

IS IT DOMS OR IS IT AN INJURY?

How can you tell if you’ve got DOMS or if you’re suffering from something more complex that may require additional rest or a trip to the physio?

Here’s a guide to understanding the difference between DOMS and a more concerning niggle or injury. 

• DOMS come on 12-24 hours after you have finished exercising (and may not peak until 36-48 hours after you finish), so if you feel discomfort during or immediately after exercise then it’s not likely to be DOMS.
• If the post-exercise aches get worse when you move, then it might not be DOMS.
• If you feel a sharp pain or an isolated pain in a muscle then it may be a sign of a more complex injury and you should consider resting or seeing a physio.
• If the pain is in a joint (like your knee or ankle) or tendon (like your achilles), then it’s not DOMS.
• If the DOMS ache does not clear up within 72-96 hours then it may also be a sign that you have something other than DOMS.
• If in doubt, don’t run and go to see a specialist. 

CAN YOU EXERCISE WITH DOMS?

The reason you have DOMS is because you worked extra hard in the previous day or two, so that’s a sign you need to ease back or take a rest day.

But if you want to run, then typically you can run with DOMS, and in fact, doing some gentle running, or other light cardio (cycling, walking), is one of the best ways to reduce DOMS. Think of it like active recovery.

While an easy run or a recovery run is probably OK if you have DOMS, you should never run if the discomfort is severe or if you think it may be something other than DOMS. 

If you do run, then keep the effort very easy. You should also take some extra time to have a good warmup and ease into your run.

If your DOMS is bad then try walking instead of running and gradually increasing your pace if that feels comfortable, but don’t rush into running (or other exercise) as it could cause more muscle damage. 

If your leg DOMS came from lifting weights, then avoid doing a hard running workout the following day. It’s best to let your DOMS heal before putting more intensity through them. Likewise, you shouldn’t do back-to-back gym days on the same muscles, but if it’s something you want to do then stick to light weights and work through the full range of motion in your aching muscles. 

While it may be OK to run or exercise with DOMS, there are some occasions when you should rest or adjust your activity if you have DOMS.

WHEN SHOULD YOU REST WITH DOMS? 

• If you can’t run with your normal form then rest. You may hobble a little to begin but your muscles should loosen as you run, but if it doesn’t then running with poor or unnatural form could lead to a niggle or injury.
• If the soreness is too uncomfortable to run (like after a marathon) then walk or do a low impact exercise like cycling or swimming. 
• Avoid lifting heavy weights if you’re still suffering from DOMS, or focus on a different muscle group (so do upper body when you’ve got leg DOMS). You want the muscle damage to heal before you put it through more stress.
• If you have leg DOMS from a hard gym workout then avoid a hard running workout the following day. Stick to easy runs while the DOMS is present. 

HOW CAN YOU PREVENT DOMS? 

DOMS develop in muscles which are unused to the exercise you put them through. By doing more consistent training your muscles will become more resilient to DOMS – until you start to lift heavier weights or run faster or further. 

To lessen the impact of DOMS after a race or event you should then train specific to your event. If you’re running a race with a lot of downhills then do a lot of fast running on downhill routes, which will help to prepare your quads for the race, and will lessen the DOMS you feel after the race. If you’re doing a marathon then the more long runs (over 20 miles/32km) you do, the more prepared your body will be for race day. 

HOW CAN YOU REDUCE DOMS QUICKLY?

• Do a warmup and cool down or active recovery with each hard activity you do.
• If you’ve run a race then don’t just sit down for the rest of the day – keep walking throughout the day.
• Exercise is the most effective way of reducing DOMS, though it doesn’t fully heal it. Walking or light jogging with DOMS will temporarily alleviate the aches but they will return.
• Do your best to get adequate hydration, nutrition and sleep after a hard workout.
• In the 24-48 hours after a hard run or workout, focus on active recovery and low intensity exercise – walk, stretch, run very slow, swim, cycle. Movement can help to reduce muscle soreness. 
• Using heat (dry or moist) after exercise may help to reduce DOMS – try heat pads, sauna or a hot bath.
• Massage, foam rolling or a massage gun may help to reduce DOMS.

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