Prevention
Delayed onset muscle soreness can be reduced or prevented by gradually increasing the intensity of a new exercise program, thereby taking advantage of the repeated-bout effect.
Soreness can theoretically be avoided by limiting exercise to concentric and isometric contractions. But eccentric contractions in some muscles are normally unavoidable during exercise, especially when muscles are fatigued. Limiting the length of eccentric muscle extensions during exercise may afford some protection against soreness, but this may also not be practical depending on the mode of exercise. A study comparing arm muscle training at different starting lengths found that training at the short length reduced muscle damage indicators by about 50% compared to the long length, but this effect was not found in leg muscles.
Stretching or warming up the muscles does not prevent soreness. Overstretching can by itself cause soreness.
Proper nutrition to manage electrolytes and glycogen before and after exertion has been proposed as a way to ease soreness.
Read more about this topic: Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness
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