What they didn't tell you about laces

While laces may appear after exercise, They should not be a reason to avoid strength training. Here we will explain what the sores are, why they hurt and how to prevent them.

What are laces?

The laces is what we commonly call muscle pain after exercise. It is also known as:

• Deferred Myalgia
• Late onset muscle pain (DMAT).
• DOMS, for its acronym in English.

They can appear at 24 or 48 hours after an intense exercise session or after doing an exercise that we have not done before.

This pain is usually located in the worked muscles and may be accompanied by a decrease in strength and range of movement in the short term.

The sore is the muscular pain that appears after exercising. It can manifest 24 or 48 hours after physical activity.

What is the cause?

The sores may appear after exercising or any other type of physical activity outside the usual intensity range, such as:

• The first day in the gym of a sedentary person.
• A very intense workout for an athlete.
• Load boxes in a move.

Read also: How to prevent and relieve stiffness?

The sores and inflammation

It was previously believed that this type of pain was caused by inflammation product of the breakdown of muscle fibers after exercise. However, we now know that it is not so, since:

Therefore, it seems that the inflammation is not directly related to the pain of the sores. The current hypothesis is that this type of inflammation is a reaction of the immune system to the unknown stimulus. (the new movement or the increase in intensity of the exercise).

We will have to wait for this topic to be studied a little more to make more precise conclusions.

The laces are for lactic acid, right?

No. Lactic acid does not cause deferred myalgia. This was verified in a study published in 1983, where the concentration of lactic acid in the blood in two types of corridors was evaluated:

• Some who ran 45 minutes on a treadmill without inclination. They had a significant increase in lactic acid but not DOMS.
• Others who ran the same time but on a treadmill inclined -10%, for similar a downhill. They did not have an increase in lactic acid but some important stiffnesses.

This little experiment showed that there is no relationship between lactic acid and the sore. So why do they hurt?

The odious response of always: we don't know for sure. One of the problems in defining the cause is that, sometimes, the sores can spread to muscles that were not exercised.

Occasionally, the sores may spread to parts of the body that were not exercised. Therefore, establishing its cause has generated controversy and problems.

What is clear is that:

• Eccentric movements have a greater tendency to cause stiffness than concentric movements
• Genetics probably have an important role, since there are things that vary from person to person, such as pain sensitivity.
• The sores may get worse due to factors such as dehydration, poor diet, lack of sleep, a very strong massage or fear of pain.

Do not miss: What to do before, during and after exercising

Can i prevent them?

You can't prevent them from appearing, but you can decrease the chance of having stiffness. And if they appear, they will be much more manageable if you follow the following tips:

• Take it easy. Gradually increase the intensity of the exercise. You will not reach the goal faster if you force your body, quite the opposite.
• The general recommendation is that you increase repetitions, sets or weight no more than 10% per week.
• Heats properly And, if you've had good results before, stretch after exercise.
• Focus on having good habits, take care of your diet, sleep well and drink enough water.

In short, contrary to what many people think, the sores are not caused by lactic acid or inflammation. They are a normal response of the body after exercising too intensely or any other physical activity outside the usual intensity range.