Is "Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness" a False Friend? The Potential Implication of the Fascial Connective Tissue in Post-Exercise Discomfort.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review and mechanistic hypothesis paper without systematic review methodology
PubMed 34502387 · doi:10.3390/ijms22179482
What was done
The authors conducted a narrative review of anatomical, histological, and experimental studies to evaluate whether delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) originates in muscle-associated fascial connective tissue rather than skeletal muscle fibers.
What was found
The abstract reports no quantitative data or specific numerical results. It qualitatively describes findings that deep fascia has an intimate structural connection to muscle, is susceptible to loading damage, and contains a rich supply of nociceptors that evoke stronger pain responses upon stimulation than muscle tissue.
Why it matters
This paper proposes a paradigm shift regarding the anatomical source of DOMS, suggesting that post-exercise recovery strategies may need to focus on connective tissue rather than muscle tissue alone.
Limits
This is a narrative review presenting mechanistic reasoning rather than an empirical trial or systematic review. The abstract provides no sample sizes, effect estimates, or direct clinical comparisons of fascia-targeted interventions.
Cited by
- supports Muscle soreness is linked to damage in the epimysium or extracellular matrix, involving nociceptors exposed to free nerve endings and free radicals.