Our product picks are editor-tested, expert-approved. We may earn a commission through links on our site. Why Trust Us? Aaron Feaver S ORE MUSCLES ARE sometimes considered to be a badge of honor. Struggle moving for a few days, though, and that feeling of earned valor gets old, fast. "The significant muscle soreness that typically occurs 24 to 48 hours after activity is referred to as delayed onset muscle soreness , or DOMS," says Christopher Hogrefe, M.D., sports medicine and emergency medicine specialist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. "This condition appears to be the result of small tears in muscle fiber that combine with an inflammatory process to result in pain." That happens whenever you're moving in a way you're not used to—when you're lifting heavier then normal, or even walking more then you normally do. If you're feeling like you have a heavy onset of DOMS, you're probably struggling with a handful of symptoms.…