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Delayed-onset muscle soreness generally appears:

  1. Immediately after exercising

  2. 12-24 hours after a training session ends

  3. 24-48 hours after a training session ends

  4. 48-72 hours after a training session ends

The correct answer is: 24-48 hours after a training session ends

Delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) typically emerges around 24 to 48 hours after engaging in resistance training or intense physical activity. This phenomenon is primarily due to the micro-tears in muscle fibers caused by exercise, particularly when the body is unaccustomed to certain movements or loads. The onset of soreness is often gradual, allowing the muscles time to react to the physical strain, hence the common timeframe of 24 to 48 hours following the workout. While it can sometimes start slightly earlier or later, the most widely accepted and observed pattern in exercise science supports the 24 to 48-hour window as a general guideline for the appearance of DOMS in individuals after exercise.