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Understanding Muscle Knots and How to Find Relief
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Have you ever experienced the tender, achy feeling of a muscle knot in your back, shoulders or neck? If so, you’re not alone.
Research has shown that muscle knots may affect up to 85 percent of the population, impairing mobility, causing pain, and in some cases, reducing a person’s quality of life.
Muscle Knots Defined
Muscle knots are stiff bands of muscle that have a hard knob in the centre, otherwise known as a trigger point. The pain can either pop up spontaneously (active) or when the trigger point is pressed (latent). In all cases, muscle knots cause pain to radiate beyond the trigger point and into the surrounding muscles.
The Causes of Muscle Knots
Muscle knots — or myofascial trigger points — have a variety of possible causes but evidence suggests that they are the result of overuse, with the most likely culprits being heavy lifting or repetitive activities.
Other causes of muscle knots include:
- Psychological stress
- Poor ergonomics
- Bad posture
- Fatigue
- Dehydration
- Unhealthy eating habits
- Sleep disturbances
- Joint problems
Muscle fibres should contract and relax, lengthen and shorten. If you sit at the computer all day, with very little activity, your muscle fibres eventually stick together, forming a knot. Bad posture also puts stress on our muscles, and with enough time, this stress can cause the formation of scar tissue.
The Symptoms of Muscle Knots
The primary symptom of muscle knots is pain. Most people agree that muscle knots feel swollen, tense, or bumpy, and cause an aching sensation.
Depending on where in the body the muscle knot is located, it may cause seemingly unrelated pain in other areas. For example, a muscle knot in the neck can send pain into the base of the skull, causing a tension headache.
Are You at Risk?
Very few people get through life without experiencing a muscle knot. In fact, 97 percent of people with chronic pain have trigger points, and 100 percent of people with neck pain have them. Here are some of the risk factors that increase your likelihood of developing them:
- Aging
- Disease
- Stress
- Fibromyalgia
Muscle Knots Diagnosis
Diagnosing a muscle knot requires a physical examination by an experienced professional such as a chiropractor or registered massage therapist. The examiner will assess the area of concern for three things: a taut band of muscle, a tender nodule, and the reaction of the patient to physical pressure.
Treatment for Muscle Knots
The most common treatment for muscle knots include:
- Stretching
- Chiropractic
- Acupuncture
- Exercise
- Massage therapy
- Ultrasound therapy
Whichever option you choose, the main goal is to release the trigger point to reduce pain and increase mobility by breaking up the knotted tissue and calming inflamed nerves.
Preventing the Formation of Muscle Knots
Because muscle knots result from overuse, stress, bad posture, fatigue, etc., your risk of getting a muscle knot can be lowered by resting and working on posture and overall lifestyle habits.
Here are some tips:
- Improve your posture by sitting in a relaxed position, with your shoulders back and down. Try your best not to slouch.
- Take opportunities throughout the day to rest and incorporate exercise into your routine.
- Don’t overdo it when lifting heavy objects. Ask for help, take it slowly, or move things in batches.
- If your job requires you to sit for most of the day, take regular stretch breaks to prevent your muscles from getting too tight.
- Make sure your diet includes a healthy mix of calcium, potassium, and magnesium, and drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated.
Self-care for Muscle Knots
While we recommend seeking the advice of a spine, muscle, and nervous system expert, there are some cases where you can massage the sore muscles yourself.
Try following this simple technique:
- Locate the knot in your muscle and, using your fingers, gently massage it out.
- Focus on loosening the tight muscle by pressing down firmly and making small circles.
- If you’re finding it difficult to reach the muscle knot in your back, neck, or shoulders, you can try using a tennis ball or foam roller to apply pressure to the knot. Slowly and gently move back and forth to relieve the tension.
Muscle knots in any area of the body are painful and frustrating. Now that you know what they are, what causes them, and how to treat them, we hope you’ll find relief and get back to enjoying your everyday activities.
To learn more about how chiropractic care and massage therapy can help you manage your neck, shoulder and back pain, contact the Pickering Village Chiropractic & Massage Therapy Clinic at 905-427-3202 to book a consultation with a member of our wellness team.
With content from the Canadian Chiropractic Association.
Why Your Muscles Feel Sore After a Workout
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If getting in shape or intensifying your exercise routine was one of your goals since gyms reopened earlier this year, you’ve likely spent your fair share of time working out these past few months.
Have you ever wondered why your muscles feel so sore after a workout?
One reason may be delayed onset muscle soreness, otherwise known as DOMS.
Occurring anywhere between 24 to 48 hours after you try a new activity or exercise, or increase your workout intensity, DOMS can reduce your range of motion and muscle strength. This muscle soreness is a sign that your muscles are adapting to new loads.
The lactic acid myth
You may have heard that delayed onset muscle soreness is caused by a buildup of lactic acid. But lactic acid only lasts in your muscles one to two hours after a workout.
Resistance training causes micro-tears of muscle fibres, drawing increased blood flow and inflammation to the area, even leading to mild swelling, which stimulates the pain receptors in the muscle tissue and makes them more sensitive to movement.
The muscle damage is temporary. As muscle rebuilds itself, it gets stronger and can handle heavier loads.
How to reduce the discomfort of muscle soreness
Although DOMS is a natural process that indicates your body is getting stronger, there are ways you can reduce your level of discomfort.
- More exercise may be the best way to ease the soreness. Do a gentle workout such as light cardio, stretching or yoga a day or two after an intense workout. Pick up the intensity once the pain is gone.
- Introduce new exercises over a period of one to two weeks to give your body time to adapt.
- Try longer warmups before your resistance training.
- Take an Epsom salt bath. Epsom salts are made from magnesium, which helps relax muscles and improve circulation.
- Mix up your routine. If you do leg exercises one day, work your arms and core the next. This gives each muscle group time to recover.
- Stay hydrated and choose your foods wisely. Remember to drink plenty of water and replenish your electrolytes with a balanced diet full of fruits and vegetables. Leafy greens and bananas are two excellent options.
How to tell if it’s more serious
There are a few indicators that your pain can be something more serious than DOMS:
- The pain does not diminish after three days.
- The pain is so severe that you cannot carry on with daily tasks.
- The pain is so severe that your legs give out.
- You experience major swelling, redness, discolouration, or intense cramping.
- The pain is very sharp – this could suggest a sprain/strain.
If you are concerned about any of the above, your chiropractor can conduct a thorough assessment and offer non-pharmacological pain management strategies, stretches, or manual treatments. You will be referred to the appropriate medical professional if the cause of pain is out of the scope of chiropractic care.
The chiropractic and massage therapy team at Pickering Village Chiropractic & Massage helps patients build better pathways to overall wellness, as well as relief from back pain and muscle aches. Poor habits and injury can lead to pain that can restrict your ability to work or enjoy your leisure time.
We provide you with more than just chiropractic and massage services, but also the know-how to build better personal wellness habits so that you can be at your best for work or play, every day. Contact our clinic today at 905-427-3202.