What are Muscle Knots?
Chances are, you’ve experienced the achy feeling of a tight muscle at some point in your life.
What are muscle knots?
They are stiff bands of muscle that have a hard knob in the center, which is known as a trigger point. The pain can be felt spontaneously or when the trigger point is pressed. But in all cases, muscle knots cause pain to radiate beyond the trigger point into the surrounding muscles.
The name makes it sound like the muscle is twisted or kinked, but that's not the case! Knots are usually a type of spasm that causes a small portion of a muscle to tense up. Muscle knots are typically found in your back, shoulders, and neck. This tension can often be painful and irritating.
What causes muscle knots and what can I do to prevent them?
Psychological stress- Doing deep breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation and listening to calming music all helps calm down your nervous system.
Fatigue- Take opportunities throughout the day to rest. If you find yourself gazing at screens all day, your eye doctor may have mentioned this rule to you. Basically, every 20 minutes spent using a screen; you should try to look away at something that is 20 feet away from you for a total of 20 seconds.
Sleep disturbances- Pain has a substantial impact on sleep, and an insufficient amount of restful sleep can increase pain susceptibility.
Poor ergonomics- Try using an adjustable height computer workstation. Spend part of your day sitting and part of your day standing. Alternating positions will maintain better posture. The physical movement will help increase blood flow, which helps boost oxygen and increase your energy levels throughout the day!
Bad posture- Be mindful of your posture. Sit in a relaxed position, with your shoulders back and down. Try your best not to slouch.
Dehydration- Drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated. Sipping from a straw helps you to drink more water. Flavor your water with lemon or fresh fruit to change up the flavor!
Unhealthy eating habits- Make sure your diet includes a healthy mix of calcium, potassium, and magnesium. Eat the rainbow everyday!
Joint problems- Joint pain is extremely common. People experience “wear and tear” pain as we age. Bursitis can be a source of pain and inflammation as well as strains and sprains.
Heavy lifting- Don’t be a weekend warrior! Spending hours doing physical labor without breaks is just asking for trouble! Don’t overdo it when lifting heavy objects. Ask for help, take it slowly or move things in batches.
Repetitive activities- If your job requires you to sit for most of the day, take regular stretch breaks to prevent your muscles from getting too tight.
What are the symptoms of muscle knots?
Pain is the primary symptom of muscle knots. Since everyone experiences pain differently, your symptoms may vary from those of someone else. However, 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.
How do I treat muscle knots?
There are many ways, but let’s focus on two:
1. Self care massage
2. Contrast therapy
Can you treat muscle knots at home?
Yes!! Please do your self care homework in between your massages!
Locate the knot in your muscle and use your fingers to gently massage it out in slow circles. Try using massage tools, but be mindful of pressure.
If you’re finding it difficult to reach the muscle knot, try using a tennis ball or lacrosse ball to apply pressure to the knot.
Do this several times a day until the muscle feels better.
Ice and heat. Most muscle pain responds well to alternating heat and ice. Use an ice pack on the spot for a short while, and then switch to a warm compress or heating pad.
Apply to the painful area for 15-20 minutes several times each day. If you notice that one seems to help more than the other, stick with what one feels best.
Why does it work?
Heat boosts the flow of blood and nutrients to an area of the body. It often works best for morning stiffness or to warm up muscles before activity. Cold slows blood flow, reducing swelling and pain. It’s often best for short-term pain, like that from a sprain or a strain.
Muscle knots are painful and frustrating to treat. After reading this article, I hope you will feel confident in treating your “knots”. I want my clients to have pain relief and get back to enjoying everyday activities!