Say Goodbye To Muscle Knots: Your Guide To Relief
Updated: Jan 14
Have you ever felt that achy tightness in your calf, back, or neck that won't go away? You might be dealing with muscle knots. But what exactly are they, and how do you know if you have one? Dive into this guide to learn all about it, from their formation to their telltale signs. We'll explore what they feel like in different areas like your calf, back, and neck.
Then, we'll equip you with some easy self-relief tips to loosen them up. Plus, we'll delve into why massage therapy can be a powerful tool for long-lasting relief, leaving you feeling relaxed and refreshed. So, get ready to say goodbye to those gremlins and hello to a pain-free you!
What Are Knotted Muscles?
Did you wake up feeling a bit out of shape? Some muscle knots may be hiding in one of your muscles! Come on then, let's get it out of there.
As a massage therapist, I get asked, "What are knotted muscles?". They are technically known as myofascial trigger points.
Imagine them as tiny, contracted bundles of muscle fibres that get stuck and cause pain. These trigger points become hypersensitive and cause a variety of symptoms, including:
Tenderness: The area feels sore or achy, especially when pressed.
Tightness: The muscle feels stiff and restricts your range of motion.
Referred pain: This radiates beyond the trigger point to other areas. For example, a knot in your upper back might cause pain in your shoulder blade or arm.
What toxins are in muscle knots? When you exercise or stress your muscles (i.e being in a prolonged lousy posture), they produce toxins such as lactic acid and other metabolic waste products.
These might be present in higher concentrations due to restricted blood flow caused by the knot, but they aren't the primary cause.
What Does A Muscle Knot Feel Like?
Clients refer to muscle knots, and therapists are trying to be wiser than thou by saying: oh, you mean adhesions can be a million different things. Nonetheless, they feel like knots, and we call them knot.
What Are The Causes Of Muscle Knots?
So, to try to explain them better, I must make it clear that four stressors can induce pathology (knots!) in the muscle and surrounding connective tissue: adhesions, scar tissue formation, trigger points, inflammation, stiffness, atrophy, and ischemia.
The four stressors that can cause muscle knots in the neck, back, and calves are these:
1) Mechanical
Poor posture, particularly prolonged sitting or standing in awkward positions, can put undue stress on specific muscle groups, forming knots.
Repetitive movements, such as those involved in certain occupations or sports, can also contribute to muscle fatigue and the development of trigger points.
Simply, movement.
Our posture is influenced by the shoes we wear, the mattress we sleep on, the chair at work, being left-handed or right-handed, a heavy shoulder bag, and so on.
Due to these postural imbalances, we overuse some groups of muscles and under-use others.
Under-used muscles can develop a degree of atrophy, fascia stiffening, and ischemia, while overused muscles can develop inflammation, hypertonicity, spasms, trigger points, or scar tissue.
What You Can Do
Keep active!
Try Dynamic stretching! If you experience muscle knots in the calf, try these calf stretches.
Try different sports or types of exercise to introduce new movement patterns to your body.
Do yoga.
Get a Deep tissue or Thai Yoga massage.
To combat these postural issues, it's crucial to prioritize good ergonomic practices. This includes using ergonomically designed chairs with adjustable height and lumbar support, ensuring proper workstation setup with the monitor at eye level and the keyboard and mouse within easy reach.
Include frequent breaks when you work! It can help to counteract the effects of prolonged sitting. Simple micro-movements, such as standing up and stretching, walking around the office, or performing gentle stretches at your desk, can significantly improve circulation and prevent muscle stiffness.
Practice proper lifting techniques is crucial to avoid straining muscles and developing knots. Lift with your legs, not your back, and avoid twisting or bending at the waist.
Using a foam roller can be highly effective to relieve muscle tension and improving flexibility.
Heating Pad: applying heat can help to relax tight muscles and increase blood flow to the affected area. A heating pad can be a convenient and effective way to apply localized heat therapy. The warmth helps increase blood circulation, which can deliver nutrients and oxygen to the area, aiding healing. Heat therapy can also help to reduce muscle spasms and relieve pain.
2) Chemical
While toxins don't directly cause muscle knots, some chemical factors can contribute to their formation and the pain they cause.
What matters most in terms of chemical muscular health is:
nutrients and oxygen supply muscles with energy,
potassium and magnesium determine the secretion of the muscle-moving chemical acetylcholine,
Body-unfriendly substances that aren't flushed out of the muscles by blood or lymph cause a build-up of pathogenic tissue in phlegm, crystals, and oedema.
What You Can Do
Keep hydrated (and you may want to check the acidity levels in your tap and bottled water - keep it on the alkaline side!)
Eat your greens!
Boost your absorption by detoxing and cleansing your digestive system periodically with a lymphatic drainage massage.
Test yourself for food intolerance and sensitivity. Keep away from fast sugars and processed foods.
Support your belly with friendly bacteria cultures.
3) Emotional
Forgive me if I sound too holistic. The mind is directly connected to the body by the nervous system; our body reacts to our every thought and emotion. Why? Because the mind is directly connected to the body by the nervous system, the history of any emotional trauma will result in tension in the body.
Sometimes, it's the whole muscle group or just a muscle knot. But the result is the same: you won't relax. Body language is the best way to picture how thoughts and emotions affect our movement or posture.
Cultural factors, such as how we are being seen due to being male or female, and our age and social status also often dictate how we should be sitting, standing or moving. So, it can result in dysfunctional movement patterns, which will affect the state of our muscles.
Emotional stress can significantly impact muscle tension and contribute to the development of muscle knots. When we experience stress, our bodies release hormones like cortisol, increasing muscle tension and contributing to hyperarousal. This can manifest physically in various ways, such as:
Shoulder and neck tension: Stress often leads to muscle tension in the shoulders and neck, resulting in headaches, neck pain, and difficulty turning the head.
Jaw clenching and teeth grinding: Stress can manifest as jaw clenching or teeth grinding (bruxism), leading to tension in the jaw muscles and facial pain.
Back pain: Chronic stress can contribute to muscle tension in the back, particularly in the lower back and upper back.
What You Can Do
Talking therapy
Journaling
Mindfulness: Practices like mindfulness meditation can help you become more aware of your body and mind, allowing you to identify and release tension as it arises.
Alexander technique
NLP & hypnotherapy.
Yoga and tai chi: These practices combine physical movement with mindfulness and deep breathing, offering a holistic approach to stress reduction and muscle relaxation.
Find a therapy that works for you.
4) Genetic
My least favourite is because it indicates something can't be changed. But what if someone told you it could be? When muscle knots are due to genetic factors, the rule here is to be familiar and honest with yourself about your flaws, strengths and cognitive/behavioural tendencies. Employ them in the most effective ways.
Choosing the sport that challenges your weaknesses is tough work, but the results are so sweet that once you've tasted them, you won't ever want to return.
What You Can Do
Know thy self.
Read.
Watch.
Try. Fail. Try again. Zen Master Seung Sahn said: "Try, try, try. 10,000 times."
Conclusion
Muscle knots are tight bands of muscle fiber that can cause significant muscle pain and discomfort.
These knots can develop due to various factors, including overuse injuries, repetitive strain, poor posture, and emotional stress. Over time, these knots can lead to chronic pain, limiting mobility and significantly impacting daily activities.
Addressing them often involves a multi-faceted approach. Techniques such as massage therapy, including deep tissue massage, can help to release tension and reduce pain by applying pressure to the affected area. Foam rolling is another self-massage technique that can help to alleviate muscle tension and improve flexibility.
Techniques like acupuncture, performed by a qualified physical therapist, can be effective for more targeted relief. Dry needling involves inserting thin needles into the muscle to release tension and improve blood flow.
Preventing muscle knots involves a combination of strategies. Maintaining good posture, engaging in regular physical activity, and incorporating stretching and flexibility exercises into your daily routine can help to prevent muscle tension and improve overall muscle health.
By understanding the causes and implementing effective strategies for prevention and treatment, you can effectively manage them and improve your overall quality of life.