This will be a two part blog. The first blog will address what and how muscle knots or, as I like to call them “muscle poop” occur. The second part will address how you can reduce if not eliminate them from your life.
What is a muscle knot? We’ve all had the experience of tension in our shoulders or back only to find the tension radiating from a knot in a particular muscle. These muscle knots are painful to the touch and can feel like someone actually tied our muscles up. But what are they?
What Causes Muscle Knots? The medical term for muscle knots is myofascial trigger points, which is quite a mouthful for such a common problem. There is some debate among doctors about what causes muscle knots but it seems to be connected to an abnormal build up of protein after a release of lactic acid. (muscle poop)
The most common causes of muscle knots are:
1) Accidents – Acute trauma, such as bad falls & sports injuries that strain you joints and muscles
2) Postural Stress – Sitting too long with poor posture, sitting with no support, & lifting improperly
3) Overstimulation – Strenuous exercise and sport activities, especially lifting weights.
While many people tend to believe that a muscle knot is most likely due to a “pulled muscle” or an overuse injury, the most common cause of these muscle knots is a sedentary lifestyle containing short bursts of activity. If you sit hunched over at a computer all day, you train your muscles to behave abnormally, which will make it more difficult to prevent injury when you exercise.
If you are developing muscle knots frequently from lifting weights in your shoulders, neck, or upper, or middle back, the likely cause is a postural issue. For example, if you have rounded shoulders from sitting in an office, your back muscles are already overstretched because your shoulders are rounded forwards. When you complete some pull-ups, or rows, your muscle will be stretched even further when lowering the weight, then will forcibly contract when lifting the weight. This over-stretching combined with intense contractions can overstimulate your muscles causing those nasty muscle knots to form.
Knots are possibly the most common thing a massage therapist hears as a primary complaint. These little nodules in our muscles cause unnecessary stress for us at various points in our lives. With a little education, a lot of peace can happen.
Wishing you Peace, Harmony and Balance.
