You've probably experienced muscle knots after a long day at work or a week of stressing out about an upcoming exam. These knots, also known as myofascial trigger points, are painful spots in your muscles. But they are not the same as regular muscle soreness that you feel after exercising.
Stress, overuse of muscles, sedentary lifestyle, and poor posture can all contribute to the formation of muscle knots. Another possible cause is a lack of stretching before and after working out. This condition causes a lot of pain which makes life hard for those affected by it. When the knots are touched, they can become swollen, contracted, or tight; increasing the intensity of pain in the muscles and joints.
In this article, you will learn some tried-and-true techniques for getting rid of muscle knots, as well as prevention tips.
How do you prevent muscle knots?
Research shows that it is a good idea to move the muscles within their full range of motion, which entails contracting and relaxing them often. But when the muscle is stuck in one position for a long time, it starts to develop issues. Muscle knots can reduce blood circulation in the body, which can lead to pain and other health problems. So, it is important to avoid this condition. Some of the ways to prevent muscle knots are:
Avoid bad posture
Bad posture can be caused by several things, such as bad habits and genetics. While you can’t change your genes, there are ways you can improve your posture, and they include:
Try not to sit with your back against something hard. Instead, you should sit on a soft cushion or a chair that supports your back.
When you're reading or using a computer, try not to lift your arms above your head. Use a keyboard and mouse to better support your body’s natural position.
Avoid lifting your shoulder when you're carrying heavy things.
Limit your use of one-strap bags. You should use a handbag or backpack that can support your weight instead.
Avoid positions that cause forward head postures such as looking down on your phone or laptop, leaning against backrests or bed heads, and reaching for your mouse or keyboard.
If you are carrying or breastfeeding a baby, try a baby carrier or pillows to support your shoulders.
Avoid slouching or slumping in your chair.
Reduce your stress levels
Stress is a normal part of life; experiencing it isn’t always bad. But too much stress can lead to several health issues, including muscle knots. Managing your emotions is one of the most important things you can do to lessen your stress levels. When you're stressed out, it's easy to feel worried and sad, which can worsen your stress levels. Another way to manage stress is to take regular long breaks from work. You can try to make a schedule that gives you at least two days off per week. Lastly, you should make sure you are getting enough sleep at night. Experts say that adults should sleep for at least eight to nine hours every day. So, if you are not getting enough rest at night, you could be growing your stress levels which can increase your risk of developing muscle knots.
Exercise regularly
Working out really does help you stretch your muscles and keep them flexible, which reduces the likelihood that you'll end up with muscle knots. Exercising also helps you manage pain by increasing your levels of feel-good hormones such as dopamine and serotonin. In addition, working out lowers stress levels and aids in better sleep, which can help you relax your muscles.
Eat healthy food
Experts say that a lack of certain vitamins can make us more susceptible to muscle knots. These nutrients are magnesium, calcium, and potassium. So, make sure you eat whole, nutritious meals that are high in these nutrients. You should also drink a lot of water to avoid dehydration which can impair the proper functioning of your body.
How does massage get rid of muscle knots?
Even though some exercises can help loosen up tight muscles, a massage is more effective. Getting a massage can help relieve pain and loosen the knots so that the muscles can move more easily.
Depending on the situation, you can massage your own tight or sore muscles at home. To begin, you should find the muscle knot area and gently massage it with your fingers to loosen the tight muscle fibers and ease the tension. Afterward, you should put firm pressure on the area and make small circles with your fingers. Doing this massage for about 10 – 15 minutes daily should help your muscles recover.
Does Daily use of massage balls prevent muscle knots?
You can use a massage ball if you struggle to reach your muscle knot area with your hands. These balls help to create a myofascial release for your trigger points. To massage with balls, you should lay on the floor, put the balls under the knots, and gently press down so that the balls roll over the knots. With pressure and friction, you can get some relief. You may feel pain and discomfort, but this should get better over time.
You can also choose to massage with balls on the wall. This is especially good if your muscle knot is in your back region. To begin, you should place the ball and gently use your upper body to roll it around the tightened area to aid muscle recovery.
Conclusion
Muscle knot is a condition that affects many people around the world. Most of the time, people think it's just sore muscles, but muscle knots usually do not get better on their own. So, you need to do things like massage to treat it. You can choose to use your hands or massage balls to give yourself a massage. Because muscle knots can affect blood flow, it's important to avoid them by eating healthy whole foods, working out, managing stress, and learning good posture habits.
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