So, you’ve come in for a Sports Massage because you’ve been feeling some general tension building up, plus you’ve also acquired this lovely knot in your shoulder that’s giving you some pain and discomfort. It may be pea sized or it may feel like a tennis ball has appeared- it may feel like neither but you’re pretty sure it doesn’t belong there! What is this thing?
We all call them knots but your muscle hasn’t actually been practising to get you a scout badge. The myofascial knots, or trigger points as they are also known, are formed by muscle fibres getting adhered to one another causing those fibres to stay in a contracted state- hence that ‘knotted’ feeling. This can cause the blood flow to be restricted meaning less oxygen and nutrients getting to the muscle leading it to become more uncomfortable.
So, what causes these ‘knots’? They are generally caused by stress. This can be stress to the muscles through overtraining (overuse), staying in a certain position for extended periods of time, injury or sedentary lifestyle. Additionally, muscular tension can come on from feeling stressed. Your muscles will be responding to those ‘fight or flight’ stresses in life whatever they may be and contract to try and protect you from harm. The trouble comes when the stresses last for extending periods of time and the muscles struggle to relax.
Muscular tension is so common and with the increase in sedentary lifestyle, the stresses of life and struggling to make time to look after ourselves we often try to overlook any issues until they are really a problem we can’t ignore.
‘Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live’-Jim Rohn.
If this sounds familiar and you would like to see if we can help please come in and see us for a Sports Massage.
Or if you have any questions or enquires please feel free to contact us.
Written by Kirsty Briggs, Sports Masseuse
Kirsty Briggs qualified from Cardiff Metropolitan University with a BSc (Hons) in Sports Conditioning, Rehabilitation and Massage in 2014.