Muscle knots are extremely painful and debilitating. Worst of all, they can develop at any time. If you've heard of muscle knots or suspect that you have one but don't know much about how it got that way or what you can do about it, this guide is for you.
What It Is
A muscle knot isn't a literal knot. Your muscles don't get tied in a bow or become tangled up with each other. It's a colloquial name for having a patch of muscle tissue that's become extremely tight. Usually, cramping of the muscle also accompanies this condition. This means that you can be in a lot of pain from this condition, and it can also restrict normal movement, like turning your head or fully extending your arm, depending on where the muscle knot is located.
How It Gets Like That
Muscle knots don't develop all on their own. However, there are a lot of potential causes for this condition. Some of the more common ones include electrolyte imbalances, dehydration, and poor posture. Electrolyte imbalances and dehydration can cause your muscles to be more likely to pull, cramp, and develop muscle knots. If you're particularly prone to muscle cramps, this could be your problem.
Poor posture is also a common cause of muscle knots. This is because when you don't stand or sit up straight, certain muscles in the body have to overextend in order to support your upper body weight. This can cause them to stiffen up and become tight over time, and if they aren't cared for at this point, they can develop into a full-fledged knot.
What to Do
If you have muscle knots, you need to take steps to prevent them in the future as well as treating them now. To get help now, the best thing you can do is head to a professional masseuse. Masseuses excel at working on deep tissues and muscles to alleviate knots, tightness, swelling, and inflammation. you'll probably feel much better after seeing a masseuse, as they'll be able to effectively break up the knot and release your tight muscle, giving you an opportunity to recover and finally relax.
For the future, you may want to talk to your masseuse about what they recommend. Ideally, you want to eat a balanced diet, drink plenty of water, and maintain good posture. But they may be able to offer additional advice that can help to prevent this from happening again. If you are struggling with a muscle knot, contact a massage company like FF Massage.