When I tell a client they have a knot in their muscles, they often ask me, “What is a Knot?” You may be wondering the same thing. Having a knot in your muscles is a general term that people throw around, but what is actually going on inside of your body to form the knot?
Myofascial Trigger Points
The scientific term for muscle knots is myofascial trigger points. They occur where there is a tear in the muscle, often from overuse or trama. Oxygen and blood is cut off from the area of the muscle and a knot is formed. These areas are tender to touch and often cause referred pain, which is where you feel pain in another area of the body. Trigger points are activated and become painful by repetitive motion, lack of motion, overstimulation, injury, dehydration and illness just to name a few things.
Trigger Point Therapy
If you’ve ever had a massage you may have noticed your therapist stopping on a knot and holding pressure on it. This is trigger point therapy. Trigger point therapy has been around for over 50 years, and research continues to improve the way massage therapists use trigger point therapy to treat knots. The therapy works by breaking adhesions in the muscle band, loosening the tissue, and increasing the circulation. It should be noted that once a trigger point is released, it needs preventative care to keep from being reactivated. Regular massages, stretching, strength training and several other combinations of care are necessary to keep the knots from coming back.
Our massage therapists are equipped with the best knowledge to provide you with a relaxing and rejuvenating massage experience. To schedule a massage at Z Salon, call 502.426.2226 or contact us here!
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