Why Do Muscles Feel Tight?

• Dr Padam Singh

Why Do Muscles Feel Tight?

What causes muscles to appear tight? Do you think that they're too short? And they aren't able to relax? What do you do?

Here are a few of my thoughts about why muscles feel tight and how you can alleviate it.

(Update Check the below for research from the past that has confirmed certain theories mentioned in this article. )

Tightness is a Feeling, Not Just a Mechanical Condition

If someone claims to feel tight in a specific location, they may refer to various complaints. So I seek out:

• Do they mean poor mobility?

• Perhaps the range of motion is acceptable. However, any movement beyond that range causes discomfort or excessive effort.

• Maybe the issue isn't with movement, or even the area doesn't feel at ease.

• Perhaps the area is generally relaxed, yet there is the sensation of slight discomfort. This could be an unpleasant feeling but is too subtle to be a sign of pain.

This implies that the sensation of tightness is feeling - it's a sensation, but it is not the same as the mechanical or physical properties of tension that is excessive, or shortness, stiffness or. It is possible to experience both without having the others.

As an example, I've had numerous clients who tell me that their hamstrings are feeling tight, yet they can put their palms on the floor while in forwarding bent. Clients whose hamstrings do not feel tight but they have trouble getting their hands over their knees. The feeling of tightness isn't an accurate gauge of mobility.

Also, it is not an accurate representation of the pressure or hardness of a muscle or even the presence in "knots." When I touch an area that is tight to a patient (let's say, the traps on the upper side), I frequently ask: can do you sense how tight it is?

It can appear logical to the majority of folks, as they may find it fascinating. I want people to comprehend this as it could assist them in reconsidering a flawed strategy they might have come up with to ease tightness. This could include the use of forceful stretch, fascia smashing as well as adhesion breaching. They are now ready to think about a more subtle method than kicking a lacrosse ball halfway across their back.

Why do muscles feel tight when they're not tight?

Why would muscles feel tight, even it's physically isn't?

We could use it to describe pain in a similar way. The sensation of pain can be present even without tissue damage because the perception of pain is based on the perception of danger which does not always reflect reality. Pain is, in essence, an alarm, and alarms can be activated even if there is no actual danger.

It is possible that a similar logic could be at work in the sensation of tightness. The sensation occurs in the absence of conscious awareness (rightly or not) that there's a threatening situation in the muscles that require a correction in movement.

What exactly is the dangerous situation that a sensation that of tension warns us of? Sure, it's not only the feeling of tension. Muscles are created to cause tension, and there is a tendency to notice tightness in muscles when they're almost relaxed.

Thus, tension is not an issue, but the lack of relaxation or blood flow poses a risk that could trigger metabolic stress and trigger chemical nociceptor. Therefore, the issue that the sensation tension is trying to alert us of does not lie in the presence or presence of tension. It's rather the regularity of tension or the absence of blood flow (especially to nerves that are extremely bloodthirsty.)

In this regard, I imagine the sensation of tightness as an indication of pain. Perhaps it's an injury that is too minor to be referred to as an injury. However, it's a nuisance. It also has a distinct taste or character that drives interest in changing your resting posture, moving around or stretching. It is different from symptoms that cause you to want to stay still. Perhaps we can claim that pain is a warning that we should not move an area, whereas tightness signals moving.

How Can You Cure Muscle Tightness?

We could address the sensation of tightness in the same manner as we manage pain by altering one of the "inputs" that cause the nervous system to detect danger within the body, for example, emotions, thoughts, nociception memories, etc.

Certain pains are connected to postural or motion habits. It is easy to determine this when somebody says: "It hurts when I do this, and it hurts even more when I do more of this, and it hurts less when I do less of this." In this instance, altering the way you move or your posture will likely help since it can reduce the primary cause of pain, which is the mechanical nociception caused by movements.

However, there are numerous different types of pain, including chronic pain, that are more complicated. The pain does not strongly correlate with certain positions or movements; however, it is more dependent on other factors like the timing of the day, sleep time, emotional condition levels of stress, diet, general exercise, or any other unknown variables. In this case, it's not likely that the mechanical nociception triggered through movement could be the principal reason for the pain. It is more likely that central or peripheral sensitization is playing more of a part.

We could examine the sensation of tightness the same way.

If you're experiencing feeling tight, the reason is simple - we've been in the same position or motion pattern for too long, and our muscles require rest or change location to decrease the metabolic stress or ischemia that causes nociception specific areas. For example, if you sit for long hours in a car or on an airplane, or in front of a computer, you naturally find yourself that you must stretch and move. It will generally ease any feeling of tightness or discomfort.

Of course, most patients who experience chronic tightness have tried and failed with this easy method. The stiffness feels for days or even hours at a stretch. It comes and goes at will and is not dependent on posture and movement.

In these situations, the cause of the discomfort could be much to do nerve system becoming centrally or peripherally sensitive to the need for greater circulation in specific areas. This can be caused by local inflammation, adrenosensitivity, and increased sensitivity of the dorsal horn or even developed connections with certain environments (say computers) and specific sensations (e.g. feeling as if you're in a bad way).

How do we decrease sensitiveness?

There's no easy solution to this issue since if there were one answer, it would resolve the issue of chronic pain, but no one has yet figured out how to achieve that as of yet. If I'm right, and the sensation of tightness is an unintentional form of discomfort, it ought to, at a minimum, be less difficult to manage.

The following list outlines strategies that people typically employ to deal with a constant tightness sensation, with some ideas about every strategy from the above point of view. You'll see that some of the suggestions are the opposite of how people usually treat their tightness.

Stretching

We naturally stretch muscles in a shortened position for a few minutes, and it generally makes us feel more relaxed.

However, as mentioned above, many people suffering due to persistent tightness have failed to succeed with this approach, suggesting that the problem is not so much about mechanical issues and more due to increased sensitivity.

The problem is that a lot of people, as well as many therapists, will believe that the inability to complete only a few minutes of stretching suggests the need for an even more aggressive approach.

This is, of course, what would be the case if the source of the issue was a tissue that was stuck or short. However, if the issue is an increase in the sensitivity of the tissues, then excessive stretching may make the issue more severe. In contrast, stretching may be an analgesic or relaxation effect.

Do you think stretching is a good solution to loosen tightness? As with everything else, I would say, when it feels comfortable, do it. If it isn't ... do not.

Soft tissue works to tighten the muscles.

There are a variety of techniques for soft tissue (deep tissues massage foam rolling, Graston, ART, IASTM) that are designed to stretch short tissues, break up adhesions or melt fascia, for instance. It is highly unlikely to work, as I and numerous others have stated.

But can these treatments lessen sensitivities and help someone experience less tension? Yes, because they activate the descending inhibition of the nociception process, an established effect of pain-inducing stimulation, it is predicted to bring health benefits.

But the treatments also trigger the sensation of nociception, which can raise the sensitivity. It's a delicate balance that depends on the person and a variety of other factors. Also, if you feel appropriate, then do it. But if it's not a necessity. It's only temporary, and you must be aware of the reasons why you're doing it.

Control of the motor to help Muscle Tightness

Many types are based on movement therapy motor control strategies which aim to modify breathing, postural, and movement habits to make them better efficient or remove the effects of tension and develop the ability to relax and relaxation, etc.

Habits can be difficult to alter, yet this method can be tried, particularly when tightness is linked to specific actions or postures. However, if the problem is more complicated, motor control should not be relied on to fix the issue on its own.

Training for resistance and exercise

Many people believe that training for strength makes them tenser. While exercising, muscles will naturally become extremely tense and maybe stiff the next day due to muscle soreness that has delayed onset. Also, there is the (false) notion that strengthening exercises make muscles smaller and less flexible.

These fears aren't true. The all-around exercise for strength may improve flexibility, possibly even more so than stretching. It causes local muscle changes that can increase endurance and reduce the likelihood to be affected by metabolic issues. Exercise also produces an analgesic effect and may reduce levels of inflammation which results in nervous system sensitivity.

This is a personal story. When I practiced yoga, I had a lot more flexibility; however, my hamstrings felt tight. After I stopped yoga, I began doing lots in kettlebells. The forward bend of my body decreased a little, but the sensation of tightness in my hamstrings was gone even though I was pushing my hamstrings hard. Instead, I felt the feeling of functional strength and endurance. I would imagine that it decreased any sense of fear due to stretching my hamstrings.

Naturally, if you work too hard on your muscles through exercise and don't let them recover, they'll be stiff, sensitive, and sore. However, if you exercise them at the right level sufficient to cause an adaptation, but not too enough to cause injuries or hinder complete recovery - you'll increase their strength, endurance, and, yes, less stiff.

Conclusion

If you feel stiff, keep in mind that it's an emotion. It is not necessarily a physical symptom of shortness that requires an aggressive structural remedy. Similar to other types of feelings, they feel more when you're sensitive. Like other types of sensitivity, it can decrease if you work to improve your fitness levels and strength and your awareness, motor control, and health. For more information visit- sarwarpro.com