A Step-By-Step Approach To “Releasing” Muscle Tension!
Have you ever dealt with “knots” you’ve struggled to get rid of, no matter how hard you stretched or massaged? Or, how about acute spasms that put you on your a$$ for far too long? Aches and tension that eventually turn to chronic pain, that causes endless use of precious time, money, and resources? Anything in between?
Tight muscles can negatively impact:
Overall function (via restricting comfortable range of motion, possibly causing a feeling of heaviness/lethargy and inhibiting daily activities)
Joint health (via moving less, which reduces joint lubrication)
Muscle/other organ health (via moving less, which reduces nourishing blood flow to the body)
Mental health (via all the above…and because the feeling of tension and restriction SUCKS)
If you’ve experienced issues with muscle tension, know that you are NOT alone. This is the most common thing I see in practice. And, people deal with this for a longggg time.
Even if you’ve sought treatment, some of the most well-intentioned health/fitness professionals often miss the boat when trying to address these symptoms, because they’re not tackling the issue from the source.
Although this may not be the case in all instances, what is a fact is that the nervous system (with the brain as the processing epicenter) drives all muscle contractility. Meaning, a muscle does not have a mind of it’s own. Nerves control whether a muscle contracts (squeezes), or relaxes, and to what degree. If the nervous system senses that our motion should be restricted in a given area, for any reason, it can tense up the relevant muscle. On the more severe end of the spectrum, that tension may turn into dull or even shooting pain.
Our brains are constantly gathering data, analyzing inputs, and interpreting signals with the goal of keeping us safe. Which...is amazing, and so appreciated. (Thanks, brain!) But, sometimes, just like a real-life fire alarm, the “pain alarm” can be too sensitive for our liking. Our brain may not be getting the clearest of signals due to a number of potential reasons (e.g., inflammation due to lack of sleep/hydration, lack of neural activation or blood flow in the area). How can we resolve this? We can communicate with our nervous system!
We can calibrate the inputs our brain receives, and ensure the nervous system feels safe, so it may release it’s tense hold on us and shut that pain alarm OFF. It’s really quite magical that we have the knowledge, and therefore the power, to do such a thing.
As a physical therapist, I am all about self-management tools. I wanted everyone to feel educated, empowered, and enthused about being able to communicate with their nervous systems, and take control of their well-being.
The following steps are what I teach my patients to do, to reduce chronic tension or treat an acute tension/spasm flare-up!
1. ASSESS THE FUNCTIONAL SIGNAL
Take stock, locate the tension/pain. Figure out what area, what motions, what activities, are causing the symptoms. Most importantly, ensure you do not need emergent help for something more insidious.
2. GET INTO A RELAXED STATE
This may be hard but it is so important. Close your eyes, take a moment, breathe deeply/calmly/slowly. Tell yourself “I am safe” out loud (this works and is science-backed to boot).
3. MOVE THROUGH A PAIN-FREE RANGE
Move through joints surrounding the hot spot area in a range that does not trigger the alarm. Move slowly, calmly, intentionally. Choose easy movements that get at multiple planes of motion.
4. LOAD THROUGH A PAIN-FREE RANGE
Activate surrounding muscles comprehensively. Squeeze gently, feel the joint stability as you move fluidly.
5. REASSESS, FEEL GRATEFUL, CARRY ON
After all that, reassess the hot spot. If you need more TLC, take that as a sign to pull out the recovery toolbox and do what you need to do for your body. If you feel better, bask in that gratitude, and get back to your daily activities…unrestricted!
Want to see an example of this in practice? Watch Dr. Meg resolve a neck spasm flare-up in real time!
The bottom line?… You CAN take the power back, and I WILL NEVER gate-keep the science-backed self-management skills that can help you get there. If this doesn’t help? Go see a trusted professional who practices in an evidence-based manner, who will dig into the root causes for you!
Visit LovelyBonesPT.com to work with a physical therapist/fitness trainer/mental health advocate (me, Dr. Meg) who will provide you the holistic healthcare services you deserve.
