Have you ever felt a tight, painful spot in your muscles that just won’t go away, no matter how much you stretch or massage it? That annoying, stubborn feeling could be a trigger points, often called a muscle knot. These small, tight areas can cause pain, stiffness, and discomfort in your muscles and sometimes even pain in other parts of your body.
Let’s break down what trigger points are, why they form, and how physiotherapy can help you feel better.
What Are Trigger Points?
The Simple Explanation
A trigger point is a small, tight area in your muscle that feels like a hard lump or knot. It’s not really a “knot,” but rather a small patch of muscle that’s stuck in a contracted position. Imagine squeezing a sponge really tight and then forgetting to let go—that’s what’s happening in that small part of your muscle.
When you press on a trigger point, it can hurt right there or send pain to another area of your body. This is called referred pain. For example, a trigger point in your shoulder might cause pain in your neck or down your arm.
Why Do They Hurt?
Trigger points cause pain because the tight muscle fibers squeeze the tiny blood vessels around them. This cuts off the oxygen and nutrients the muscle needs, causing irritation and pain. The longer it stays tight, the worse it can feel.
Why Do Trigger Points Happen?
Trigger points can form for many reasons. Some of the most common ones are:
1. Poor Posture
Sitting hunched over a desk or slouching for long hours can put extra stress on certain muscles, especially in your neck, shoulders, and back. Over time, this can lead to trigger points.
2. Overuse of Muscles
If you keep doing the same movement again and again like lifting weights incorrectly, using the mouse a lot, or running with poor technique certain muscles get tired and tight, leading to trigger points.
3. Injury or Trauma
Sometimes, a muscle strain or injury can lead to trigger points. Even old injuries that didn’t heal properly can cause ongoing muscle tightness.
4. Stress and Tension
Emotional stress doesn’t just affect your mind it can show up in your body too. Many people tense their shoulders or jaw when stressed, leading to muscle knots over time.
5. Lack of Movement
Staying in one position for too long, like during long travel or sitting at a computer, can lead to stiffness and trigger points.
Why That Muscle Knot Isn’t Going Away
You might wonder—if I’m stretching, massaging, or even resting, why isn’t that muscle knot going away?
Here’s why:
1. Stretching Alone Isn’t Enough
Stretching can help, but if a muscle is already too tight or full of trigger points, it may resist stretching. Think of it like pulling on a rope with a knot in it—you need to untie the knot first before the rope can stretch fully. What else can be done
2. Ignoring the Cause
If you don’t fix the reason why the trigger point formed (like bad posture or repetitive movement), the muscle will keep getting irritated, and the knot will return.
3. Pain Referred from Another Area
Sometimes the pain you feel is actually coming from a trigger point somewhere else. This makes it tricky to treat without professional help.
4. Dehydration and Nutrition
Muscles need water and proper nutrients to stay healthy. Dehydration and low levels of certain minerals (like magnesium) can make muscles cramp and form trigger points more easily.
How Physiotherapy Can Help
Physiotherapists are trained to find and treat trigger points effectively. Here’s how they help:
1. Shock wave Therapy
Shock wave therapy is a non-invasive and effective and safe tool for all age groups, has proven to reduce the trigger points within a short span of time in atheltic and non-athletic population. Check this out for more details
2. Dry Needling
In some cases, physiotherapists may use thin needles to gently poke the trigger point. This is called dry needling, and it can help “reset” the muscle and reduce pain quickly.
3. Manual therapy
Physiotherapists use special techniques like trigger point release, where they press or hold the knot to help it relax. They may also use myofascial release, which targets the soft tissues around your muscles to reduce tension.
4. Posture correction exercises
A big part of treatment is fixing what caused the problem in the first place. Your physiotherapist will teach you exercises to strengthen weak muscles and stretches to improve flexibility, as well as guide you on sitting, standing, or working with better posture.
5.Heat, Ultrasound, or Electrical Therapy
These treatments help improve blood flow to the area, relax the muscles, and reduce pain.
6.Education and Lifestyle Changes
Your physiotherapist will show you simple things you can do every day to prevent trigger points, like posture tips, workstation setup, and stress management techniques.
Tips to Prevent Trigger Points
While physiotherapy is the best way to treat stubborn muscle knots, you can take steps to prevent them too:
1.Stay Active
Regular movement keeps muscles flexible and healthy. Avoid sitting or standing in one position for long periods.
2.Drink Plenty of Water
Hydrated muscles work better and are less likely to develop trigger points.
3.Stretch Regularly
Gentle stretches every day can help keep your muscles flexible. Yoga poses and asanas can help to maintain flexible and strong at the same time.
4.Foam rolling over Trigger points
Doing foam rolling everyday for all leg and back muscles can reduce the stiffness significantly. Learn more
5.Manage Stress
Practice deep breathing, meditation, or activities that help you relax.
6.Strengthen Weak Areas
Weak muscles often get overworked, leading to knots. Strengthening exercises can help balance your body.
When to See a Physiotherapist
If you have a muscle knot that:
- Has been bothering you for more than a week
- Causes sharp or spreading pain
- Doesn’t go away with stretching or massage
- Comes back again and again
…it’s time to see a physiotherapist. They can assess your posture, movement patterns, and muscle balance to get to the root of the problem.
Take home message
Trigger points can be frustrating, but they don’t have to control your life. With the right care, treatment, and daily habits, you can finally say goodbye to those stubborn muscle knots.
If you’re tired of living with tight, painful muscles, book an appointment with a physiotherapist today at Rehab Station and start your journey toward pain-free movement.
Dr. Aditi Dole (PT)
