Muscles knots are hard, sensitive areas of muscles that tighten and contract even when the muscle is at rest. These tense muscle fibers can cause pain in other parts of the body when touched. They’re also known as trigger points.
Muscle knots can be caused by:
a sedentary lifestyle overusing or injuring your muscle spoor posture
Dehydration, unhealthy eating habits, and stress and anxiety may also contribute to muscle knots.
Muscle knots can occur anywhere in the body, but they’re usually found in your back, shoulders, and neck. They often show up in your gluteal muscles, too.
Muscles knots can cause aching sensations and pain in your muscles and joints. When you touch a muscle knot, it may feel swollen, tense, or bumpy. It could also feel tight and contracted, even when you’re trying to relax, and they’re often sensitive to the touch. The affected area may even become inflamed or swollen.
Muscle knots can cause symptoms in areas outside of the muscles, including:
headaches toothaches earaches
You may also experience stress, anxiety, and depression, and have difficulty sleeping.
Massage therapy
You can use massage to treat muscle knots. Massage therapy increases circulation and improves blood flow. That can improve muscle function and help loosen up your muscles. This helps to relieve pain and stiffness.
Keep in mind that one session isn’t usually enough to heal you completely. You’ll likely need to have several frequent sessions. Once you see improvements you can space out your sessions.