We can almost guarantee that you have dealt with an ache or pain at some point in your life. That’s just part of the beauty of living, working, playing and being active!

While aches and pains are a normal part of life, they can sometimes linger for longer than we want them to. If you have ever had a muscle knot, you know how frustrating that lingering pain can be.

Our AFC Urgent Care Castle Rock team explains a few easy ways to combat muscle pain and how to find relief below.

Where Do Muscle Knots Come From?

Anyone can experience a muscle knot, even if you are a super active person or if you live a relatively sedentary life. Muscles are made up of thousands of muscle fibers that are delicately intertwined to help them move and function the way they need to. Depending on your posture, lifestyle and activity choices, those fibers can sometimes become clenched or tightened, which causes those pesky knots to form.

Muscle knots most often appear in places that we tend to hold the most tension in our bodies, like our backs, necks and shoulders. They are often not visible to the naked eye but can certainly be felt under the skin. They can be tiny little bumps under the skin or can feel like large, hard nodules. Depending on how deep and severe the knot is, it will hurt if you put pressure on the sight or it can simply hurt without any pressure at all.

Common Reasons for Muscle Knots

• Poor posture
• Chronic muscle overuse, like from intense exercise
• Injury
• Sedentary lifestyles

Will Muscle Knots Go Away?

Most muscle knots will eventually go away with a little TLC, but they will most likely come back if you don’t change up your routine or your lifestyle. Our first recommendation for treating a muscle knot lies in your hydration levels! Your muscles need water in order for them to move effectively and to recover from activity, so stay hydrated and drink even more water if you are currently dealing with a knot.

You should also evaluate what caused the knot in the first place so you can make some permanent changes. If you struggle with chronic knots in your back due to the way you sit at your desk, try getting up from your chair and take breaks more often. Better yet, ask for a standup desk so you can rotate between standing and sitting to give your back a break. You can also gently massage the knotted area to help release that tension, just be sure you are being gentle and aren’t spending too much time massaging the area. Doing so can actually injure your muscles and cause you even more pain in the process.

Tips for Preventing Future Muscle Knots

• Drink plenty of water.
• Stretch regularly and take frequent desk breaks.
• Exercise often.
• Treat injuries properly.

Dealing with chronic pain? Come see us at AFC Urgent Care Castle Rock.