If you're experiencing muscle soreness after a massage it is because the soft tissues have been manipulated to break down adhesions, knots and holding patterns to restore muscle condition to a functional state.
If your muscles were particularly tense or knotted before the massage, the manipulation could lead to soreness as those knots are worked out.
Some require deep tissue work and trigger point therapy which requires a sustained held position and slow movement to release. This can last anywhere from 5-10 minutes per knot depending on the body's holding patterns. Others require sports massage or even a gentler relaxation approach which may seem counter intuitive.
Deep tissue massage
The amount of pressure used can help break and eliminate muscle knots. This type of massage can help release muscle tension and targets deeper layers of the muscles. Deep tissue massage helps reduce tension and inflammation around the knots promoting better blood flow to these areas.
If your muscle knots aren't responding to self-care measures, it may be time to consider trigger point injections. Trigger point injections can particularly benefit individuals with chronic conditions such as fibromyalgia, tension headaches, or myofascial pain syndrome, which are contributing to their muscle knots.
A muscle knot is a painful or tender spot in a muscle. It feels tight and sore, and it often happens in the upper back or legs. They're not usually harmful, but they can certainly be uncomfortable. In rare cases, muscle knots are a sign of a long-term (or chronic) pain condition.
This myofascial release has a comparable sensation to being rocked by your mother when you were a baby. It causes a pleasant wave sensation to travel throughout the body. It is, in fact, a relaxing experience. That wave infiltrates the restricted areas to allow for softening.
Trigger points, or muscle knots, are hyperirritable spots within a taut band of skeletal muscle. The pressure applied during therapy can cause these points to release, sometimes resulting in a popping sound.
Focus on loosening the tight muscle by pressing down firmly and making small circles. If you're finding it difficult to reach the muscle knot in your back, neck, or shoulders, you can try using a tennis ball or foam roller to apply pressure to the knot. Slowly and gently move back and forth to relieve the tension.
Lack of blood supply to the muscle causes lactic acid to build up, over time this can solidify with calcium deposits and is often the reason we hear a crunching sound when trying to realise the knots.
Potential Causes of Crunchy Muscles
These knots are areas of muscle fibers that have become tightly contracted and can feel like small, firm lumps within the muscle. When you press on them or move the muscle, they might produce a sensation akin to crunchiness.
Yes, massage therapists are trained to identify muscle tension through touch and experience. They use their knowledge of anatomy to pinpoint problem areas effectively. The frequency depends on your activity level and tension severity.
These are areas of the body where deep, sustained pressure should be avoided because of the structures that lie beneath. Those areas are the anterior and posterior triangles of the neck, suprasternal notch, sternum, axilla, spinal column, umbilical area, inguinal triangle, popliteal fossa, and the antecubital fossa.
Experiencing sharp pain or excessive discomfort during or after the session is a clear indication that the massage wasn't beneficial. While some discomfort can be normal, especially with deep tissue massage, it should never cross the line into sharp pain.
Spoiler alert: knots aren't actual tangles in your muscles (as much as it might feel that way). They're called myofascial trigger points, which are small, tight areas in your muscle fibers that get stuck in a contracted state. This can cause soreness, stiffness, and even pain that radiates to other areas.
If you're experiencing muscle soreness after a massage it is because the soft tissues have been manipulated to break down adhesions, knots and holding patterns to restore muscle condition to a functional state.
A weekly or bi-weekly session could prevent these knots from escalating. Conversely, severe knots, causing considerable pain and restricted movement, may require more frequent attention, possibly two to three sessions per week initially. Knowing the severity is key in how often you should get a massage for knots.
It is normal for your back to crack during a massage, to an extent. Massage therapy improves back mobility, and this increased range of motion can lead to cracking. However, painful or frequent back cracking during massage isn't normal.
Muscle knots don't always require treatment, but for the most part, they don't go away on their own. Seek help if you have persistent pain from a muscle knot after trying some self-care methods like stretching or if the knot is restricting your normal movement.
How do you get rid of muscle knots? One of the simplest solutions to the problem of muscle knots is to just wait. It takes time for the muscles to adapt to a new motion or recover from stress. Usually within a week or two a muscle knot will resolve on its own.
With proper use and caution, muscle massage guns can be an effective tool for managing muscle knots and improving overall quality of life.
“Just put pressure on the trigger point or knot for 5 to 10 seconds, and then release it. When a muscle is tight like that, it can limit blood flow in that area. The theory is when you put pressure on it you're limiting blood flow to the knot, and when you release the pressure, more blood flows in,” he explains.
Generally, it is beneficial to schedule a massage every 1-2 weeks to aid in muscle recovery, reduce the risk of injury, and enhance overall performance.