Alleviating Muscle Knots
You've heard everyone in your life complain about muscle knots -- and you probably have too. While not as debilitating as, say, throwing your back out, muscle knots are still painful and can inhibit your movement. Keep reading to find out more about muscle knots and, more importantly, how to get rid of them.
What is a Muscle Knot?
Muscle knots are referred to as such because that's exactly what they feel like -- a knot. But it's not really a knot in the muscle, in the traditional sense. When an injury occurs or if you become sedentary for long periods of time -- like sitting at your computer -- the fibers of the muscle can begin to overlap and stick together. This is what forms the 'knot' in the muscle, and the swollen lump you feel when examining the painful area.
Muscle knots are common, but not doing anything to alleviate them could lead to a host of problems down the line, including:
- Scar tissue from the chronic stress of the muscle 'knotting' up
- Loss of muscle elasticity
- Poor posture
Preventing and Treating Muscle Knots
By taking proper care of your body, you will avoid the muscle knot problem. Here are some things you can do to prevent muscle knots -- and the following recommendations will help boost your overall health and wellness as well! These tips also work if you are currently experiencing a muscle knot.
- Drink up. Be sure to drink lots of water on a consistent basis. Avoid alcohol and caffeine in excessive amounts.
- Eat good food. Avoid processed food; with the high levels of sugar, salt, and fat, you're not going to keep your body in top shape.
- Move around. Regular exercise is essential, as is taking frequent breaks from sitting. Even if you're at work, plan to get up once an hour and take a lap.
- Acupressure and massage. Frequent massages from a professional massage therapist and engaging in acupressure techniques at home with a product like a Q-Flex will help work out the knots and keep your muscles supple.
- Sleep well. Make sure you're getting at least 8 hours of restful, deep sleep each and every night. Sleep is the time when the body has a chance to repair itself, so it's especially important when you're dealing with chronic muscle knots.
Proper care of your body will help eliminate the occurrence of muscle knots. When a muscle knot develops, the absolute best remedy is to massage the area by manipulating the muscle to stretch it out from the pressure applied. The best part is that this can be achieved on your own with a personal massager like the Q-Flex. To learn more about the Q-Flex and all its capabilities, visit their website at GetQFlex.com.
