Trigger point: How to identify and remove muscle knots

Trigger points (muscle knots) are the source of a lot of pain, which you can experience after a period of exercise or sitting in a position for a long time. However, the concept of trigger point is quite new in Vietnam and many people still do not understand what it is and how to fix it.

In this article you will better understand trigger points and how to “untie” the knots if you encounter this situation.

What are trigger points? How to determine trigger point

Trigger points, also known as trigger points, are the source of persistent muscle pain if you do not identify and “remove” them properly. You can imagine it as simple as this. Muscle fibers in the body run parallel to each other, trigger points are knots in those muscle fibers. These muscle fibers stick together to form a “knot”. If not “untied” these knots, they will cause the movement of these muscles to “obstruct” and cause pain. The pain may occur at the knot or related areas.

Trigger points often exist in soft tissues, appearing in many places on the body. If not addressed, they will cause the muscle systems to contract, causing pain in a state of constant tension.

Determining the right trigger point on the body requires expert help. There are more than 200 different muscle pairs on our body, so identifying the wrong muscle groups and knots can easily lead to undesirable consequences. In fact, identifying the right knots is quite complicated.

Trigger points and associated painful muscle areas

Impact of trigger points on the body

Trigger points can have many effects on movement by shortening and stiffening muscles, reducing range of motion. They can maintain contractions in other muscles, while also preventing muscles from relaxing, causing them to tire quickly, recover slowly from exertion, and contract excessively with work. Trigger points can also throw muscles off balance, or cause them to jam or pop out when you move.

Movement requires some muscles to contract and others to relax. Trigger points can cause muscles to work “reluctantly”. Stretching or contracting stimulates trigger points and increases pain, causing you to increasingly reduce your need to move. To reduce these negative effects you can massage the trigger points to relieve muscle pain. If done correctly, you should be able to see visible improvement within a week (usually within a day or two). However, this should be done by trained professionals.

Muscle knots make the pain last

What causes this condition?

There are many causes of this condition such as injury, muscle strain. According to the principle, when muscle fibers, ligaments or tendons are weakened, stretched too much or torn, damaged by inflammation… after healing, these muscle fibers will contract, twist and become knots.

In addition, some of the following factors can also lead to this condition, such as:

• Habits and activities that lead to wrong posture such as sitting cross-legged, bending your head when using the phone, sitting posture vibrating thighs …
• The aging process
• Sedentary habits (common between the ages of 27 and 55)
• People who abuse vigorous exercise to gain muscle, gain muscle and lose fat
• Sleep disorder
• Deficiency of vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin B, folic acid, iron
• Having joint problems

Pain relief improves trigger points

Trigger point therapy is a form of treatment, often performed by trained therapists, that requires a great deal of knowledge about the musculoskeletal system as well as the ability to feel the difference in your health. density and texture of muscle tissue.

There are a number of techniques to relieve trigger points pain. Some techniques focus directly on trigger points and stretch bands, while others release muscle, impacting a larger area of ​​muscle and fascia.

There are many techniques for calming trigger points, and these techniques don’t just focus on trigger points. Trigger point techniques help relax muscles, such as manual pressure. This is why trigger point therapy is often uncomfortable or somewhat painful. It is important to follow the principle that the patient must tolerate the pain and to monitor it regularly to see if the pain is in remission. The more precisely the trigger point is handled, the less pressure has to be applied. Related contraindications must be excluded and patients should be informed of possible adverse events.

Trigger point treatment can be counted using the following four methods:

• Trigger point compression technique
• Local manual stretching technique along the stretch band where there are many trigger points, as well as adjacent parts of the stretch band.
• Manual release technique on the connective tissues and fascia around the trigger point
• Technique for manual release of connective tissue and balance between two muscles

Techniques of pressing and massaging to release trigger points should be performed by trained professionals

Almost anyone can experience this muscle knot, especially office workers and can not avoid the pain. The only way to reduce this situation is to find the right way to “untie” these knots. However, the most important point is still finding the right people to clear the knots.

Workshop on Training office guests: The secret every PT needs to know

Are you a trainer but don’t have much knowledge about trigger points? You want to have more customers who are office workers and want to help them solve common problems when working in the office? Then join the workshop Training office guests: The secret every PT needs to know taught by 2 Master Trainers Airic Ho and Nguyen Dac Chi.

Workshop content

Posture adjustment: How to stand, sit, walk as well as sleeping position

Exercises to correct posture: Instructions for basic posture correction exercises for office workers

Spine knowledge

• Anatomy, kinematics, range of motion
• How to exercise the spine in a scientific and appropriate way

Knowledge of core muscles (core muscles)

• What is local core, global core?
• The function and importance of the core muscles in movement and daily activities.
• What are the techniques using core: bracing? What is drawing in?

Trigger points

• What are trigger points? Why do trigger points appear in the body?
• How to release trigger points on the body

Muscle tension

• In the office: Practice self-stretching exercises at your desk and stretch with your dynamism at the office with static stretching and dynamic stretching.
• At home: Mobility exercises for the whole body at home

Information to join the workshop

Time: from 9 to 16 hours 8/5/2021

Participation cost: 2,000,000 VND/person (if you register before 30/04/2021 you will get 20% off)

Location: LEEP Office, Block A104, Sunrise CityView, 33 Nguyen Huu Tho, Tan Hung Ward, District 7, City. HCM.

You can register for the workshop Posture adjustment for office workers: The secret every coach needs to know here.

Reference source

Trigger Points https://www.physio-pedia.com/Trigger_Points Accessed 20/04/2021

Manual Trigger Point therapy: The General Trigger Point Therapy https://www.dgs-academy.com/en/trigger-point-therapy/manual-trigger-point-therapy/ Accessed 20/04/2021

Trigger Points: How They Develop & How to Relieve Them https://www.optp.com/blog/trigger-points Accessed 20/04/2021