Massage therapists provide a service that’s designed to help you unwind, release tension, and relax. They’re professionally trained to find muscle knots in the back, neck, shoulders and other areas of the body using specialized massage techniques. 

Knot release massage is important because if you leave knots untreated, your muscles can lose elasticity and lead to irreversible postural stress. 

Are Muscle Knots Real?

Yes! Muscle knots are a true medical condition that should be treated as soon as the pain shows up.

A muscle knot, also known as a myofascial trigger point, is defined as a sensitive spot in your muscle or facial tissue. 

What does a muscle knot look like under the skin? They sometimes appear as a bump on the surface of the skin that can be painful to touch. Generally, muscle knots occur because of repetitive motion or from sitting in a concrete position for too long. This means anyone from an athlete to someone working a desk job can get muscle knots.  

As long as they are taken care of, they will only provide short-term pain and discomfort. In some instances, a muscle knot can be a signifier of a long-term condition. 

How Do Massage Therapists Know Where Knots Are?

Since pain is typically the notifying factor that you have a knot in your muscle, it’s important to tell your massage therapist exactly where you’re feeling the discomfort so they can assess the area. Massage therapists are trained to find knots by locating tension near the spot of the knot.

How Do Therapists Get Rid of Knots?

Once your therapist establishes the muscle knot, they will apply deep pressure to the area using their thumb, fingers or elbow for about 10 seconds, then release. By applying pressure and releasing it, you’re allowing blood to flow back through the muscle which will alleviate the strain and loosen up the tightness. 

How To Treat Muscle Knots

If you’ve noticed tightness in your muscles and want to try taking care of the pain at home, there are a few methods to consider, such as:

• Stretching. Gentle stretching may be the answer to muscle soreness and can even prevent future muscle knots. That’s why it’s so important to stretch after physical activity and before bed. 
• Applying ice and heat. Alternating between ice and heat promotes blood flow and allows the muscles to relax. 

If the pain seems uncontrollable without professional assistance, we recommend connecting with a trained massage therapist for a session of trigger point massage. By the end of your Clearwater massage, we hope you find relief from your muscle knots and reap other benefits like improved range of motion, better posture, headache relief and more.

Schedule a trigger point therapy appointment today to find some well-deserved relief.