What Is Involved With Muscle Pain?
Muscle pain is extremely prominent in today’s society. However, there are various terms to describe issues with the muscular system. Common examples include myofascial pain syndrome, trigger points, hypertonicity, and myositis.
Most people know that their hamstrings are “tight” or that they “hold their stress” in their upper back and neck. However, the majority of the population is unaware of the different ways muscles are involved in their discomfort or why they are involved in the first place. First, it is important to address the different types of pain and injuries that involve the muscular system.
What Are The Causes Of Myofascial Pain Syndrome?
Trauma: Strains, Tears, Bruising, etc
The most obvious example of muscle pain is a direct injury to the muscle itself. These injuries can range from a mild to moderate strain to a full on tearing of the fibers. In addition, blunt trauma can result in bruising and other complications.
Muscle Fiber
Trigger Points
Most commonly, people have tender “knots”, or trigger points, within the bellies of the muscle. Trigger points are often tender to the touch and can be a generator of pain. In addition, trigger points can inhibit proper function of a muscle group which can lead to problems in other areas. Current theories suggest that the presence of a trigger point may be indicative of a dysfunctional system. In other words, the trigger point itself is trying to stabilize the area and at times can be a wonderful thing in a poorly functioning system.
Tendinopathy
Fascial Tightness
Tightness within the fascial system can coexist with other soft tissue problems or be a standalone issue. Fascia is the saran wrap of the muscular system. It overlies each individual muscle and is what truly connects the feet to the head. More and more research is being done on the fascial system and its role in everyday pain.
Trigger Point Pain Referral
Travell JG, Simons DG. Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction, The Trigger Point Manual, Vol. 1. Baltimore. Williams and Wilkins. 1993.
Muscle Pain Relief In Chesterfield
Hypervolt Massage
Hamstring Myofascial Release
At Elite Chiropractic and Performance, treating muscle pain and dysfunction is a crucial component to helping our patients and clients decrease their symptoms and improve their function. As with other conditions, a thorough evaluation is crucial to not only identifying what tissues are involved but also establishing the underlying cause. These causes may be associated with poor postural habits, bad movement quality and form, and previous injuries. Treatment will vary depending on the injury and can involve pain and swelling control (electrical stimulation, ultrasound, cryotherapy, etc) and/or hands on treatment (myofascial release, instrument assisted mobilization, fascial stripping, cupping). In addition, soft tissue therapy is typically combined with joint manipulation to get the most bang for your buck. Once symptoms and function are improved, a functional rehab program will be implemented to further enhance the individual.