Whether you’re a fitness buff or an avid couch potato, all of us have muscles. Some have bigger ones than others of course and others have healthier ones while other are in pretty bad shape. We use our muscles every day; it’s what helps us to move our limbs and our whole body. Here are a few things you need to know to take care of your muscles, keep them healthy and avoid or prevent any injury to them.
- Muscles are contractile elements meaning they are supposed to contract and relax. The old adage “if you don’t use them you look them” is true as well as if you use them too much (like staying in one position for long periods), it can strain them, tear them or produce muscle spasms.
- Just like any parts of your body, good nutrition is vital to muscle health. Foods rich in Vitamin D, Calcium and Iron are very important.
- A warm muscle is less prone to injury than a cold muscle. That’s why a warm-up is needed when you know you are going to perform any vigorous activity. A warm up increases blood flow to the muscles and makes them ready for the task at hand.
- Muscle flexibility is as important, if not more important than strength. It’s impossible to gain maximum strength in a muscle that is tight, in fact strengthening a tight muscle can lead to muscle imbalances that can produce further dysfunction.
- Remember the words trigger point, knots or nodules? You probably have heard these from your doctor or therapist. These are hypersensitive spots in a muscle made up of that band of muscle fibers. They are areas of pain and tenderness that when pressed on can elicit a referred pain at times (a pain distant from the trigger point itself). Although this is nothing to be concerned about, trigger points are symptoms of an underlying dysfunction or condition.
One technique used by Physical Therapists is myofascial release:
What is myofascial release (MFR)? It is a form of soft-tissue therapy to treat pain and restriction of motion by relaxing contracted muscles, increasing circulation and establishing the normal reflex of muscles and overlying fascia.
Our therapists are all equipped with this knowledge and tool to rid you of your pain caused by muscle dysfunction and trigger points. Come experience the difference at any of our clinics.