Why knots ? What’s not a knot?
When I first became a massage therapist I was told by a fellow therapist that what we know as knots aren’t really knots at all! This confused me. I knew the feeling of these knots. I knew how to work on them and I knew what people called them, but I didn’t really understand what they were.
Time to be unknotted?
There is often a feeling with massage therapists and clients in general that knots need pounding right?! Keep at them until they give way and the knot is gone. Those people who enjoy their knots being worked on love them to have a lot of pressure, alternatively those who prefer relaxation massage really don’t like this AT ALL.
To be honest I prefer a bit of in between when it comes to pressure. There are areas and times when our body really, really needs a LOT of pressure to help shift and move areas of tension, but at the same time our bodies on the whole tend to respond negatively to being pounded. Our nervous system needs to feel calm and grounded before we step up the pressure. Warm up the muscles and let them be happy before a whole heap of pressure is applied.
What is a knot?
Knots are those areas of contracted muscle fibre that restrict blood flow. They tend to feel like hard areas or lumps in the muscle. They can be released in order to alleviate pain and areas of tension. They feel like a knot, hence the name, although they are really simply areas of the body that are under stress or pressure. The idea of them being an actual knot is a myth.
What causes knots?
Knots typically form on areas of the muscle where the body is under most stress, or pressure; the trapezius muscles (your shoulders), along the scapula (shoulder blades) and or though the legs and lower back. Poor posture can exacerbate the tension you feel and their formation, as well as repetitive movements and stress and strain on the body.
What can release knots?
Your remedial massage therapist will work to release your knots particularly using deep pressure and trigger point therapy. It is however a fallacy that pounding the muscles of these points will always effectively release them.
Placing your body under pressure by hurting it is counter intuitive to what a good massage therapist wants to achieve.
By working purposefully, allowing the muscles to relax and circulation to increase, as well as working at encouraging the nervous system to let go, this will support you to release the tension you are holding onto in these areas.
The best way to release knots…
Okay, I’m going to say it! Sometimes what your body needs may not be a very, very deep pressure massage. It may be a more gentle pressure that allows you to feel at ease with your current state of being. In this instance a deep pressure massage that pounds these trigger points may be unhelpful. Also, not everyone can handle, or likes their body being under this pressure. You need to make sure you ask for what your body enjoys and what you respond to.
When you have knots make sure you talk to your massage therapist about what level you are comfortable with and whether you would like deeper pressure in those areas of tension. I massage a number of clients who like the deeper pressure through the trapezius and gluteal muscles (buttocks and lower back region) and yet prefer more medium pressure through the middle of the back – this works well with their nervous system.
What to do about knots?
So apart from having a massage you can do a couple of things to reduce the pain your knots may be causing.
- Work on your posture. Be mindful of how you are sitting at your desk, watching tv, in bed and well pretty much everywhere. Leaning in certain positions exacerbates tension and may be the cause of your knots.
- Hydrate – makes sense! This helps with blood flow and circulation.
- Stretching after exercise as well as throughout the day helps with reducing overall tension, as well as helps with overall wellbeing!
- If it is becoming painful using a massage gun, or tennis ball may be helpful to alleviate tension and tightness. Personally I like to give myself a massage through these areas, or even apply some massage cups.
And like I said , remedial massage is fabulous for helping to reduce knot tension as well as for a whole lot of other reasons. Larissa’s sessions are blended to your needs and where you are at that point in time. If you aren’t sure what kind of massage to book I’ve written a blog on this very topic. You can check it out here.
Happy unknotting!!
Feeling like you are in need of reducing those knots, Larissa is always happy to help. Reach out if you would like to book a massage or energy healing session.
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