My last three blog articles have focused on preventing trigger points, but what if it’s too late for that? Obviously life isn’t perfect, and we all get injured at some point. Here's what I recommend to my clients to treat their own trigger points.
First a review: trigger points are tight bands or knots in a muscle that get activated and create a specific pain pattern. The pain may be distant to the originating muscle, and then can cause a trigger point in the muscle(s) in that area with a cascade effect of soreness.
Start by finding the taut bands within the muscles. These are “exquisitely tender” points as described by Travell. Search around the surrounding area, because there will be more than you think. Often pain in the neck starts with trigger points in the shoulders.
Once you find the spots, you want to press them—but not with a vengeance. Bonnie Pruden in Pain Erasure (http://www.amazon.com/Pain-Erasure-Bonnie-Prudden/dp/0871319837) recommends a firm touch for 10 to 15 seconds. The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook (http://www.amazon.com/Trigger-Point-Therapy-Workbook-Self-Treatment/dp/1572243759) proposes circular motions. (By the way, this book by Clair Davies is receiving absolutely rave reviews. One of my clients told me how much it helped her relieve the chronic pain in her shoulder. More information at http://www.triggerpointbook.com/.)
It’s important to get all of the contributing points, not just the one or two that hurt most. Trigger points travel in packs. If you don’t address them all, the ones you relieve are more likely to come back. As soon as you feel your pain returning, gently press on all of the related points to stop the progression.
Use your thumbs and fingers a little as possible. You don’t want to create a new set of trigger points that start with sore fingers. Many people like using a TheraCane (http://www.amazon.com/TheraCane-Massager-Trigger-Training-Manual/dp/B0007YZ1BM), because it reaches around the back and provides leverage. There’s also the low tech solution of tennis or racquet balls, but the surface area will be too large for some points. The handle of a wooden spoon was suggested, too. This site has several products, www.pressurepositive.com.
If all else fails, a visit to a bodywork practitioner who is experienced in trigger points can help. And, for the most persistent, stubborn cases, a physiatrist (not a psychiatrist) has more medical options.
Options for natural pain relief with therapeutic exercises to address back pain and improve spine health. Please note some articles include affiliate links and I may receive a small commission if you make a purchase through the link.
Showing posts with label trigger point. Show all posts
Showing posts with label trigger point. Show all posts
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Trigger Point Prevention, Tip #3—“Goldilocks” Movement
Once the body has developed trigger points (automobile accidents or chronic overuse are common causes), those muscles remain vulnerable to pain for many years. Over or under-exerting can prompt muscle strain and reactivate the old pain pattern. Therefore, it’s important to stay consistent with moderate exercise—not too much and not too little, what I call “Goldilocks” movement. Just right.
Lifting too much for a muscle’s strength, say when moving a heavy dresser for example, can start the chain of trigger points. However, “too much” comes in more common activities, too. As we approach the gym with New Year’s gusto, the temptation to do too much is strong. Just five more pounds or an extra rep or two is enough to push over the edge of healthy movement. We don’t have to do Papa Bear weight lifting.
The elliptical and treadmills can be triggers, too. Increasing the resistance, going for too long, or giving yourself a big incline can all overload muscles in the hips and low back. Any repetitive motion makes muscles more susceptible. Stay conscious of your body, listen to when it says “Enough” and stop. Avoid Mama Bear-style overcommitment.
Too little movement, like not exercising for a week or sitting at a desk for eight hours in a day, is an important factor, too. Whenever the body is still, muscles, connective tissue, cartilage, and the discs between the vertebrae lose their healthy consistency and increase the exposure to trigger points when they are used.
When a muscle is strained in any way you’ll have to back off exercise for some time to let it heal. If that happens, stay active with gentle movements like undulation. Do your best to stay on the middle course and do what’s “Just Right!” for you.
Lifting too much for a muscle’s strength, say when moving a heavy dresser for example, can start the chain of trigger points. However, “too much” comes in more common activities, too. As we approach the gym with New Year’s gusto, the temptation to do too much is strong. Just five more pounds or an extra rep or two is enough to push over the edge of healthy movement. We don’t have to do Papa Bear weight lifting.
The elliptical and treadmills can be triggers, too. Increasing the resistance, going for too long, or giving yourself a big incline can all overload muscles in the hips and low back. Any repetitive motion makes muscles more susceptible. Stay conscious of your body, listen to when it says “Enough” and stop. Avoid Mama Bear-style overcommitment.
Too little movement, like not exercising for a week or sitting at a desk for eight hours in a day, is an important factor, too. Whenever the body is still, muscles, connective tissue, cartilage, and the discs between the vertebrae lose their healthy consistency and increase the exposure to trigger points when they are used.
When a muscle is strained in any way you’ll have to back off exercise for some time to let it heal. If that happens, stay active with gentle movements like undulation. Do your best to stay on the middle course and do what’s “Just Right!” for you.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Trigger Point Prevention, Tip #2—Body Mechanics
The authority on trigger points is the Trigger Point Manual. (http://www.amazon.com/Travell-Simons-Myofascial-Pain-Dysfunction/dp/0683307711) This two-volume text, essential for any bodywork practitioner, details each trigger point, its symptoms, common causes, corrective action, and prevention. In each case, the prevention recommendations almost always pertain to biomechanics, in other words using the body in or out of alignment.
I’ll outline the three biomechanical causes of trigger points that I see most often in my practice. They are common to most people, and the good news is we can make slight adjustments in our body usage and get big gains in terms of reduced soreness. Of course, I also recommend corrections for each.
Dropped Chest
This posture, which most people call a slouch, causes the muscles across the upper back and shoulders to be overstretched. People feel this as tightness, but it’s not shortness that needs to be stretched. It’s the type of tight that comes from pulling a rubber band to the breaking point. And that’s exactly what happens to these muscles. They get tiny tears from prolonged overstretch or strain from being activated in a compromised position. And that can cause trigger points.
I’ll give you two solutions to this problem. First, sit upright without pulling yourself up by your shoulders. Pulling up just creates strain in already weak muscles. Instead sit from the ground up, as I outlined in a previous article that you can read here: http://undulationexercise.blogspot.com/2007/08/good-posture-part-2.html. Secondly, if you find yourself in a slump, gently move to a different position and arch your back slowly to counteract the slouch and strengthen the muscles that have been overstretched. Hold for a few seconds and return to good sitting alignment noted above.
Lifting with the Shoulders
So many of us have developed the habit of picking up an object by raising our shoulders towards our ears. If you’ve ever been sent to “back class,” you’ve been taught to use your legs to lift. Here’s an added tip, anchor your shoulder blades down and then lift with the rest of your body: legs, abdomen, spine, and arms. Suddenly that 25 pound bag of dog food feels light.
Whenever you are going to lift something heavy, bags of groceries, children, furniture, spend a split second anchoring your shoulders down. Not only will you take pressure off your neck, you’ll also increase strength in the rest of your body.
Standing on One Leg
Unless you are in a yoga pose, with your balance centered on one foot, one-legged standing creates weakness, not strength. It’s typical to jut a hip to the side and rest with the body’s weight leaning on the knee and hip joints. That doesn’t build any muscle, and it puts excess pressure on joints. Bad news on both accounts. And over time, this leads to weakness in the hip stabilizers and trigger points that can mimic sciatica and low back pain.
The solution is to stand with your weight on both feet, with your weight centered through the arches. To build even more strength, try squats, yoga-style one-legged poses such as Tree Pose (http://www.ehow.com/how_4980_tree-pose-yoga.html), and balance exercises (http://physicaltherapy.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ/Ya&sdn=physicaltherapy&cdn=health&tm=7&gps=133_262_1268_821&f=00&su=p284.8.150.ip_&tt=14&bt=1&bts=0&zu=http%3A//weboflife.ksc.nasa.gov/exerciseandaging/chapter4_balance.html).
If you feel you need even more help on alignment, look into the services of a Structural Integrator (http://www.theiasi.org/ or http://www.rolfguild.org/) or a Physical Therapist. The investment of better alignment pays off with fewer pains and more functional movement.
I’ll outline the three biomechanical causes of trigger points that I see most often in my practice. They are common to most people, and the good news is we can make slight adjustments in our body usage and get big gains in terms of reduced soreness. Of course, I also recommend corrections for each.
Dropped Chest
This posture, which most people call a slouch, causes the muscles across the upper back and shoulders to be overstretched. People feel this as tightness, but it’s not shortness that needs to be stretched. It’s the type of tight that comes from pulling a rubber band to the breaking point. And that’s exactly what happens to these muscles. They get tiny tears from prolonged overstretch or strain from being activated in a compromised position. And that can cause trigger points.
I’ll give you two solutions to this problem. First, sit upright without pulling yourself up by your shoulders. Pulling up just creates strain in already weak muscles. Instead sit from the ground up, as I outlined in a previous article that you can read here: http://undulationexercise.blogspot.com/2007/08/good-posture-part-2.html. Secondly, if you find yourself in a slump, gently move to a different position and arch your back slowly to counteract the slouch and strengthen the muscles that have been overstretched. Hold for a few seconds and return to good sitting alignment noted above.
Lifting with the Shoulders
So many of us have developed the habit of picking up an object by raising our shoulders towards our ears. If you’ve ever been sent to “back class,” you’ve been taught to use your legs to lift. Here’s an added tip, anchor your shoulder blades down and then lift with the rest of your body: legs, abdomen, spine, and arms. Suddenly that 25 pound bag of dog food feels light.
Whenever you are going to lift something heavy, bags of groceries, children, furniture, spend a split second anchoring your shoulders down. Not only will you take pressure off your neck, you’ll also increase strength in the rest of your body.
Standing on One Leg
Unless you are in a yoga pose, with your balance centered on one foot, one-legged standing creates weakness, not strength. It’s typical to jut a hip to the side and rest with the body’s weight leaning on the knee and hip joints. That doesn’t build any muscle, and it puts excess pressure on joints. Bad news on both accounts. And over time, this leads to weakness in the hip stabilizers and trigger points that can mimic sciatica and low back pain.
The solution is to stand with your weight on both feet, with your weight centered through the arches. To build even more strength, try squats, yoga-style one-legged poses such as Tree Pose (http://www.ehow.com/how_4980_tree-pose-yoga.html), and balance exercises (http://physicaltherapy.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ/Ya&sdn=physicaltherapy&cdn=health&tm=7&gps=133_262_1268_821&f=00&su=p284.8.150.ip_&tt=14&bt=1&bts=0&zu=http%3A//weboflife.ksc.nasa.gov/exerciseandaging/chapter4_balance.html).
If you feel you need even more help on alignment, look into the services of a Structural Integrator (http://www.theiasi.org/ or http://www.rolfguild.org/) or a Physical Therapist. The investment of better alignment pays off with fewer pains and more functional movement.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Trigger Point Prevention Tip #1--Stay Warm
I received a beautiful, soft, warm scarf for Christmas, and it’s become a staple of my wardrobe. Keeping warm is one of the best ways to prevent the pesky trigger points in my neck from acting up, so I wrap myself in a scarf every time I go outside or even when it’s cold inside. Here are some tips for you to avoid cold weather aches and pains. My next article will expand with more ideas related to biomechanics.
Trigger points are tight bands or knots in a muscle that get activated and create a specific pain pattern. The pain may be distant to the originating muscle, and then can cause a trigger point in that muscle with a cascade effect of soreness. Many things can activate or perpetuate the points, including poor body mechanics, overuse, and cold. Here’s a great website with self-care information, http://www.pressurepositive.com/infocenter/myofascial-trigger-points.asp.
Once activated, a trigger point can trigger a chain of pain, so you’re better off to prevent them in the first place. Tip #1 is to stay warm. You might think that going from the house to car doesn’t require bundling up; after all it’s only a couple of minutes until the car heater kicks in. However, that’s enough time to cause a cranky muscle that will be easily activated by some other activity. The answer? A scarf wound around your neck.
When you get to the office or back home, keep the scarf on until the room warms up. As the temperature fluctuates in my office, I’ve been putting my lovely, red scarf on and off. And during winter storms, when the electricity goes out, remember to keep your neck covered. We often get under blankets that leave the neck unprotected. Sleeping in a turtleneck may be the answer.
Trigger points also get activated in the hips. If you are susceptible to hip pain, wear a jacket that covers your derriere when you go in the cold. You might assume that going for a walk will warm these muscles, but like the trip from house to car, it can take many minutes for the blood flow to reach all parts of the gluteus maximus (which doesn’t really get worked too much when walking on level ground anyway).
Even though we live in the temperate Pacific Northwest, we still need heavy jackets, hats, gloves, and scarves to keep our muscles healthy. Plan your winter wardrobe accordingly to stay warm and keep the trigger points at bay.
Trigger points are tight bands or knots in a muscle that get activated and create a specific pain pattern. The pain may be distant to the originating muscle, and then can cause a trigger point in that muscle with a cascade effect of soreness. Many things can activate or perpetuate the points, including poor body mechanics, overuse, and cold. Here’s a great website with self-care information, http://www.pressurepositive.com/infocenter/myofascial-trigger-points.asp.
Once activated, a trigger point can trigger a chain of pain, so you’re better off to prevent them in the first place. Tip #1 is to stay warm. You might think that going from the house to car doesn’t require bundling up; after all it’s only a couple of minutes until the car heater kicks in. However, that’s enough time to cause a cranky muscle that will be easily activated by some other activity. The answer? A scarf wound around your neck.
When you get to the office or back home, keep the scarf on until the room warms up. As the temperature fluctuates in my office, I’ve been putting my lovely, red scarf on and off. And during winter storms, when the electricity goes out, remember to keep your neck covered. We often get under blankets that leave the neck unprotected. Sleeping in a turtleneck may be the answer.
Trigger points also get activated in the hips. If you are susceptible to hip pain, wear a jacket that covers your derriere when you go in the cold. You might assume that going for a walk will warm these muscles, but like the trip from house to car, it can take many minutes for the blood flow to reach all parts of the gluteus maximus (which doesn’t really get worked too much when walking on level ground anyway).
Even though we live in the temperate Pacific Northwest, we still need heavy jackets, hats, gloves, and scarves to keep our muscles healthy. Plan your winter wardrobe accordingly to stay warm and keep the trigger points at bay.
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