What is a trigger point?
Trigger points, also called muscle knots, are commonly responsible for the kind of muscle pain that complicates everyday life. A muscle is made up of groups of fibers that work together to generate movement, contracting and releasing on signals from the nervous system. Under certain conditions, a signal can keep muscle fibers in a constant state of contraction, making them hyperirritable. That hyperirritation creates a contraction knot: a trigger point.
How to identify one
A trigger point feels like a knot or small bump right under the skin. An active one can cause a constant ache, burning, numbness, or pressing pain, and it often causes referred pain, meaning the pain radiates out to other areas of the body. The knot also makes the surrounding muscle tight and sensitive to touch, making everyday tasks harder.
What causes trigger points?
- Muscle tension held in certain areas due to stress
- Direct injuries, like a car accident, a fall, or a sports injury
- Repetitive movements from work or hobbies
- Improper posture while lifting heavy or exercising
- Improper posture while sitting or standing
- Prolonged lifting, like carrying a baby
- Prolonged sitting at a desk or lying in bed
What’s the actual solution?
That depends on how you define “solution.” If you just want the knot worked out for immediate relief, a massage therapist does a great job of that. But if the trigger point comes back in a few days, and you keep going back for another round of temporary relief, is that really all you want?
If you want a permanent fix, you have to ask a better question: what caused the trigger point to form in the first place, and how do you change that? That’s getting to the root of the issue, and solving it at that level is what actually makes a lasting difference. That level of solution takes a higher level of assessment and treatment, and it’s exactly where we focus our time and energy at Simply Physio: getting to the root and connecting the pieces so the problem is solved for good, not just quieted for a few days.