Muscle knots are common and can occur anywhere on the body. They can cause aching and pain in the muscles and joints. When examining a muscle knot known as a myofascial trigger point, it can feel swollen, tense, or like a bump. A particular area where these knots are present is in the low back. This happens from excessive wear and tearΒ on the lower spine from work, school, daily tasks, and chores. This causes the muscle fibers to tear, and restricted or no time to rest the area and let it heal properly leads to the fibers bunching/clumping together, forming a painful knot.
Table of Contents
A muscle knot in the lower back causes aching, soreness, and full-on pain. They tighten and contract even when the muscle is resting. The affected area often becomes inflamed or swollen, causing pain and aches to radiate/spread to the gluteal muscles.
These knots develop when the tissue fibers pull apart and bunch up together. They start to stick together, and the area becomes thicker with time. This results in the muscle knot. They can be caused by:
Body dehydration and an unhealthy diet can also contribute to muscle knots. They look like a small bumps under the skin. The bump can be red and is usually tender/sore when touched. However, not all muscle knots are visible, but when touched, there is soreness and/or pain.
They can go away independently, but this comes from proper rest and recovery time. However, muscle knots should not be ignored, as even the smallest knot can compress surrounding nerves and muscle tissues. This can cause irritation and weakness. Larger muscle knots could cause movement/mobility issues.
Stretching will help stretch out and release tight muscle knots. Stretching loosens the muscle fibers and prevents them from becoming attached. Stretches to release a muscle knot include:
Start with these simple stretches/exercises and slowly work up to more vigorous ones.
Chiropractic care can break down muscle knots through various adjustments. They are experts on the musculoskeletal system and understand where the problem is occurring along with the connected muscles.
A massage helps to release tension and encourages muscle knots to loosen up and break down. A massage therapist will perform a deep tissue massage or a Swedish massage. Massage helps to release endorphins, which are the bodyβs natural painkiller. These calm the body and reduce pain. They will also recommend simple massages at home. These can include:
Hot and cold therapy can calm and prevent inflammation. Heating pads are best if the area has stiffness or is painful. The heat relaxes tight muscles and increases blood flow. Cold therapy stops the swelling. If the muscle knot gets bigger or turns red, icing the area is recommended. Alternating between the two can eliminate symptoms and assist with quicker healing.
There are exercises to improve functional strength. Functional training targets specific areas:
These types of exercises should be incorporated into a workout routine. One exercise is:
The muscles worked include:
This exercise builds shoulder, arm, and hip strength. It engages the core and abdominal muscles and improves shoulders, back, and hips flexibility.
Cramer, Holger, et al. βPostural awareness and its relation to pain: validation of an innovative instrument measuring awareness of body posture in patients with chronic pain.β BMC musculoskeletal disordersΒ vol. 19,1 109. 6 Apr. 2018, doi:10.1186/s12891-018-2031-9
Malanga, Gerard A et al. βMechanisms and efficacy of heat and cold therapies for musculoskeletal injury.βΒ Postgraduate medicineΒ vol. 127,1 (2015): 57-65. doi:10.1080/00325481.2015.992719
Professional Scope of Practice *
The information herein on "Lower Back Muscle Knots Can Be Broken Down With Chiropractic" is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional.
Blog Information & Scope Discussions
Our information scope is limited to Chiropractic, musculoskeletal, acupuncture, physical medicines, wellness, contributing etiological viscerosomatic disturbances within clinical presentations, associated somatovisceral reflex clinical dynamics, subluxation complexes, sensitive health issues, and/or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions.
We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from various disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system.
Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and directly or indirectly support our clinical scope of practice.*
Our office has reasonably attempted to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.
We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez, DC, or contact us at 915-850-0900.
We are here to help you and your family.
Blessings
Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, RN*, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*
email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com
Licensed as a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) in Texas & New Mexico*
Texas DC License # TX5807, New Mexico DC License # NM-DC2182
Licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN*) in Florida
Florida License RN License # RN9617241 (Control No. 3558029)
Compact Status: Multi-State License: Authorized to Practice in 40 States*
Presently Matriculated: ICHS: MSN* FNP (Family Nurse Practitioner Program)
Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, RN* CIFM*, IFMCP*, ATN*, CCST
My Digital Business Card
Can beginner workouts help individuals who want to improve their health by helping them lose… Read More
Individuals experiencing persistent pain, weakness, numbness, and tingling in the back could be suffering from… Read More
Can individuals maintain proper hydration levels in their bodies to prevent spinal pain and other… Read More
Does an individual's ideal daily intake of vegetables depend on age, sex, and activity level?… Read More
For individuals with chronic pain conditions, what are the risks of developing peptic ulcers? NSAIDs… Read More
What type of concussion tests are there to help establish the extent of head injuries… Read More