06 Nov What Is A Knot? Explaining Trigger Points In Muscles
Chances are, most of us will have experienced painful, tender or swollen knots in our muscles at some point in our lives, with up to 85% of the population shown to be suffering from knots, or myofascial trigger points. Generally recognised as small hard nodules of muscle that are painful to the touch, knots can affect almost any muscle in the body, including the back, shoulders, and even the feet and calves.
While knots and trigger points can be frustrating and achy, in some cases, without effective treatment the pain can become chronic, with symptoms lasting six months or longer. This can greatly impact your ability to exercise and enjoy doing the things you love.
So what are knots, and how can a podiatrist help? Let’s take a closer look.
What Is A ‘Knot’ In My Muscle?
Firstly to clear the air: having a knot does not mean that your muscle fibres have become physically knotted, in a similar way to a sailing knot. Rather, a knot is simply the name for a stiff band of muscle that has a hard knob in the centre, known as a trigger point. All of our muscles are made up of long fibres, which can spasm and become contracted, creating the sensation of a bump or ‘knot’ underneath the skin, medically known as a myofascial trigger point.
Knots can form anywhere in the body where there is skeletal muscle, and our podiatrists commonly find knots in calf muscles when assessing foot or leg pain or an injury in our clinics. Knots, or trigger points generally feel achy, tense, swollen, or even inflamed, and in most cases, the pain tends to radiate through the surrounding muscles as well.
Knots or trigger points can be classed into two categories:
- Active trigger points can continue to cause you pain throughout the day with movement
- Latent trigger points only hurt when you press on them. However, it is not uncommon for latent knots to progress to active ones, and bring with them a great deal of discomfort.
The Effect Of Knots On Your Body
While knots aren’t pleasant on their own, depending on their location, they can also lead to other seemingly unrelated problems throughout the body. In podiatry, this means they can frequently affect the way that other muscles and joints function, because of the impacts that the contracted muscles within the knot have on adjacent tissues. For example, around the neck, a knot can send pain into the base of the skull, creating tension headaches, which is why we never recommend ignoring them – no matter if they’re located in your shoulders, or in your feet..
Muscles with knots are also more likely to tear when placed under strain, such as due to overuse injuries from sports. This is because as the muscles become tight and contracted, they become less flexible, which means that they have a higher risk of tearing and causing injury compared to a flexible muscle.
Why Did I Develop Knots?
Some people are more prone to developing knots than others. While most causes can be attributed to overusing the muscles other known risk factors include:
- Poor posture and ergonomics, especially when sitting at work
- Stress, both mental and emotional
- Ageing
- Muscle tension
- Fatigue
- Sleep disturbances
- Nutritional imbalances and dehydration
- Certain medical conditions such as fibromyalgia
- Other injuries and pains
Interestingly, while our podiatrists see many trigger points in those that are very active, and may not be performing repeated movements with correct stretching routines, warm-down and recovery routines, we also see a high number of trigger points in those that have a more inactive or sedentary lifestyle.
Muscle fibres are made to move by contracting and relaxing, or lengthening and shortening. This means that for those of us that sit at a computer all day, our muscle fibres can start to stick to each other and develop into a knot.
Trigger Points Signs And Symptoms
The biggest sign of trigger points is feeling along your muscles to find a small round bump or nodule that will feel tender when you apply direct pressure on it. You may feel areas of muscle, such as along your calves, that feel tender even without a palpable knot. In this case, we often find that going deeper and tracing along the entire muscle length will reveal several knots.
Treating Muscle Knots And Trigger Points Alongside A Qualified Podiatrist
Our experienced podiatrists don’t treat trigger points alone, but alongside your individual symptoms, pain, injuries or other conditions. Therefore as part of your comprehensive assessment, we complete muscle testing to identify the presence of tight muscles and trigger points, which is often a contributing factor to a person’s pain, before using an appropriate treatment which best suits your circumstances.
In many cases, a highly effective treatment for knots involves a process known as ‘dry needling’ which can release trigger points and provide relief. Dry needling uses very thin needles, very similar to the ones used for acupuncture, to target trigger points (knots) in muscles and release the tension. By releasing the trigger points, movement can be restored and pain can be reduced. Dry needling is a fast, simple and effective procedure, and we find it is a fantastic support for our patients’ recovery and rehabilitation.
Dry Needling: What Can I Expect?
If our podiatrists discover that you have trigger points that are related to your pain or injury, they will use very small needles that are lightly tapped through the skin, into each knot. As the needles are so thin, some people feel this while many do not. The needle is guided gently deeper to reach the trigger point, at which point the muscle may twitch. Slight readjustments may need to be made to reach the perfect spot. The needle is then withdrawn, and we start work on the next trigger point.
Experiencing Muscle Pain? Book An Appointment With A Trusted Podiatrist Today
If you’re concerned about any muscle pain or troublesome knots, our supportive podiatrists are here to help, with a comprehensive examination and a range of solutions to support your needs. At Masterton Foot Clinic, we utilise a range of techniques including dry needling and have a wide selection of footwear to prevent knots during exercise and everyday life, as well as orthotics to support your overall foot health.
To book an appointment with one of our friendly podiatrists, contact us here.