Tight bands of steel = my muscles

[bikelet]

Hey all again,

Just had a massage today with a myotherapist who told me to stretch more and self massage (with tennis balls etc). The annoying thing is- i do all this already! I'm more flexible than most yet my muscles feel awful! They really feel like ropes, esp in upper trap/shoulder/neck region. My muscles have been this way for as long as i can remember. My sister has muscles that feel even worse than mine, my mum has muscles probably equivalent to mine whereas my dad has muscles that are like butter. Did i get the short straw and inherit the wrong sort of muscles or is there something more i should be doing, perhaps mineral/nutrient imbalances? I can't see massage therapists on a regular basis ( unfortunately due to costs) though i do trigger point my self with a ball or by hand and have a massage chair at home. Thanks

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[neuromuscular]

Dear Bikelet:

Heredity may have some to do with your tight muscles. However, I am not totally sold on this option. Sometimes we imitate one parent over another. So, if your mother is more hyper than your dad and you tend to imitate her, It may be that is is habit as opposed to heredity. The old debate of Nutrue vs nature.

If we take the view that IF it is heredity, then why do all floor installers have similar complaints, while most computer or key punch operators have another. They are not all related, SO IT CANNOT BE THE "HEREDITORY" FACTOR. However, in a family, some imitate one parent over another (nurture) or it can be heredity (nature). But do not blame heredity until you know.

Hope that this is helpful.

\Best regards,

Neuromuscular

[bikelet]

Thankyou Neuromuscular for all your helpful replies. I'm not sold on the idea that it is 100% hereditary myself i was just thinking perhaps some of it could be. The thing is my dad is the big stress head who gets angry/anxious/stressed very easily and yet his muscles are fine. While my mum isn't 100% laidback, she is in comparision. She may get a bit anxious/stressed now and again but she doesn't get angry. So it baffles me that her muscles are by far worse than dad's. Perhaps we have different places where we store tension? I know these can be pretty hard questions and i don't expect people to have the answers. Comments on peoples views or experiences would be interesting.

Again on the nature v nurture, i have found my muscles to be basically the same throughout various different occupations (nursery worker, warehouse labourer, gym instructor, student, kitchenhand). And my sister, who lives in another country, is a school teacher and used to do kayaking (as opposed to my cycling) has similar complaints. I think that possibly removes some of the nurture factor

[Canuck Physio]

Hey all again,

Just had a massage today with a myotherapist who told me to stretch more and self massage (with tennis balls etc). The annoying thing is- i do all this already! I'm more flexible than most yet my muscles feel awful! They really feel like ropes, esp in upper trap/shoulder/neck region. My muscles have been this way for as long as i can remember. My sister has muscles that feel even worse than mine, my mum has muscles probably equivalent to mine whereas my dad has muscles that are like butter. Did i get the short straw and inherit the wrong sort of muscles or is there something more i should be doing, perhaps mineral/nutrient imbalances? I can't see massage therapists on a regular basis ( unfortunately due to costs) though i do trigger point my self with a ball or by hand and have a massage chair at home. Thanks

Almost all the taut muscles bands that I have seen in my experience, albeit limited compared to some on these boards, has made me consider the biomechanics across the joints in regards to that particular muscle.

The chances are the posture that you are in, the improper muscle work, causes guarding, spasm, or muscle patterning affecting the alignment of the muscle across the joint, its length, and neuro input, or afferent proprioception. The nervous system responds to these changes by varying the output to muscles. The tension you are experiencing is a result of primarily 2 systems within muscles, the golgi tendon organ, and the muscle spindles.

One thing I would consider is looking at which muscles are affected, are they postural, mobilisers, or stabilisers? And consider the joint position in relation to gravity. The next step is to determine whether the problem is muscle shortening, lengthening, or strength increase, or strength decrease in these muscles, and taking advantage of knowledge regarding muscular slings to create a muscle balance programme.
External applications such as massage, although useful, will not be a long term solution to the problem.

[bikelet]

Thanks Canuck. Around my shoulders i would have to say that the muscles most affected are stabilisers (trapezius, rhomboids, the pecs) however it's not limited to just these (infraspinatus can make me yelp). My neck muscles (particularly scalenes) are very tight as are thoracic erector spinae, gluts, calves, ITB, forearms, hands, feet- well what isn't tight is more the question. I'm sure there's a good reason why each of these areas individually are tight, i just wondered if there was a reason for global tightness.

My shoulder posture is pretty bad, i am working on it. Main thing i'm trying to do at the moment is target pecs because my scapula won't be able to get in a good position if they don't release. My left scapula is higher than the right and when i try to depress the left shoulder it can feel like something is stuck under the clavicle. The clavicle joints on that side are also stiff and not very happy. I try to consciously relax upper traps during the day and keep good posture.

I just get frustrated by it all, i don't know if my muscles will ever be how they are supposed to be. I know massage is treating the symptoms rather than the cause but it still needs to be done- a lot. Problem is time and money. I have made up a remedial exercise program for my various problems which i may post at some stage to get ideas about

Also I'm not sure what you mean by muscular slings.

[neuromuscular]

Thanks Canuck. Around my shoulders i would have to say that the muscles most affected are stabilisers (trapezius, rhomboids, the pecs) however it's not limited to just these (infraspinatus can make me yelp). My neck muscles (particularly scalenes) are very tight as are thoracic erector spinae, gluts, calves, ITB, forearms, hands, feet- well what isn't tight is more the question. I'm sure there's a good reason why each of these areas individually are tight, i just wondered if there was a reason for global tightness.

My shoulder posture is pretty bad, i am working on it. Main thing i'm trying to do at the moment is target pecs because my scapula won't be able to get in a good position if they don't release. My left scapula is higher than the right and when i try to depress the left shoulder it can feel like something is stuck under the clavicle. The clavicle joints on that side are also stiff and not very happy. I try to consciously relax upper traps during the day and keep good posture.

I just get frustrated by it all, i don't know if my muscles will ever be how they are supposed to be. I know massage is treating the symptoms rather than the cause but it still needs to be done- a lot. Problem is time and money. I have made up a remedial exercise program for my various problems which i may post at some stage to get ideas about

Also I'm not sure what you mean by muscular slings.

Dear bikelet,

You mention that your shoulder posture is terrible and that you are working on your pecs. In what sense is your posture bad and in what way are you working on your pecs? Any who would give you some help need to know yor references.

Best regards,

Neuromuscular.

[bikelet]

Sorry should have been more specific. My scapula wing a fair bit and are anteriorly rotated which according to a physio is due to tight pecs. Both inferior angle stick out the most and on the left the superior angle does too. I am treating them by massage and trigger points. I'm quite happy to self treat like that as i would feel major awkward with someone else doing that if you follow me! Just generally my front side is tight/sore including both sides of the clavicle and all of the rib cage -perhaps i am breathing incorrectly? I think that the scapula wing in part due to the way my back curves, it kinda goes like < with the middle point being around the middle of the thoracic vertebra (the specific level gets stiff and sore from time to time). Sorry i can't be more specific, it's really hard to look at your own back

[neuromuscular]

Sorry should have been more specific. My scapula wing a fair bit and are anteriorly rotated which according to a physio is due to tight pecs. Both inferior angle stick out the most and on the left the superior angle does too. I am treating them by massage and trigger points. I'm quite happy to self treat like that as i would feel major awkward with someone else doing that if you follow me! Just generally my front side is tight/sore including both sides of the clavicle and all of the rib cage -perhaps i am breathing incorrectly? I think that the scapula wing in part due to the way my back curves, it kinda goes like < with the middle point being around the middle of the thoracic vertebra (the specific level gets stiff and sore from time to time). Sorry i can't be more specific, it's really hard to look at your own back

Dear bikelet,

It would indeed appear to be tight pecs from your desciption, but which pecs? Most treat the pec major, which I find less of a problem than pec minor. The pec minor acts in a more positional manner and are a greater distorter in that they try to hold a position.

You can find these on an muscular chart. Try treating these with your massage and trigger point therapy and see if this brings greater results.

Then you might consider checking out the serr ant. However, you will need someoneelse to treat this one.

Another one that is often missed is the levator scapula on the side of the raised shoulder.

Best regards,

Neuromuscular

[bikelet]

Thanks Neuromuscular.

Do you mean that i would need someone to help massage serratus ant, to strengthen it or something else? I am pretty sure pec minor is the major culprit just didn't want to say it in case i was wrong. I do get quite sore from time to time around and on the coracoid processes as well as just laterally to the processes so i think pec minor is the cause there

[neuromuscular]

Thanks Neuromuscular.

Do you mean that i would need someone to help massage serratus ant, to strengthen it or something else? I am pretty sure pec minor is the major culprit just didn't want to say it in case i was wrong. I do get quite sore from time to time around and on the coracoid processes as well as just laterally to the processes so i think pec minor is the cause there

Dear Bikelet,

Because the serr ant is not easy for a self treatment, you may need a therapist to do this. The clavicle gets torsion from the subclavius. This is often overlooked in therapy. You might get checked for thoracic outlet syndrome or as some term it thoracic outlet compressio syndrome.

Since the pec minor attaches to the coracoid process, it would be sore or tender. You will have to find cause vs effect. This is often harder that what is hurting.

Best regards,

Neuromuscular.