WTF is trigger point therapy and how an it help your bod feel better?

 

Even if you haven’t heard of “trigger points,” you probably still know what this is. Basically a fancy way of saying a muscle knot or kink. Trigger point therapy refers to easing pain in an area on your body where you’re dealing with muscle spasms. Fortunately, there’s a simple way to alleviate that discomfort.

Before you learn how to treat your trigger points, it’s important to know why they come about in the first place. And there’s one prime cause: repetitive activity. For adults who aren’t playing sports after school on a regular basis anymore, that mostly means being hunched over your laptop nearly every day, which causes your muscles to tense up. That’s where trigger point therapy comes in, which can safely get rid of those distracting aches and pains. Common trigger points are found in the neck and lower back. They feel like a small nodule that’s sensitive when you apply even gentle pressure.

“It will be tender and painful at first, but as the nodule gets smaller the area and the pain reduce,” says Dr. Nissim. “This can be replicated almost anywhere in the body, from the low back, shoulder, hips, and so on.”

While you can always go to a massage therapist or chiropractor to help with your trigger points, there are also a couple easy ways to get some relief right at home

  • One of them being grabbing your foam roller. According to orthopedic surgeon Steven Struhl, MD, it acts as a deep tissue massage and is able to release trigger points in your muscles and connective tissue that are causing you pain. It’s especially useful if you’re dealing with knots in your hips and back.
  • For spots you can’t reach easily (like your lower trapezius), use a lacrosse ball up against the wall. Locate the trigger point with the ball between your back and the wall, and apply continuous pressure in long strokes for a few minutes to release it.

To learn more on trigger point therapy click on the link below. Watch the two short videos to see what works best for you.