KNOTS OR ADHESIONS?
What are knots and adhesions? These are questions that I have been asked several times during my tenure as a massage therapist. My usual response is that they are the same thing. Through my education, I’ve learned that one is a more common understanding, and the other is a medical term. But pondering that question at home made me look into it more, and here is what I found.
It may be a question you have asked your massage therapist, and you may have heard an answer such as “it is muscles that stick together.” While this is a general way of saying what they are, there are some distinct ways they might feel and form.
What are Knots?
Knots can form from overuse, stress, and tight areas in the muscle. They can feel like a bruise or lump in the tissue. Knots can happen when your muscle is contracting or bunched together. The muscle can feel tight or stiff as well.
Are Adhesions the Same?
Adhesions can form due to some of the same ways knots do, but they can also form because there isn't enough fluid between the muscles, which will cause the muscles to stick where there should be glide. Scar tissue is another way adhesions can form. The muscle may feel tight or crinkly, and you might feel stiffness in the area. There can also be adhesions in scar tissue, which you may have felt in a scar you have. The feeling would be like the scar has bumps in it that are hard.
Both Can Lead to Injury
If left untreated, these areas can lead to an injury. With out the availability of the full range of motion you could injure yourself with a muscle strain, pull or at worst a muscle tear.
Trigger Point or Myofascial Release
Treating these is similar as well, with some soft tissue work that would mean doing a targeted massage to treat the area affected. Trigger point therapy is a good way to help release the tissues that have knots. Myofascial work can help break up adhesions.
Recommended Home Care
Some things you can do at home to help with prevention are: moving your body in the opposite direction that you move every day. Like if you sit facing your computer to the right try moving it to the left every other day or throughout the day if it is not too difficult. Reducing stress can be another way to try and prevent them from happening in the first place. Doing some breath work at home can help to reduce stress as well.
Come Get a Massage
Getting a massage can be something that you can do to help lower stress and reduce the amount of adhesions and knots you have in your body. Book a session with me or one of our other PFP Massage Therapists today!