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Do you ever wonder how those painful and annoying knots and trigger points magically appear in your neck, shoulders, and various other places in your body? This is a question patients often ask me at the office. These knots, or adhesions, are typically the result of repetitive stress injuries such as poor posture, lifting, or work-related tasks.
Constant internal pressure caused by soft tissue injury or repetitive stress limits circulation to affected tissues, resulting in decreased delivery of oxygen. The internal pressure also results in decreased lymphatic flow, which then causes an increase in inflammatory reactions. Hypoxia (lack of oxygen) causes several biochemical changes in the body, and also decreases cell function and waste removal. These chemical changes lead to the formation of adhesions and scar tissue which creates restrictions, muscle imbalances, inflammation, and swelling. The end result is further compression of soft tissue structures.1
Maybe you have tried various methods of foam rolling and stretching, but you still just can’t seem to get rid of those chronic, knotty, trigger points. The good news is you don’t have to live with those knots forever. At Back to Function we use a variety of modalities to help alleviate the symptoms caused from these adhesions. Active Release Techniques (ART) is one method we use to treat soft tissue problems caused by repetitive strain injuries, tissue hypoxia, and joint dysfunction.2
After a thorough examination, the chiropractors at Back to Function will identify the cause of the pain, and locate the specific areas of tension that need to be addressed. We will then apply deep manual pressure to these spots and throughout the fascia surrounding the muscles until they decrease in size and pain intensity. ART’s goals are to restore motion to restricted soft tissues, release entrapped nerves, and reestablish optimal texture, resilience, and function of soft tissues.2
We also utilize shockwave therapy to treat stubborn painful adhesions. Shockwave is an acoustic wave which carries high energy to painful spots and musculoskeletal tissues. The energy promotes regeneration and repair of the soft tissues. Shockwave therapy is an ideal therapy to speed up recovery for issues causing acute or chronic pain. Many conditions can be treated with ART and shockwave including Achilles tendonitis, adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder), back injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, golfer’s elbow, tennis elbow, knee injuries, nerve entrapment, plantar fasciitis, scar tissue formation, sciatica, shoulder injuries, TMJ disorders, and whiplash. The goal of these modalities is to restore strength, flexibility, motion, and function of affected soft tissue.2
If you need some help getting rid of some knots that just won’t go away, give us a call at 310-534-1900 or email us at info@backtofunction.com. We can help you Feel – Recover – Perform Better today!
- Gengenbach, Marianne S., and Thomas E. Hyde. Conservative Management of Sports Injuries. Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 2007.
- Leahy, P Miachael. Active Release Techniques for Soft Tissue Management. 1st ed., Active Release Techniques, 2017.
I always get the worst knots in my upper back and tried so many things to get rid of them. It’s true, a chiropractor was the only effective solution!
Julie, I’m glad you were able to get relief from your pain with chiropractic!