Many people often experience muscle soreness, but why do muscles frequently feel sore?
There are many reasons for muscle soreness. If you have persistent soreness in one area, experience disproportionate pain when applying light pressure, which the painful area does not match the point of pressure, or you can feel a "small object or nodule", it could be a trigger point.
Trigger points are often described to be a small object within the muscle, most commonly found in the shoulders, calves, and lower back. Why do trigger points form?
Prolonged repetitive use of a muscle, causing it to remain in a contracted state (e.g. unconsciously shrugging the shoulders, frequently raising the arms to clean)
Lack of muscle movement (e.g. prolonged sitting/standing, looking down at a phone/computer)
In simple terms, trigger points are a reflection of your daily habits - poor posture, loss of spinal curvature, work/study habits. To treat trigger points at the root, you first need to understand the CAUSE - is it due to poor daily habits, structural misalignment, or tissue injury?
Trigger points can be relieved through physical therapy, exercise stretching, and manual pressure, but ultimately the treatment approach depends on identifying the underlying cause of the symptoms. Other possible causes include:
Exercise: Micro-tears and inflammatory response in muscle fibers after exercise can lead to muscle soreness, typically appearing 24-48 hours after and resolving naturally over days or weeks.
Stress: Prolonged stress increases the risk of muscle tension, which may result in muscle soreness.
Micronutrient deficiency: Nutritional deficiencies can also contribute to muscle pain (e.g. lack of vitamin D and calcium may lead to musculoskeletal pain).
In conclusion, muscle soreness is a common physical discomfort with many potential causes, but it usually does not have serious health implications. We can alleviate the symptoms through appropriate prevention and treatment methods, ensuring our body's health and comfort.
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