A conversation…
Long-time patient: So why do we call them [knots] anyway? Is there an actual KNOT in there?
Lindsay, Registered Massage Therapist, so-called professional: Knot really… 🙃 It’s more like muscle fibres getting bunched up and inflamed because you keep sitting weird every day, like I told you knot to do… 🫢
Patient: But how though…
Lindsay: So when you have a normal healthy muscle there’s a bunch of fibres running in line with one another and they all slide back and forth together like this [makes lattice with fingers and slides back and forth 🫱🫲] and that makes your bones move, and that makes you move OUT OF YOUR TERRIBLE POSTURE CHOICES 🫵😠
P: *blank stare*… *blink*
L: *sigh* So it’s not as bad as tangled Christmas lights, it’s more like some fibres will get stuck in the short position while the ones around them go back to normal, and when these little spots get all kinked and clumped together and start to pile up. The “knot” gets bigger and other ones start to form around it or in other muscles that help do that movement. Sometimes we call them “trigger points” because it hurts a bit when you poke them. Like this *gently pokes trigger point*
P: Ohh! Kinky muscles eh?
L: oh my God…🙄
P: So it’s like a bunch of tiny cramps?
L: In a way, yeah, but a cramp will let go on its own pretty quickly. A knot usually doesn’t, or takes a lot more time. Or intervention. Or more MOVEMENT…
P: You don’t say…
L: So that’s why yoga and exercise and all that are really important – they help to keep your muscles working properly.
P: Nice try, I’m KNOT doing yoga with you… 😇
L: Oh come on!
P: I’m far too KNOTTY for that… 🫡
L: 😒
I’m knot going to stop you from looking up more info about muscle knots and trigger points… Let me trigger your curiosity with these links…
Disclaimer: I love my clients, I love the conversations we have, their questions, the inevitable jokes… Many of the client-conversations I will post are with people and clients I’ve known for a long time. No names or details will ever be used. These writings are for educational and comedic purposes only, and I have discussed and cleared every one of these conversations with the person(s) they were held with. Extra 10 minutes of scalp massage to each client who identifies their own conversation!
I read this while sitting weird at a computer lol Thank you for reminding me to not sit weird!!!
Huzzah! It worked! 😉