I appreciate how you brought in the psychosocial component to the subjective feeling of "pain". Well done. Pain is very complex and the latest research is looking more closely at the influence of emotion, trauma, and daily stress and lifestyle on patients reports of pain. Thanks Kai :)
Wow, almost 2 years of my physio telling me that stretching and tissue massaging was the right thing to do. Never got better and started to resistance train and within the first week my muscles felt better.... Thank you
Interesting video. I think you should consider one extra cause of muscle tightness: proprioceptive feedback from adjacent joints. You covered it partially in Changing Posture but only really scratched the surface. Joint movement stimulates a reflex relaxation of muscles through proprioceptors. (Basically, joints can't move unless the muscles relax enough to allow the joint to move) That's why everything feels stiff in the morning but when you get up and moving: blood flow and proprioceptor stimulation. As a chiropractor, the feedback I receive after mobilising spinal joints is that he patient feels a reduction of muscle tightness. Movement relaxes muscles and mobilising restricted joints reduces muscle 'tightness'.
As long as there is good enough research behind it, they'll share it. These therapists don't present info off of what patients feel or what chiro's think. That's not credible info
I’ve recently come to understand my muscles are very weak. I have stretched and massaged for many months with out any effect. I’m shocked at how many physiotherapists completely ignore resistance training. Yes it does exacerbate symptoms initially but that slowly goes away. Really good video 👌🏻
Go see an actual professional! The op is (to my understanding) not in the medical field, neither am I. And even if he was, you shouldn’t trust someone diagnosing people without an in person or at least live examination.
Oh ok my physio did guve me resistant bands but it made things so much worse i didn't continue. My muscles feel like guitar strings and they felt they would snap when I used the bands.
I have all those problems and I know it’s because I have been sitting too long with bad posture. I definitely have inflammation with bursitis in the right shoulder, hip and knee. Walking was horrible because I was so stiff in the thighs and glutes. I had severe sciatica a few years ago and some nerve endings are still affected. My doctor said my problem is positional and I told the physiotherapists that stretching makes it worse to the point where I feel sick and light headed. Because I have good range of movement it has to be muscular but it’s been so hard to work out what to do for over a year. I’ve decided that the pain has travelled to many different areas, I get anxious and tense up. Meditation, some gentle yoga with breathing techniques and swimming has improved the problem. I think my brain has been overreacting to pain.
I am a massage therapist and I see so many patients will the pain thighs and glutes with siatica problems and nerve problems that run down the legs. You need to find a really good massage therapist that will break down all the built up tissue in the glute area. I mean they really have to break it down. All the tight tissue around the bones and deep into the whole glute. It's a lot of work. It usually takes me an hour to do it and usually requires 2 visits. The first time to break down the top layer and the second time to break down the deep layer. I can not tell you how many people I have see who have told me they have tried everything, stretching, different doctors, etc. have been dealing with this kind of pain for years and then after the session they either have no pain, or the pain is greatly reduced after one session. And gone after the second. I don't know any other massage therapists that focus that much on the glute area like I do, but if you come to Las Vegas, I can totally fix that problem for you. I have people tell me how much their quality of life has improved after. I usually only have to see them 1 to 2 times and then their good for months. I can almost guarentee I can help you with your problem... Stretching is not going to help the tissue that is compacted by the base of your spine where all the nerves of the lower back and down the legs are. Someone has got to break down all that compacted muscle tissue back there so that its not constricting the nerves and so that blood can run through that area. If you are in the Las Vegas Area, I know I can for sure help you with your problem.
@@UTubeSporaticUser thanks for the information but I'm not in the USA, lol I have improved a lot since then after seeing one physio who gave me some very practical advice for releasing pressure on my lower spine. Due to covid lockdowns I couldn't get out or feel safe going to any massage or physiotherapy since then. You're right about massages. The best I felt was after having one was when she massaged the sciatic nerves in my legs and everywhere else.
Hello , I hope you're doing okay. I am facing a similar problem since 6 months, I am a student and I used to travel 2 hours 4 says a week to college which created pain in my right lower back , well the pain now is worse and it is in me right shoulder blade, right arm, right side of the neck. I have got so many different opinions, last thing my doctor said is that I don't have anything dangerous and it's only muscle stiffness due to travelling and bad posture, I sit a lot for studying. The stretching and physio therapy only took the pain from me arm and shoulder for few weeks , it never faded away. I am tired and in pain, I think part of it is psychological . The doctor asked me to do resistance exercises in swimming pool. I really don't have the luxury
As an Athletic training student, I thank you for providing these as a way for me to study and review. Keep up the good work and keep bringing these videos!!
Tightness is subjective in that it is based on individual expectations and goals. In your anecdotal hamstring example - if your expectation was to be able to touch your toes and you can’t, then due to the objective fact you can’t, the subjective belief is you’re tight. Muscle fibre length is fundamentally related to activation. Acute overload = acute shortening imposed by inflammatory processes to promote healing. Progressive overload = progressive lengthening to promote joint MOBILITY as strength capacity improves. Progressive under load = progressive shortening to reinforce joint STABILITY as strength capacity reduces. Both Adaptations increase chances of survival of the organism based on its environment and function. Easy to see this when we look at stroke victims - spasticity and shortening/contracture through inability to sufficiently activate a muscle. The shortening response to inactivity eventually provides joint reinforcement, allowing weight bearing and gait to return after spasticity has stabilised flaccid joints. Therefore Improving their chances of survival. What we subjectively call tightness, i interpret as relative weakness based on previous experience and objective capacity.
Did you have any luck? My legs are so damn tight and painful. I’ve been getting back in shape since July, and had to stop riding my hike and leg workouts because of the pain.
@@mk11fan87 my recommendations based on years of struggle with tightness /spine issues: Lower carbs/sugar(not necessarily full keto) Intermittent fasting If youve been weight training for long time. Take 6 months break and allow your spine to readjust (if your posture is suboptimal) Improve Ergonomics (chair/firm mattress/low thickness pillow) Find out what triggers your mind to stress and try to avoid it, it might be certain people around you weighin you down Stop all medications and supplements, they put stress on your body and organs and they make you tighten Above to name a few When you do exercise avoid exercises that put compressive load on your(ex squats) and exercises that stretch your back in uncomfortable position (ex:seat quad curls/..)
As the guy says, stretching and foam rolling are good in the short term for pain relief but you have to care about the posture and strengthen the muscles in a smart way for the long term avoidance of recurring muscle pain. Crossing the first 2 out can be misleading who just skims the video.
Thanks for the video. Your response to some comments suggests that your view of massages is that they just feel good, but there’s not much more to it. But if tightness is, as you postulate, just an unpleasant feeling, why should a massage that makes you feel pleasant not be considered a treatment to the problem?
I am 60 years old and I am not and I do not have a big stomach. And I find it very hard to even put my socks on and my shoes. I used to be very flexible nothing impressive, but I can't bend over backwards anymore. Thank you so much for your video. I tried to eat very healthy, but I still have this problem
Thank you for this thought-provoking video! I agree that muscle tightness is related to perception and psychosocial factors (e.g., stress, anxiety, pain, etc.). However, I don't feel that the explanation of tightness in this video accounts for physical changes in muscle length that occur with prolonged postures, such as shortened hip flexors with prolonged sitting or immobilization following fracture or surgery. There are definite changes in tissue tension that occur in these situations, which can manifest in ROM limitations or contracture over time if not addressed with mobility exercises (e.g., AROM, AAROM, contract/relax stretching, joint mobilization). I agree that changing postures frequently and resistance exercises can help combat muscle tightness, whether it is perceived or related to physical muscle shortening of the sarcomeres. I just have a hard time believing that muscle tightness is ONLY perceived. I am interested in reading the studies that were referenced in this video to get a better idea of how they were conducted and how "tightness" was defined. I love your videos, thanks Physiotutors!
Hey Caitlyn, we tried to differentiate "tightness" from "decrease in length" because patients use them interchangeably, but they are two different things. When patients say "tightness" they are often referring to a feeling of discomfort, rather than an actual decrease in length. There are definitely situations in which the actual muscle length is changed like you mentioned above. We will publish a video soon in which we will discuss if stretching is the best treatment option to counteract these changes. so stay tuned!;) Please read the articles and get back to us if you wanna discuss about them! Glad you like our videos and thanks a lot for following!
@@bmb8025 In the case of a tight muscle with foam rolling and massage, I believe it would indeed help. Applying pressure to a trigger point or a taut band in a muscle helps to relieve the tension in the muscle. When choosing a self care tool (ie foam roller, lacrosse ball, 3in ball, etc) you want to take into consideration the size of the muscle or the taut band/trigger point in specific and choose appropriately. Then think of the direction the muscle fibers run like a chain link fence, if you want to lengthen the muscle you go with the muscle fibers and in case of a lengthened or weak muscle you want to go across the muscle fibers. Hope this is helpful.
Regarding muscular tightness: If tightness is not a shortening of the muscles, why is the sensation of tightness sometimes accompanied by joint noise/popping, which is clearly something mechanical? (and if foam-rolled or stretched, it goes away temporarily)
I am 55 , and have always been a strong walker. In the last 4 months my thighs,buttock and calf muscles start giving me a burning sensation very easily. Now I have to stop every 200m and wait for 1 minute for the pain to stop before I can continue. Does this sound familiar?
Thank you for answering this question! Brilliantly presented. Such an important point to understand for those with EDS. The conundrum of being super stretchy yet also having muscles that are constantly rocks full of knots that won’t let go even after repeated deep massage is perplexing. It does seem to be counterintuitive to resistance train when you are already so contracted, but it is the only option. I am curious as to why massage was not included as one of the remedies listed. Curious to hear the explanation for its usefulness alone and joined with resistance training.
"A study in patients with chronic tension-type headache found a significant correlation between muscle hardness and local tenderness(3). In the present study in healthy subjects, 2 of the most sensitive sites (upper boarder of trapezius) were the softest parts compared with all other sites. This reflects that the site is in an area of thicker muscle tissue. Previously, increased hardness has been seen after exercise in healthy subjects(20) and after 15 minuets of sustained computer work(10). This was not seen in this study, probably because the duration of exercise was too short to cause metabolic changes. This suggests that increased muscle hardness is mainly found in chronic pathologic muscle condition. Based on the previous findings,(3) it might be expected that the subjects with a higher number of latent trigger points would show increased hardness due to the taut bands. The limited number of latent trigger points in the current study does not allow a detailed analysis of this relation, but future studies should assess a potential difference in hardness between tender points and latent trigger points." This is exactly what Andersen et al. wrote in their article (Page 498- Andersen H, Ge HY, Arendt-Nielsen L, Danneskiold-Samsøe B, Graven-Nielsen T. Increased trapezius pain sensitivity is not associated with increased tissue hardness. J Pain. 2010 May;11(5):491-9.). I don't agree with your conclusions reading that. Why you don't cite these papers (they are references in Andersen's paper)? 3. Ashina M, Bendtsen L, Jensen R, Sakai F, Olesen J: Muscle hardness in patients with chronic tension-type headache: Relation to actual headache state. Pain 79:201-205, 1999. 10. Horikawa M: Effect of visual display terminal height on the trapezius muscle hardness: Quantitative evaluation by a newly developed muscle hardness meter. Appl Ergon 32: 473-478, 2001. 20. Murayama M, Nosaka K, Yoneda T, Minamitani K: Changes in hardness of the human elbow flexor muscles af- ter eccentric exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol 82:361-367, 2000. I like your videos but it is not fair that your conclusions are so biased in this video. Best regards, Claudio
Hi Claudio, thanks for your critical input! Always good to discuss - and of course we are biased because we always combine evidence (consciously or unconsciously) with our clinical expertise and opinion. it will take a bit of time to give you a detailed answer coz we gotta read your references. With which of our conclusions do you disagree exactly?
when I workout my entire body will stiffen up for hours to the point where I'm almost disabled. I can barely walk or turn my head to check my blind spots on the way home from the gym, simple things like opening a bottle of water and putting the cap back on become difficult cause my hands and fingers will stiffen up so bad, all I do is walk on the tread mill and do a stair stepper and by the end of my workout my shoulders, stomach, calves, thighs, and neck are so stiff I feel like I've got no control of my muscles any more. I also find that if I sit in the sauna for 20 minutes after a workout to attempt and relax the muscles or improve circulation it actually makes my symptoms much worse and I feel like I'm becoming trapped inside my own body because of how stiff and unmovable my muscles become. I also wanna say there is no pain when this happens, just the inability or struggle to move my body. 90% of my symptoms seem to go away within a few hours after I've finished my workout but certain areas like my neck and hands will stay tight for days sometimes. Is this just muscle tightness or something bigger I should worry about?
thank you for the video! I do enjoy your channel a lot. I do appreciate your hard work. Can i ask you a question? Do you mind if you letting me know or recommend any thesis that explains about tightness, shortness or stiffness well?
when an athlete sense tightness in just a relatively small group of muscle fibers, not all the muscle, and you can palpate a tight band (going transverly through the muscle belly), what can it be? I ipotisized the presence of a tender point, as my local induced ischemia produced pain only in that area and not referred anywhere else. Tried to threat it with overpressure to create ischemia and then quickly release to create a vasodilatation, stretching the muscle but it seems not to work. The athlete is a futsal player, she trains 4 times a week. her quads are very strong at muscle testing, the pain is not provoked by either contraction nor stretching. Thanks for the answer, a freshly graduated physio
Hi Luca, hard to say to be honest! To my knowledge tender points are not necessarily taut bands in the muscle. Do you think that that tightness is related to that spot? Could also be a lipoma...
+Physiotutors well only an ecography or a mri could really define the problem. For the lipoma I can't see any bump on the skin, but upon palpation it slips away from my finger. The pain is referred more proximally but exacerbated when palpating this "tight band". The athlete refers to feel some apprehension when kicking the ball. Do you have some more info to rule out or rule in lipomas ? thanks again
Unfortunately not Luca. It's hard from afar to guess, but in general when we are in doubt, we would refer to the GP to get it clarified. Especially when it falls out of our expertise as physios.
Aaah now I know why my friends who work out regularly, especially the guys who go to the gym often and lift weights never complain about tight muscles. My friends and I who are not that fit are all the time complaining about burning shoulders 😪
Hence why I tell my patients that the soft tissue work I perform will provide temporary benefits to reduce pain and stiffness, but that the exercise is the treatment for long term benefit!
most people with a microwave arent chronically ill because some people are more sensitive for microwaves, also the distance person/microwave is very important. The oven in another place is more safe. The radiation become less when the oven gets older.Some ovens give less radiation then others. In Russia the allowed radiation is less.
I have since years pain in my neck shoulder muscles. I have lost all hope tried every type of stretching, cupping therapy, acupuncture, pain killer. It has made my life very hard. Please need help
Bhai mujhe bhi morning may uthta hun toh collar bone se lekar face or garden may jakdan tightness feel hota hai apke kya symptoms hote hain mujhe 8 month se hain
Hi doc, I hope you'll notice may I ask I had a history of injury on my hand and I'm experiencing pain on palm and stiffness on hand And experiencing hardness on base of the thumb Can I do hand gripper exercise everyday? And how many sets should I do Thank you doc
understanding this Physiology can be very confusing, as people who do such exercises as Yoga, Ti Chi, have experienced positive results as well. Their bodies certainly benefit & become more flexible as well. Also, even athletes (Football, basketball, soccer player, etc.) benefit from lots of stretching & massage before workouts as opposed to resistance exercises right before the game. All these exercises have their right place & time.
You´re welcome Rob! Winning patients over for active treatment, when they think they should be "released", massaged or cracked etc. is the hardest part of this!
I am a person without professional or specialized knowledge in a particular subject. Please help me understand what you said and didn't say with your solution. Thank you kindly Mary Kate
''You're best posture is always your next posture.'' As a student in physical therapy, I love this. Thanks ! I've also favored active therapy i.e. exercices, strenghtening, etc. Do you think the type of muscle fiber may play a role in the sensation of tightness ?
Yes, and an easy one for the patients to remember! Here is an excerpt from Falla (2007) about motor impairment in neck pain: "Biochemical alterations in the upper trapezius muscle have been observed in people with neck pain, including increased interstitial levels of glutamate and serotonin in women with trapezius myalgia-which are positively correlated to pain intensity [47]-and higher interstitial interleukin and serotonin in people with chronic whiplashassociated disorders [48••]. Furthermore, muscle biopsies have shown evidence of disturbed oxidative metabolism of trapezius muscle fibers in people with myalgia [49,50], impaired trapezius intramuscular microcirculation in women with neck and arm pain [50,51], and a significant increase in the proportion of type-IIC fibers in the cervical flexor and extensor muscles in patients with chronic neck disorders, possibly indicating preferential atrophy of slow-twitch muscle fibers [52]. Researchers have also observed atrophy and connective- tissue infiltration of the extensor muscles-notably for the deeper muscles, the rectus capitis minor/major, and multifidi-in people with chronic neck pain"
What is the tightness you're referring to in this video? Just the sensation of "tightness" we have after prolonged bad posture? For instance, what I'm currently experiencing is the inability to fully extend my leg at the knee joint in a seated position, due to "hamstring tightness" or lack of muscle length at the hamstring. So in my case, I should be performing stretching for my hamstring instead of resistance training, correct? Thanks in advance!
The tightness I a referring to is the unpleasant feeling you get from ischemia in your muscles, or in a chonic case more likely sensitization of the nervous system. You are talking about a decreased muscle length. Stretching could be an option, but also in this case (not only to build up resistance against ischemia or sensitivity for example) you could train your hamstrings eccentrically. The question with a short muscle is always why it is short and why you want to lengthen it. Short hamstrings aren´t necessarily a bad thing. In my case as a soccer player, the short hamstrings help to prevent overextension (and potential damage to my ligaments) of my knee when I am shooting a ball.
The Humming Boy Short hamstrings have a protective function viz to prevent excess tension on tight neural structures. The SLR &/ slump will have a taut endfeel. In order to lengthen short hamstrings you need to treat the reason why they are short in the first place. In the case of the sciatic nerve, stretching of the piriformis muscle is often very effective. If the slump is restricted , mobilising of the thoracic spine, particularly the costovertebral joints in long sitting works extremely well. It also helps to perform 3-5 gliding manoeuvres (SLRV&Sslump) once you have treated the appropriate joints/"muscles. When you have dealt with WHY the hamstrings are short, THEN hamstring stretches will much more effective and the stretching effect will be longer lasting.
I don’t understand how this can be true. I have unbelievably tight traps. I’ve been overloading my back and traps for a few months and not seen a decrease in tightness. But also I disagree that the tightness is a sensation only i feel, any physio therapist i go to will immediately say wow your back and neck/shoulder muscles are incredibly tight within the first 2 minutes. How does this make sense?
The tightness in my back as I walk is so frustrating. It makes me feel like my skin is pulling me back and it makes me feel like im walking slow... Ugh. Especially when im out in public walking and getting stares its so embarrassing... I wouldn't wish this pain on nobody.... Seem like exercise and taking vitamins don't work because I been doing it that for a long time too.🤦
That's the point of the video. People are often confusing "tightness" which is a feeling with shortening=contracture. Tonicity and spasticity are 2 other terms.
Sir , can u tell if i got sprain in upper traps, what should I do next , rest ? or should I apply any pain relief gel , or should I straightway start doing some exercise, ,, My question is when muscles gets tight how does it heal ,,1) time 2) nutrition or medication 3) rest ? ?
This is very helpful. I do aqua aerobics in the deep end with weights. I am experiencing some difficulties with being in the same position and increased work load. Trying to make it back to the pool. 🤞I am noticing heaviness and tightening in my left leg, making it very hard to walk. It literally tightens as I do. How to get it to loosen enough to get there initially would be helpful. Thanks so much for your expertise.
Spasticity is caused by lesions in the pyramidal tract like in a stroke or spinal cord lesion. It's velocity-dependent, there is more resistance in one direction and there is more initial muscle tone when moved (clasp-knive phenomenon). Rigidity is seen in extrapyramidal lesions (e.g. Parkinson) such as the rubrospinal or vestibulospinal tracts. There is rather intermittent increase in tone (cog wheel phenomenon) or uniform increase in tone (lead pipe phenomenon) and same resistance in all directions, which is velocity-independent. Tightness is just an unpleasant feeling in a muscle.
Would we "palpate" the tightness objectively as manual therapists and thus then this would make the findings objective and not "subjective patient experience"? trying to understand...I am a massage therapy student . Thanks
Hello! I'm suffering from this issue and I can't describe how terrible it is. Things you described sounds very similar and helped me to understand many things. However, I'm having tightness in my arm in overall and sometimes reaching behind my shoulder so, what kind of resistance training would you suggest? And would you suggest taking magnesium pills, they say lack of magnesium cause such problems. Hope you reply this because I really need it. Thank you.
Hard to give you individualized advice. Sounds like you have actual limited range of motion in the shoulder, for which you could seek counseling of a local physio. Don't think that magnesium pills are the answer, but there can be so many underlying reasons for your personal situation that it's hard to give any advice at all.
@@Physiotutors first really appreciate your reply and I understand. Btw, I went to physiotherapist, orthopedics, checked nerves and anything but results coming out "normal" yet, especially when I use mouse, my arm ache very badly. Is there any way to get treatment in your hospital or clinic? Because honestly speaking, this is really really tiring and just trying to find a solution for this problem. I checked your other videos and especially resistance training made me feel like a bit relieved but it's just one day and I'm not so sure if it's going to be permanent or temporary solution.
There's no evidence that stretching actually change muscle length. Changing posture is very difficult and probably requires a constant conscious effort to change habits.
But what exactly is resistance training? I mean I get that it’s using the muscles to resist an opposing force. But can you give some concrete examples of good resistance training exercises that help with stiff legs, neck, shoulders etc?
So if a patient walks in saying he would like a massage because his whole upper back feels stiff and some moments during movement, the best long term treatment would be information about posture change and training? Is there any kind of research on what kind of exercise would be best? Intense cardio like rowing? Or in this case, doing upper back strength training like bend over row and the lot?
It's not that black and white in practice. Certainly, creating a buy-in with a passive modality that has a transient effect in a patient who is reluctant to start with exercises is a good way but it's always followed by education on the underlying problem and that passive intervention is not going to be a long term solution. Furthermore does the exercise allow the patient to actively work on the complaint. in case of the "upper back" stiffness you're probably referring to something like "tight traps" that many people complain about. we have made a video on that too: ruclips.net/video/4D6_sK6hxLQ/видео.html The video also includes an example exercise and more in-depth info on the phenomenon of "tight traps".
Thanks +shaw m! It was time to make a video about "tighness" as it is treated passively way too much - did the same in the past as well! We feel like proper referencing and evidence is important - otherwise we just stay on the level of "expert opinion" in the evidence pyramid.
Great, but I didn't come here for unpleasant feelings or pain. I came here for "tightness", which I assumed meant when you try to massage the muscle it is stiff as a rock and the connected tendon is sticking out like a wire cable. I honestly have no idea what you mean by painful "tightness".
I feel stiff most of the time. When I get up after sitting down or lying down, I'm so stiff I can hardly walk. Is this from inflamation? My muscles burn when I exercise. Thank you.
Me too. I think I have very poor circulation. I get cardio almost every day, hiking, biking, lifting weights. Every day I feel like shit. I don't understand.
@@mycatisromeo Diet matters a lot. Sugar raises insulin in the blood. Being under constant stress can keep us in the fight or flight mode all the time.
Have you ever seen a patient where the main complaint was their legs? The discomfort seems to begin in the glutes comes around through the Tfl and the entire front of the quads are knotted and sore. Both legs and goes down into calves and feet. Discomfort on left side at upper glute area up into the QL. My legs feel like they are constantly under stress and feel like lactic acid is present. I have an mri this week. It feels like nerve and muscle. Main question. Have you ever seen a patient with these symptoms? Thanks, Dwight
Hi Miss nosey Stacey Brown. I was not asking for a diagnosis over the internet. The question was asked if these symptoms were experienced from a patient by a therapist.
That's why it's important to stretch the correct muscles. I don't know why people don't explain the relationship between the muscles... While one muscle is overstretched another muscle is shortened
Thank you for the concise explanation. What if you don't recover normally after exercise because of health conditions like chronic fatigue syndrome /fibromyalgia/adrenal fatigue? And the pain relief you experience is temporary i.e. while exercising but from just an hour after you finish your pain is more intense and this pain lasts for several days?
This is a different kind of muscle tightness that we are not covering here. Those conditions you describe are driven by the central nervous system and need a different approach in collaboration with a health care provider. Exercise will form part of their treatment, but most probably more in a manner of graded exposure/graded activity.
i cannot lift my leg up high enough to pedal a bike, it gets stuck, doesnt hurt, I cannot force it up without using my hands to pull the leg up high enough to get on a bike, or on the gym seat I have there is no pain, except if I force pedaling, if I can endure long enough it will loosen alot. then doesnthurt at much. bending all the way is painful, but sometimes will stop hurting after a while. i am doing exercises now for my knee pain, exercise my glutes, and it helps if I use a arch support on my right leg which is not the one giving me the most training. i injuried my left leg serveal years ago and it altered my gait, and I think I have some scar tissue in the back of my thigh.
Not sure what anxiety issue is linked to muscle tighness in your case, so can't say. Maybe something for a psychiatrist either. In movement-related fear a graded exposure program is often helpful.
Thanks for the video!! It was really interesting, and I wanted to ask you a few questions... 1. In the video you seemed to brush off the notion that, when dealing with tightness, muscles tend to be short, and you cited some anecdotal evidence based on patients you’ve seen at your clinic. Are there any studies you could link me to that could back that up? (I.e. muscle weakness, not shortness, is the primary cause of tightness). How can you tell when a muscle is short vs when a muscle is just stiff? Could it be both? Do you modify the treatment plan to include stretching if the muscle is short? 2. One of the things you noted as the cause for tightness is overload of the muscle. How can you tell when the muscle is overloaded because it’s compensating for other weak muscles versus if it’s overloaded because it’s simply a weak muscle? Should you strengthen a compensating muscle, or should you stretch it and strengthen the weak muscles? Or should you do both? 3. The standard treatment plan for APT (Anterior Pelvic Tilt) is to stretch lower back/hip flexors and strengthen glutes/hamstrings/core, with the idea being that the lower back and hip flexors are “tight and shortened” and the glutes/hamstrings/core are “weak and elongated”. What do you think about this and its traditional stretching/strengthening protocol? Do you agree with it?
Hi Michael, you're welcome! 1) Don't think that there are any studies proving the theory scientifically, but the examples with the hamstrings (short, but not tight) and the trapezius (tight, but not short) are pretty clear examples that show that there is hardly if a relationship at all between shortness and tightness 2) We base this mostly on patient history: increasing pain during the course of the day, description of pain as tightness, job, daily activities, posture etc. In case of the trapezius, most exercises strengthen the upper trapezius and the rotator cuff, so you don't have to be very specific. Stretching is just a short-term pain relief and is a good option for self-management by the patient. 3) What you're referring to is Lower Crossed Syndrome. There is no scientific data to back the idea that this exists or ever has been. How do you assess "Anterior Pelvic Tilt" and is it a problem? There is so much variation in posture. If we encounter patients who sensitize their backs in the extension position, we are working on exercises for them to move out of this position - that's all. On top of that we know that stretching does not elongate muscles unless done with extremely high volume and frequency. At the same time, strengthening probably doesn't change posture either.
@@Physiotutors what to do then if some person have scalenius muscle tight and that is causing radicular pain-stretch or strengthen? According to you we should strengthen .
@@Physiotutors So if I understand correctly, someone experiencing the same amount of stiffness regardless of time of day or daily activities may have short muscles and could benefit from stretching?
Does “bad” posture shorten the muscle when slouched too often? I see some PTs and chiros saying we cant help our posture and exercises like chest stretches and back exercises dont help. What are your thoughts?
I have pain in my index finger and weekness in wrist and my physio told there is a contraction in my brachioradialis due to continuous work on system...could you please help me
I am a PT in China!Actually incredibly helpful to the patients even 5 years later. Thanks a lot!
Thanks
We are actually on billibilli too now
@@Physiotutors Great！really helpful！
plz send send me your whats app no
I appreciate how you brought in the psychosocial component to the subjective feeling of "pain". Well done. Pain is very complex and the latest research is looking more closely at the influence of emotion, trauma, and daily stress and lifestyle on patients reports of pain. Thanks Kai :)
Thank you, young version of Arnold
True
Get to the choppa
Hahahha
@@marlon1be yooo😂😂
I will be back
Wow, almost 2 years of my physio telling me that stretching and tissue massaging was the right thing to do. Never got better and started to resistance train and within the first week my muscles felt better....
Thank you
Stretching is just not for tightness
you should do all 3 of them actually, along with some life style changes probably
Interesting video. I think you should consider one extra cause of muscle tightness: proprioceptive feedback from adjacent joints. You covered it partially in Changing Posture but only really scratched the surface. Joint movement stimulates a reflex relaxation of muscles through proprioceptors. (Basically, joints can't move unless the muscles relax enough to allow the joint to move) That's why everything feels stiff in the morning but when you get up and moving: blood flow and proprioceptor stimulation. As a chiropractor, the feedback I receive after mobilising spinal joints is that he patient feels a reduction of muscle tightness. Movement relaxes muscles and mobilising restricted joints reduces muscle 'tightness'.
PO
As long as there is good enough research behind it, they'll share it. These therapists don't present info off of what patients feel or what chiro's think. That's not credible info
I’ve recently come to understand my muscles are very weak. I have stretched and massaged for many months with out any effect. I’m shocked at how many physiotherapists completely ignore resistance training. Yes it does exacerbate symptoms initially but that slowly goes away. Really good video 👌🏻
Hi I am having a stiffness at my belly area causing me hard to breathe in can you tell me what is it about
Go see an actual professional! The op is (to my understanding) not in the medical field, neither am I. And even if he was, you shouldn’t trust someone diagnosing people without an in person or at least live examination.
@@ananhardeo904 may be you have anxiety & depression
@@imransyed5509 I know . Right now I am getting pain underneath my boddy area I had gastritis as told by my doctor. Pain in me is terrible
Oh ok my physio did guve me resistant bands but it made things so much worse i didn't continue. My muscles feel like guitar strings and they felt they would snap when I used the bands.
I've never gotten much relief from stretching, strengthening always helped me much more.
Strengthening is usually the best answer.
Stretching is absolutely essential. It has given me back my life!
I have all those problems and I know it’s because I have been sitting too long with bad posture. I definitely have inflammation with bursitis in the right shoulder, hip and knee. Walking was horrible because I was so stiff in the thighs and glutes. I had severe sciatica a few years ago and some nerve endings are still affected.
My doctor said my problem is positional and I told the physiotherapists that stretching makes it worse to the point where I feel sick and light headed. Because I have good range of movement it has to be muscular but it’s been so hard to work out what to do for over a year.
I’ve decided that the pain has travelled to many different areas, I get anxious and tense up. Meditation, some gentle yoga with breathing techniques and swimming has improved the problem. I think my brain has been overreacting to pain.
You sound old like me 😲
I am a massage therapist and I see so many patients will the pain thighs and glutes with siatica problems and nerve problems that run down the legs. You need to find a really good massage therapist that will break down all the built up tissue in the glute area. I mean they really have to break it down. All the tight tissue around the bones and deep into the whole glute. It's a lot of work. It usually takes me an hour to do it and usually requires 2 visits. The first time to break down the top layer and the second time to break down the deep layer. I can not tell you how many people I have see who have told me they have tried everything, stretching, different doctors, etc. have been dealing with this kind of pain for years and then after the session they either have no pain, or the pain is greatly reduced after one session. And gone after the second. I don't know any other massage therapists that focus that much on the glute area like I do, but if you come to Las Vegas, I can totally fix that problem for you. I have people tell me how much their quality of life has improved after. I usually only have to see them 1 to 2 times and then their good for months. I can almost guarentee I can help you with your problem... Stretching is not going to help the tissue that is compacted by the base of your spine where all the nerves of the lower back and down the legs are. Someone has got to break down all that compacted muscle tissue back there so that its not constricting the nerves and so that blood can run through that area. If you are in the Las Vegas Area, I know I can for sure help you with your problem.
@@UTubeSporaticUser thanks for the information but I'm not in the USA, lol
I have improved a lot since then after seeing one physio who gave me some very practical advice for releasing pressure on my lower spine. Due to covid lockdowns I couldn't get out or feel safe going to any massage or physiotherapy since then.
You're right about massages. The best I felt was after having one was when she massaged the sciatic nerves in my legs and everywhere else.
Hello , I hope you're doing okay.
I am facing a similar problem since 6 months, I am a student and I used to travel 2 hours 4 says a week to college which created pain in my right lower back , well the pain now is worse and it is in me right shoulder blade, right arm, right side of the neck.
I have got so many different opinions, last thing my doctor said is that I don't have anything dangerous and it's only muscle stiffness due to travelling and bad posture, I sit a lot for studying.
The stretching and physio therapy only took the pain from me arm and shoulder for few weeks , it never faded away.
I am tired and in pain, I think part of it is psychological .
The doctor asked me to do resistance exercises in swimming pool. I really don't have the luxury
As an Athletic training student, I thank you for providing these as a way for me to study and review. Keep up the good work and keep bringing these videos!!
You're welcome Mathew! Always good to hear that people from other professions are watching our videos as well!
We'll definitely keep em coming!
I disagree only that no solution was absolute.
Thank you kindly
Mary Kate
Tightness is subjective in that it is based on individual expectations and goals.
In your anecdotal hamstring example - if your expectation was to be able to touch your toes and you can’t, then due to the objective fact you can’t, the subjective belief is you’re tight.
Muscle fibre length is fundamentally related to activation.
Acute overload = acute shortening imposed by inflammatory processes to promote healing.
Progressive overload = progressive lengthening to promote joint MOBILITY as strength capacity improves.
Progressive under load = progressive shortening to reinforce joint STABILITY as strength capacity reduces.
Both Adaptations increase chances of survival of the organism based on its environment and function.
Easy to see this when we look at stroke victims - spasticity and shortening/contracture through inability to sufficiently activate a muscle. The shortening response to inactivity eventually provides joint reinforcement, allowing weight bearing and gait to return after spasticity has stabilised flaccid joints. Therefore Improving their chances of survival.
What we subjectively call tightness, i interpret as relative weakness based on previous experience and objective capacity.
Stiffness starts when I'm sleeping and tinkling goes through my fingers and my toes and I want to know what's going on with my body
I am 45 years old and have stiff muscles in my legs, feet and back. Hopefully this video will help me to know how to deal with this ailment. Thank you
Did you have any luck? My legs are so damn tight and painful. I’ve been getting back in shape since July, and had to stop riding my hike and leg workouts because of the pain.
It could be low potassium and magnesium.
@@BeeBopGaming did you found any solution?
Was it useful to you?
Stress increases inflammation and tightness from my experience.
Also creatine increases tightness.
That explains my muscle tightness since lockdown I can’t even have a normal workout without getting a tight lower back shoulder or neck 😫
@@mk11fan87 my recommendations based on years of struggle with tightness /spine issues:
Lower carbs/sugar(not necessarily full keto)
Intermittent fasting
If youve been weight training for long time. Take 6 months break and allow your spine to readjust (if your posture is suboptimal)
Improve Ergonomics (chair/firm mattress/low thickness pillow)
Find out what triggers your mind to stress and try to avoid it, it might be certain people around you weighin you down
Stop all medications and supplements, they put stress on your body and organs and they make you tighten
Above to name a few
When you do exercise avoid exercises that put compressive load on your(ex squats) and exercises that stretch your back in uncomfortable position (ex:seat quad curls/..)
Just by watching this video my muscles started relaxing 😎 Placebo at it’s finest.
Ty for sharing this video 🙏🤓
Chris its been 3 years how you feeling?
Actually incredibly helpful even 4 years later. Thanks a ton!
Great to hear!
As the guy says, stretching and foam rolling are good in the short term for pain relief but you have to care about the posture and strengthen the muscles in a smart way for the long term avoidance of recurring muscle pain. Crossing the first 2 out can be misleading who just skims the video.
Thanks for the video. Your response to some comments suggests that your view of massages is that they just feel good, but there’s not much more to it. But if tightness is, as you postulate, just an unpleasant feeling, why should a massage that makes you feel pleasant not be considered a treatment to the problem?
Good question!
Hi,it is a good video. What kind of the resistance training can be given to reduce the muscle tightness?
Excellent and straight forward video! Thank you for the great explanation.
+Jennifer Thai thank you 😊
I am 60 years old and I am not and I do not have a big stomach. And I find it very hard to even put my socks on and my shoes. I used to be very flexible nothing impressive, but I can't bend over backwards anymore. Thank you so much for your video. I tried to eat very healthy, but I still have this problem
Thank you for this thought-provoking video! I agree that muscle tightness is related to perception and psychosocial factors (e.g., stress, anxiety, pain, etc.). However, I don't feel that the explanation of tightness in this video accounts for physical changes in muscle length that occur with prolonged postures, such as shortened hip flexors with prolonged sitting or immobilization following fracture or surgery. There are definite changes in tissue tension that occur in these situations, which can manifest in ROM limitations or contracture over time if not addressed with mobility exercises (e.g., AROM, AAROM, contract/relax stretching, joint mobilization). I agree that changing postures frequently and resistance exercises can help combat muscle tightness, whether it is perceived or related to physical muscle shortening of the sarcomeres. I just have a hard time believing that muscle tightness is ONLY perceived. I am interested in reading the studies that were referenced in this video to get a better idea of how they were conducted and how "tightness" was defined. I love your videos, thanks Physiotutors!
Hey Caitlyn,
we tried to differentiate "tightness" from "decrease in length" because patients use them interchangeably, but they are two different things. When patients say "tightness" they are often referring to a feeling of discomfort, rather than an actual decrease in length. There are definitely situations in which the actual muscle length is changed like you mentioned above. We will publish a video soon in which we will discuss if stretching is the best treatment option to counteract these changes. so stay tuned!;)
Please read the articles and get back to us if you wanna discuss about them!
Glad you like our videos and thanks a lot for following!
@@Physiotutors Then, in the case of contracted or shortened muscles, would foam-rolling or massage be helpful?
@@bmb8025 In the case of a tight muscle with foam rolling and massage, I believe it would indeed help. Applying pressure to a trigger point or a taut band in a muscle helps to relieve the tension in the muscle.
When choosing a self care tool (ie foam roller, lacrosse ball, 3in ball, etc) you want to take into consideration the size of the muscle or the taut band/trigger point in specific and choose appropriately. Then think of the direction the muscle fibers run like a chain link fence, if you want to lengthen the muscle you go with the muscle fibers and in case of a lengthened or weak muscle you want to go across the muscle fibers.
Hope this is helpful.
Thank you for this informative vid, physiotutors!
More vids like this please! ❤️
All the other therapists/ masseuses who make money from telling people they are tight and need stretching and massage are screaming right now.
Stretching and massages are not bad, they can feel great. But there is not much more to it than that.
Aaaaaa!
Excellent explanation and guide to achieve pain relief.
Regarding muscular tightness: If tightness is not a shortening of the muscles, why is the sensation of tightness sometimes accompanied by joint noise/popping, which is clearly something mechanical? (and if foam-rolled or stretched, it goes away temporarily)
I have this yes fascia tightness France prof shows this I'm camera
excellent video, I have been stretching for months without result just further pain. I'll start with resistance training now - thank you
How is it now , please tell
This helps alot.. appreciate your help Chief
I am 55 , and have always been a strong walker. In the last 4 months my thighs,buttock and calf muscles start giving me a burning sensation very easily. Now I have to stop every 200m and wait for 1 minute for the pain to stop before I can continue. Does this sound familiar?
Thank you for answering this question! Brilliantly presented. Such an important point to understand for those with EDS. The conundrum of being super stretchy yet also having muscles that are constantly rocks full of knots that won’t let go even after repeated deep massage is perplexing. It does seem to be counterintuitive to resistance train when you are already so contracted, but it is the only option. I am curious as to why massage was not included as one of the remedies listed. Curious to hear the explanation for its usefulness alone and joined with resistance training.
exceptional breakdown. Very to the point. No long winded garbage.
"A study in patients with chronic tension-type headache found a significant correlation between muscle hardness and local tenderness(3). In the present study in healthy subjects, 2 of the most sensitive sites (upper boarder of trapezius) were the softest parts compared with all other sites. This reflects that the site is in an area of thicker muscle tissue. Previously, increased hardness has been seen after exercise in healthy subjects(20) and after 15 minuets of sustained computer work(10). This was not seen in this study, probably because the duration of exercise was too short to cause metabolic changes. This suggests that increased muscle hardness is mainly found in chronic pathologic muscle condition. Based on the previous findings,(3) it might be expected that the subjects with a higher number of latent trigger points would show increased hardness due to the taut bands. The limited number of latent trigger points in the current study does not allow a detailed analysis of this relation, but future studies should assess a potential difference in hardness between tender points and latent trigger points."
This is exactly what Andersen et al. wrote in their article (Page 498- Andersen H, Ge HY, Arendt-Nielsen L, Danneskiold-Samsøe B, Graven-Nielsen T. Increased trapezius pain sensitivity is not associated with increased tissue hardness. J Pain. 2010 May;11(5):491-9.). I don't agree with your conclusions reading that.
Why you don't cite these papers (they are references in Andersen's paper)?
3. Ashina M, Bendtsen L, Jensen R, Sakai F, Olesen J: Muscle hardness in patients with chronic tension-type headache: Relation to actual headache state. Pain 79:201-205, 1999.
10. Horikawa M: Effect of visual display terminal height on the trapezius muscle hardness: Quantitative evaluation by a newly developed muscle hardness meter. Appl Ergon 32: 473-478, 2001.
20. Murayama M, Nosaka K, Yoneda T, Minamitani K: Changes in hardness of the human elbow flexor muscles af- ter eccentric exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol 82:361-367, 2000.
I like your videos but it is not fair that your conclusions are so biased in this video.
Best regards,
Claudio
Hi Claudio,
thanks for your critical input! Always good to discuss - and of course we are biased because we always combine evidence (consciously or unconsciously) with our clinical expertise and opinion.
it will take a bit of time to give you a detailed answer coz we gotta read your references.
With which of our conclusions do you disagree exactly?
I m suffering from ischial tuberosity can u help me
when I workout my entire body will stiffen up for hours to the point where I'm almost disabled. I can barely walk or turn my head to check my blind spots on the way home from the gym, simple things like opening a bottle of water and putting the cap back on become difficult cause my hands and fingers will stiffen up so bad, all I do is walk on the tread mill and do a stair stepper and by the end of my workout my shoulders, stomach, calves, thighs, and neck are so stiff I feel like I've got no control of my muscles any more. I also find that if I sit in the sauna for 20 minutes after a workout to attempt and relax the muscles or improve circulation it actually makes my symptoms much worse and I feel like I'm becoming trapped inside my own body because of how stiff and unmovable my muscles become. I also wanna say there is no pain when this happens, just the inability or struggle to move my body. 90% of my symptoms seem to go away within a few hours after I've finished my workout but certain areas like my neck and hands will stay tight for days sometimes. Is this just muscle tightness or something bigger I should worry about?
Following
Hi, can medication also cause muscle stiffness in legs and if yes what are those groups of medicines.
TIA 🙏
thank you for the video! I do enjoy your channel a lot. I do appreciate your hard work. Can i ask you a question? Do you mind if you letting me know or recommend any thesis that explains about tightness, shortness or stiffness well?
when an athlete sense tightness in just a relatively small group of muscle fibers, not all the muscle, and you can palpate a tight band (going transverly through the muscle belly), what can it be? I ipotisized the presence of a tender point, as my local induced ischemia produced pain only in that area and not referred anywhere else. Tried to threat it with overpressure to create ischemia and then quickly release to create a vasodilatation, stretching the muscle but it seems not to work. The athlete is a futsal player, she trains 4 times a week. her quads are very strong at muscle testing, the pain is not provoked by either contraction nor stretching. Thanks for the answer, a freshly graduated physio
Hi Luca, hard to say to be honest! To my knowledge tender points are not necessarily taut bands in the muscle.
Do you think that that tightness is related to that spot? Could also be a lipoma...
Thanks a lot for your translations! Awesome!
+Physiotutors well only an ecography or a mri could really define the problem. For the lipoma I can't see any bump on the skin, but upon palpation it slips away from my finger. The pain is referred more proximally but exacerbated when palpating this "tight band". The athlete refers to feel some apprehension when kicking the ball. Do you have some more info to rule out or rule in lipomas ? thanks again
Unfortunately not Luca. It's hard from afar to guess, but in general when we are in doubt, we would refer to the GP to get it clarified. Especially when it falls out of our expertise as physios.
Aaah now I know why my friends who work out regularly, especially the guys who go to the gym often and lift weights never complain about tight muscles. My friends and I who are not that fit are all the time complaining about burning shoulders 😪
Very nice video. I couldn't find any video on this topic in full detail. But now my problem is solved. Thank you very much bro
Short and sweet and very relevant! Thank you!
What about muscles that don't feel tight but are painful when applying pressure to them?
Hence why I tell my patients that the soft tissue work I perform will provide temporary benefits to reduce pain and stiffness, but that the exercise is the treatment for long term benefit!
most people with a microwave arent chronically ill because some people are more sensitive for microwaves, also the distance person/microwave is very important. The oven in another place is more safe. The radiation become less when the oven gets older.Some ovens give less radiation then others. In Russia the allowed radiation is less.
I have since years pain in my neck shoulder muscles. I have lost all hope tried every type of stretching, cupping therapy, acupuncture, pain killer. It has made my life very hard. Please need help
After morning wakeup I feel extremely pain in collar bone traps kindly suggested me what is the traetment to solve the problem
Please watch our Tight upper traps video
Bhai mujhe bhi morning may uthta hun toh collar bone se lekar face or garden may jakdan tightness feel hota hai apke kya symptoms hote hain mujhe 8 month se hain
Hi doc, I hope you'll notice may I ask I had a history of injury on my hand and I'm experiencing pain on palm and stiffness on hand
And experiencing hardness on base of the thumb
Can I do hand gripper exercise everyday? And how many sets should I do
Thank you doc
understanding this Physiology can be very confusing, as people who do such exercises as Yoga, Ti Chi, have experienced positive results as well. Their bodies certainly benefit & become more flexible as well. Also, even athletes (Football, basketball, soccer player, etc.) benefit from lots of stretching & massage before workouts as opposed to resistance exercises right before the game. All these exercises have their right place & time.
This is incredibly helpful, thank you again, for stating the science behind it.
I m Indian sir thank you so much.
Your information is very valuable sir.
I have Lyme infections which are symptoms of Lyme. My neck and entire left side are stiff constantly. It’s very uncomfortable.
Excellent explanations , thanks
So what is flexibility, and why are buff people not flexible if resistance training reduces stiffness?
What type of strength training are for neck muscles
Thanks for this. it will help explaining to my clients.
You´re welcome Rob! Winning patients over for active treatment, when they think they should be "released", massaged or cracked etc. is the hardest part of this!
I am a person without professional or specialized knowledge in a particular subject.
Please help me understand what you said and didn't say with your solution.
Thank you kindly
Mary Kate
''You're best posture is always your next posture.'' As a student in physical therapy, I love this. Thanks ! I've also favored active therapy i.e. exercices, strenghtening, etc. Do you think the type of muscle fiber may play a role in the sensation of tightness ?
Yes, and an easy one for the patients to remember! Here is an excerpt from Falla (2007) about motor impairment in neck pain:
"Biochemical alterations in the upper trapezius muscle have been observed in people with neck pain, including increased interstitial levels of glutamate and serotonin in women with trapezius myalgia-which are positively correlated to pain intensity [47]-and higher interstitial interleukin and serotonin in people with chronic whiplashassociated disorders [48••]. Furthermore, muscle biopsies have shown evidence of disturbed oxidative metabolism of trapezius muscle fibers in people with myalgia [49,50], impaired trapezius intramuscular microcirculation in women with neck and arm pain [50,51], and a significant increase in the proportion of type-IIC fibers in the cervical flexor and extensor muscles in patients with chronic neck disorders, possibly indicating preferential atrophy of slow-twitch muscle fibers [52]. Researchers have also observed atrophy and connective- tissue infiltration of the extensor muscles-notably for the deeper muscles, the rectus capitis minor/major, and multifidi-in people with chronic neck pain"
Thanks !
What is the tightness you're referring to in this video? Just the sensation of "tightness" we have after prolonged bad posture?
For instance, what I'm currently experiencing is the inability to fully extend my leg at the knee joint in a seated position, due to "hamstring tightness" or lack of muscle length at the hamstring. So in my case, I should be performing stretching for my hamstring instead of resistance training, correct?
Thanks in advance!
The tightness I a referring to is the unpleasant feeling you get from
ischemia in your muscles, or in a chonic case more likely sensitization
of the nervous system.
You are talking about a decreased muscle length. Stretching could be an option, but also in this case (not only to build up resistance against ischemia or sensitivity for example) you could train your hamstrings eccentrically.
The question with a short muscle is always why it is short and why you want to lengthen it. Short hamstrings aren´t necessarily a bad thing. In my case as a soccer player, the short hamstrings help to prevent overextension (and potential damage to my ligaments) of my knee when I am shooting a ball.
+Physiotutors Thanks for your valuable insight!
The Humming Boy Short hamstrings have a protective function viz to prevent excess tension on tight neural structures. The SLR &/ slump will have a taut endfeel. In order to lengthen short hamstrings you need to treat the reason why they are short in the first place. In the case of the sciatic nerve, stretching of the piriformis muscle is often very effective. If the slump is restricted , mobilising of the thoracic spine, particularly the costovertebral joints in long sitting works extremely well. It also helps to perform 3-5 gliding manoeuvres (SLRV&Sslump) once you have treated the appropriate joints/"muscles. When you have dealt with WHY the hamstrings are short, THEN hamstring stretches will much more effective and the stretching effect will be longer lasting.
I don’t understand how this can be true. I have unbelievably tight traps. I’ve been overloading my back and traps for a few months and not seen a decrease in tightness. But also I disagree that the tightness is a sensation only i feel, any physio therapist i go to will immediately say wow your back and neck/shoulder muscles are incredibly tight within the first 2 minutes. How does this make sense?
The tightness in my back as I walk is so frustrating. It makes me feel like my skin is pulling me back and it makes me feel like im walking slow... Ugh. Especially when im out in public walking and getting stares its so embarrassing... I wouldn't wish this pain on nobody.... Seem like exercise and taking vitamins don't work because I been doing it that for a long time too.🤦
Is there any medications you know of that will help in this case?
what is the medical term for muscle tightness....is it hypertonicity, spasticity, or plain tightness?
That's the point of the video. People are often confusing "tightness" which is a feeling with shortening=contracture.
Tonicity and spasticity are 2 other terms.
@@Physiotutors got it. i actually just used tightness in writing my clinical summary (objective findings) for UR case.
Sir , can u tell if i got sprain in upper traps, what should I do next , rest ? or should I apply any pain relief gel , or should I straightway start doing some exercise, ,, My question is when muscles gets tight how does it heal ,,1) time 2) nutrition or medication 3) rest ? ?
Very uncommon to have a strain in the traps. Best is to load gradually as long as pain is tolerated
Thanks appreciate ur reply :)))))))
Lengthening is strengthening. Performed weighted exercises that lengthen the muscle under tension.
What if the muscle area starts to have numbness after the resistance training?
Thanks but what is the resistance training please how can i find and know it ? ❤️
Resistance training is just exercise with weights.
Great video, thanks for quality content.
Ur welcome!
This is very helpful. I do aqua aerobics in the deep end with weights. I am experiencing some difficulties with being in the same position and increased work load. Trying to make it back to the pool. 🤞I am noticing heaviness and tightening in my left leg, making it very hard to walk. It literally tightens as I do. How to get it to loosen enough to get there initially would be helpful. Thanks so much for your expertise.
Do you think a high dietary intake of sugar makes the muscles and connective tissues feel more sore or inflamed?
Would have to do research to give a qualified response
what is the difference between spasticity , rigidity and tightness?
Spasticity is caused by lesions in the pyramidal tract like in a stroke or spinal cord lesion. It's velocity-dependent, there is more resistance in one direction and there is more initial muscle tone when moved (clasp-knive phenomenon).
Rigidity is seen in extrapyramidal lesions (e.g. Parkinson) such as the rubrospinal or vestibulospinal tracts. There is rather intermittent increase in tone (cog wheel phenomenon) or uniform increase in tone (lead pipe phenomenon) and same resistance in all directions, which is velocity-independent.
Tightness is just an unpleasant feeling in a muscle.
Physiotutors thanks
@@Physiotutors thank you so much✨
stretching, resistance training, and changing posture are the big three.
but he crossed stretching
@@tea-rex5390 Stretching reduces stress
How about tension type headaches? How are the muscles not tight there?
Would we "palpate" the tightness objectively as manual therapists and thus then this would make the findings objective and not "subjective patient experience"? trying to understand...I am a massage therapy student . Thanks
Hello! I'm suffering from this issue and I can't describe how terrible it is. Things you described sounds very similar and helped me to understand many things. However, I'm having tightness in my arm in overall and sometimes reaching behind my shoulder so, what kind of resistance training would you suggest? And would you suggest taking magnesium pills, they say lack of magnesium cause such problems. Hope you reply this because I really need it. Thank you.
Hard to give you individualized advice. Sounds like you have actual limited range of motion in the shoulder, for which you could seek counseling of a local physio.
Don't think that magnesium pills are the answer, but there can be so many underlying reasons for your personal situation that it's hard to give any advice at all.
@@Physiotutors first really appreciate your reply and I understand. Btw, I went to physiotherapist, orthopedics, checked nerves and anything but results coming out "normal" yet, especially when I use mouse, my arm ache very badly. Is there any way to get treatment in your hospital or clinic? Because honestly speaking, this is really really tiring and just trying to find a solution for this problem. I checked your other videos and especially resistance training made me feel like a bit relieved but it's just one day and I'm not so sure if it's going to be permanent or temporary solution.
We are both working in a private practice in Amsterdam.
Furthermore, we can refer you to our partner www.yourphysio.online for help.
Excellent video!
My left arm stiffness up everytime I irrigate my nose. It only last for a couple of seconds. What is the cause?
But you need stretching to be able to change posture right?
There's no evidence that stretching actually change muscle length. Changing posture is very difficult and probably requires a constant conscious effort to change habits.
Wow, this was really helpful. Thanks a lot
Came here to find out how to relax my leg muscles after working out, and I get told I'm fat, and sit in one place to long xD
I think it’s sleep for me after a good sleeep I feel much better and way more relaxed in my muscles
Sleep is one of the most underrated recovery strategies!
Hello. Can you add the references again? The spina one doesn't work. Thanks!!
Bad posture has nothing to do with muscle tightness ? Can sitting for long time make our hip flexors tight.?
But what exactly is resistance training? I mean I get that it’s using the muscles to resist an opposing force. But can you give some concrete examples of good resistance training exercises that help with stiff legs, neck, shoulders etc?
Check out our video on "tight upper traps" for a more concrete example.
So if a patient walks in saying he would like a massage because his whole upper back feels stiff and some moments during movement, the best long term treatment would be information about posture change and training?
Is there any kind of research on what kind of exercise would be best? Intense cardio like rowing? Or in this case, doing upper back strength training like bend over row and the lot?
It's not that black and white in practice. Certainly, creating a buy-in with a passive modality that has a transient effect in a patient who is reluctant to start with exercises is a good way but it's always followed by education on the underlying problem and that passive intervention is not going to be a long term solution. Furthermore does the exercise allow the patient to actively work on the complaint.
in case of the "upper back" stiffness you're probably referring to something like "tight traps" that many people complain about.
we have made a video on that too: ruclips.net/video/4D6_sK6hxLQ/видео.html
The video also includes an example exercise and more in-depth info on the phenomenon of "tight traps".
hii, can u post a video that is differentiating between spasm , stiffness, tightness, spasticity , contracture ??
The difference between stiffness/tightness and contracture/shortened muscle length should have become clear in this video.
Physiotutors tysm
Nice explanation. Just watched the S.I. vids too. Clear and simple. Love the fact that you throw in appropriate references.
Thanks +shaw m! It was time to make a video about "tighness" as it is treated passively way too much - did the same in the past as well! We feel like proper referencing and evidence is important - otherwise we just stay on the level of "expert opinion" in the evidence pyramid.
Great, but I didn't come here for unpleasant feelings or pain. I came here for "tightness", which I assumed meant when you try to massage the muscle it is stiff as a rock and the connected tendon is sticking out like a wire cable. I honestly have no idea what you mean by painful "tightness".
I feel stiff most of the time. When I get up after sitting down or lying down, I'm so stiff I can hardly walk. Is this from inflamation? My muscles burn when I exercise. Thank you.
Me too. I think I have very poor circulation. I get cardio almost every day, hiking, biking, lifting weights. Every day I feel like shit. I don't understand.
@@mycatisromeo Diet matters a lot. Sugar raises insulin in the blood. Being under constant stress can keep us in the fight or flight mode all the time.
I have the same issue, did you ever find anything to help you?
How to desensitize the neuro-muscular system?
i am suffering from this muscle stiffness problem since 2 months
Is knee pain is related to thigh muscle tightness ?
Have you ever seen a patient where the main complaint was their legs? The discomfort seems to begin in the glutes comes around through the Tfl and the entire front of the quads are knotted and sore. Both legs and goes down into calves and feet. Discomfort on left side at upper glute area up into the QL. My legs feel like they are constantly under stress and feel like lactic acid is present. I have an mri this week. It feels like nerve and muscle. Main question. Have you ever seen a patient with these symptoms?
Thanks,
Dwight
Hi Miss nosey Stacey Brown.
I was not asking for a diagnosis over the internet. The question was asked if these symptoms were experienced from a patient by a therapist.
That's why it's important to stretch the correct muscles. I don't know why people don't explain the relationship between the muscles... While one muscle is overstretched another muscle is shortened
What you refer to was based on Janda who came with the upper/lower cross syndrome idea. Problem is that this was never proven and is outdated.
Thank you for the concise explanation. What if you don't recover normally after exercise because of health conditions like chronic fatigue syndrome /fibromyalgia/adrenal fatigue? And the pain relief you experience is temporary i.e. while exercising but from just an hour after you finish your pain is more intense and this pain lasts for several days?
This is a different kind of muscle tightness that we are not covering here. Those conditions you describe are driven by the central nervous system and need a different approach in collaboration with a health care provider.
Exercise will form part of their treatment, but most probably more in a manner of graded exposure/graded activity.
Thank you.
Your Sympathetic Nervous System is agitated in chronic pain conditions. Have you tried passionflower for pain and relaxation?
i cannot lift my leg up high enough to pedal a bike, it gets stuck, doesnt hurt, I cannot force it up without using my hands to pull the leg up high enough to get on a bike, or on the gym seat I have there is no pain, except if I force pedaling, if I can endure long enough it will loosen alot. then doesnthurt at much. bending all the way is painful, but sometimes will stop hurting after a while. i am doing exercises now for my knee pain, exercise my glutes, and it helps if I use a arch support on my right leg which is not the one giving me the most training. i injuried my left leg serveal years ago and it altered my gait, and I think I have some scar tissue in the back of my thigh.
Thanks for beautiful information.
I would suggest if you demonstrate everything on a person would be better to understand.
Rest was excellent
How to deal with anxiety muscle tightness im dealing with that right now
Not sure what anxiety issue is linked to muscle tighness in your case, so can't say. Maybe something for a psychiatrist either. In movement-related fear a graded exposure program is often helpful.
Thanks for the video!! It was really interesting, and I wanted to ask you a few questions...
1. In the video you seemed to brush off the notion that, when dealing with tightness, muscles tend to be short, and you cited some anecdotal evidence based on patients you’ve seen at your clinic. Are there any studies you could link me to that could back that up? (I.e. muscle weakness, not shortness, is the primary cause of tightness). How can you tell when a muscle is short vs when a muscle is just stiff? Could it be both? Do you modify the treatment plan to include stretching if the muscle is short?
2. One of the things you noted as the cause for tightness is overload of the muscle. How can you tell when the muscle is overloaded because it’s compensating for other weak muscles versus if it’s overloaded because it’s simply a weak muscle? Should you strengthen a compensating muscle, or should you stretch it and strengthen the weak muscles? Or should you do both?
3. The standard treatment plan for APT (Anterior Pelvic Tilt) is to stretch lower back/hip flexors and strengthen glutes/hamstrings/core, with the idea being that the lower back and hip flexors are “tight and shortened” and the glutes/hamstrings/core are “weak and elongated”. What do you think about this and its traditional stretching/strengthening protocol? Do you agree with it?
Hi Michael,
you're welcome!
1) Don't think that there are any studies proving the theory scientifically, but the examples with the hamstrings (short, but not tight) and the trapezius (tight, but not short) are pretty clear examples that show that there is hardly if a relationship at all between shortness and tightness
2) We base this mostly on patient history: increasing pain during the course of the day, description of pain as tightness, job, daily activities, posture etc. In case of the trapezius, most exercises strengthen the upper trapezius and the rotator cuff, so you don't have to be very specific. Stretching is just a short-term pain relief and is a good option for self-management by the patient.
3) What you're referring to is Lower Crossed Syndrome. There is no scientific data to back the idea that this exists or ever has been. How do you assess "Anterior Pelvic Tilt" and is it a problem? There is so much variation in posture.
If we encounter patients who sensitize their backs in the extension position, we are working on exercises for them to move out of this position - that's all.
On top of that we know that stretching does not elongate muscles unless done with extremely high volume and frequency.
At the same time, strengthening probably doesn't change posture either.
@@Physiotutors what to do then if some person have scalenius muscle tight and that is causing radicular pain-stretch or strengthen?
According to you we should strengthen .
@@Physiotutors So if I understand correctly, someone experiencing the same amount of stiffness regardless of time of day or daily activities may have short muscles and could benefit from stretching?
Thank you very much for this info
Does “bad” posture shorten the muscle when slouched too often? I see some PTs and chiros saying we cant help our posture and exercises like chest stretches and back exercises dont help. What are your thoughts?
No help to me, I work on my feet for 2+ hours scanning tickets. I am stiff after this? I am very active and have very little inflammation
I have pain in my index finger and weekness in wrist and my physio told there is a contraction in my brachioradialis due to continuous work on system...could you please help me