What Causes Muscle Tension?

Muscle tension occurs when muscles contract and do not relax. The cause of this tension can be either physical or emotional.

The main cause of physically created muscle tension is overuse and can affect any part of the body that’s been working hard. An overworked muscle will become exhausted and this exhaustion inhibits the healthy circulation to that muscle. The reduction in healthy circulation restricts the fuel supply and reduces the muscles waste disposal system. This restriction can lead to tightness in the muscle tissue and knots develop.

The main cause of emotional muscle tension is stress and the areas normally affected are in the upper part of the body; the back, the shoulders, the neck and the jaw. Stress induced muscle tension is the main cause of tension headaches, which just make a bad day even worse and compound the situation. The body’s natural reaction to stress is to initiate our basic ‘fight or flight’ response and part of this response is to tighten muscles.

Tight muscles are inflexible and if left untreated muscle tension can lead to sudden soft tissue injuries; pulled muscles, sprains and strains possibly leading to contusions or tendonitis.

Massage therapy is one of the best known alternative remedies for muscle tension and has been developed over thousands of years. There are different types of massage available, each developed for treating different levels of tension in different circumstances, and a good massage therapist will be able to advise on the right type for you. Examples of massage types are Swedish Massage, Deep Tissue Massage and Sports Massage, each of these forms are an excellent way to relieve muscle tension and associated tension headaches and stiffness.

For more information go to our website at www.bodyworktherapies.co.uk or phone Jo on 07811 208403