Knots/trigger points... How do you deal with them?

[jcc80]

I'm sure that many of us deal with knots and muscle tightness. I do what I can... I've got a theracane, percussion massage gun, and 2 different types of foam rollers.

My question is, what do you do with a stubborn knot? I've got one kind of behind my left shoulder blade, and it never truly goes away. I just don't know how to approach it. I was under the impression that you can only work on it a little bit at a time, otherwise it can bruise.

I don't know if that's just bullshit. Do you just dig into that thing till it finally releases?

 

[dfresh333]

Those are rough to deal with because ya can't really hit it your self. Sports deep tissue massage works well. Mine always kept coming back until I dropped deadlifts and made sure my split didn't include back day and shoulder day were too close together.

 

[Performance Based]

At home I have a theragun, normatec system (just legs) TEMS unit and a mobile RPW2.0.

We have a sports physio near my office that has a subscription service 399$ a month and you can book a daily 20 minute session. Dry needling, ART, scraping, etc.

In all sincerity unless it is something relatively catastrophic I have found doing lightly loaded mobility work tends to open it up and get whatever is bound up to release after a day or two.

For injuries though the mobile RPW 2.0 is worth its weight in gold. Find a physio or chiro with one near you.

 

[jcc80]

At home I have a theragun, normatec system (just legs) TEMS unit and a mobile RPW2.0.

We have a sports physio near my office that has a subscription service 399$ a month and you can book a daily 20 minute session. Dry needling, ART, scraping, etc.

In all sincerity unless it is something relatively catastrophic I have found doing lightly loaded mobility work tends to open it up and get whatever is bound up to release after a day or two.

For injuries though the mobile RPW 2.0 is worth its weight in gold. Find a physio or chiro with one near you.

Your were definitely one of the ones I hoped would chime in. So, knot behind shoulder blade, maybe 2 inches from my spine... What kind of mobility work would you do?

 

[TheOtherOne55]

I mean doing stuff yourself only work so well. I have a killer knot in my L tricep head I’ve been trying to work out. It’s bad enough where it starts firing during back movements and just weakens all my tricep extension work in arms. I have a couple devices (from lacrosse balls to theraguns) that can do sommme of the work, but a lot of times u need a sports physio guy to attack it.

I have this device that’s basically like a suction cup on a wall with a connected ball. I can kinda lean in weird positions and put alll my weight on it for my TRI that helps a ton. It will break down for a day or 2-3 and come back. U basically have to not let up and make it a habit to really dig this shit out or it’ll become a chronic issue.

 

[Performance Based]

Your were definitely one of the ones I hoped would chime in. So, knot behind shoulder blade, maybe 2 inches from my spine... What kind of mobility work would you do?

Well hopefully I can help mate haha. In all sincerity I would be methodical and do some banded work starting with the full posterior chain for about 5 minutes then focus on T-Spine work.

Any idea what the onset of it was?

Speaking in generalities a majority of training and day to day work is all anterior and everything posterior gets neglected pretty hard. If it’s been there for a minute I would “hypothesize” that it’s picking up the slack unsuccessfully for an imbalance.

 

[buck]

For hard to reach places a sharp corner of a wall or a projectile that sticks out like the bar to load plates on as the gym that is the right height has been a goto for decades for me. Tennis ball and the wall and anything else i can think of to drive the annoyance away. The discomfort i get between my scapula and spine come and goes for years. The corner of the wall once i put my whole body weight against it and work it around can be intense. And i almost want a cigarette afterwards.

 

[Love_to_Bodybuild]

Tennis ball, hands, fingers, massage gun. If need be , pay a massage venue, or company.

 

[bbxtreme]

I'm sure that many of us deal with knots and muscle tightness. I do what I can... I've got a theracane, percussion massage gun, and 2 different types of foam rollers.

My question is, what do you do with a stubborn knot? I've got one kind of behind my left shoulder blade, and it never truly goes away. I just don't know how to approach it. I was under the impression that you can only work on it a little bit at a time, otherwise it can bruise.

I don't know if that's just bullshit. Do you just dig into that thing till it finally releases?

@Performance Based covered it all in his list for DIY items and post. I have a theragun, PEMF, Tens, laser, compression and contrast therapy in my home. But at some point knots and scar tissue are beyond our reach, or a Theragun’s IMO.

But for deep knot or scar tissue and inflammation I go to someone who specializes in deep tissue work and release techniques. I’m not talking about cupping or a good massage (which can have a place too).

I see the guy who spends an hour digging out knots and scar tissue which is one of the most painful hours of my week. I found him as he works on many of the cirque du soleil performers and pro athletes to keep them performing.

Hany talks about this in his recent interview with Claurida as well- deep tissue work and active release techniques. To me, I would do this over chiropractic and sports PT if I had to pick just “one” because of time or money.

They all pair together in terms of supporting recovery, but you can’t beat finding someone who specializes in sports deep tissue work and active release techniques IMO.

 

[jcc80]

Alright. I just need to stop being a cheap ass. Thanks @Performance Based and @bbxtreme.

I can't say where this and a couple other long term knots came from; I've just dealt with them for years. When they're bothersome I can hit them with one of the tools and get some relief. But maybe I can get a professional to get it worked out and then hopefully I will have an easier time maintaining.

 

[gauge22-v2]

Your were definitely one of the ones I hoped would chime in. So, knot behind shoulder blade, maybe 2 inches from my spine... What kind of mobility work would you do?

I get the same in roughly the same place, right shoulder blade area. Odd it never happens on the left.

My massage therapist swears it is cause I am a desk jockey and it is from "mousing"....who knows.

Neck thingy I use this thing and move onto the area, sit back on the couch and pin in between my back/couch. That thing seems to dig it out pretty well.

 

[jcc80]

I get the same in roughly the same place, right shoulder blade area. Odd it never happens on the left.

My massage therapist swears it is cause I am a desk jockey and it is from "mousing"....who knows.

Neck thingy I use this thing and move onto the area, sit back on the couch and pin in between my back/couch. That thing seems to dig it out pretty well.

That thing looks useful. I struggle with tech neck. I'm not one to hunch over my phone and doom scroll, but I did that for a long time, and it's been an uphill battle correcting it.

No doubt this has something to do with some of my knots. Maybe not the one I'm describing, but maybe it is.

 

[Performance Based]

4:30 directly applies to you mate

 

[chingaling]

Tennis ball, foam roller or the massage gun ( with the most brutal pointy attachment ) .

 

[jcc80]

4:30 directly applies to you mate

Great find, thank you!

 

[goback2013]

@Performance Based covered it all in his list for DIY items and post. I have a theragun, PEMF, Tens, laser, compression and contrast therapy in my home. But at some point knots and scar tissue are beyond our reach, or a Theragun’s IMO.

But for deep knot or scar tissue and inflammation I go to someone who specializes in deep tissue work and release techniques. I’m not talking about cupping or a good massage (which can have a place too).

I see the guy who spends an hour digging out knots and scar tissue which is one of the most painful hours of my week. I found him as he works on many of the cirque du soleil performers and pro athletes to keep them performing.

Hany talks about this in his recent interview with Claurida as well- deep tissue work and active release techniques. To me, I would do this over chiropractic and sports PT if I had to pick just “one” because of time or money.

They all pair together in terms of supporting recovery, but you can’t beat finding someone who specializes in sports deep tissue work and active release techniques IMO.

Off topic, but PM has been nothing but aces here of late. Good stuff as always