In my previous blog Muscles that always feel tight and need to stretch? We looked at why stretching seems to only provide temporary relief from that tight feeling. This was in reference to muscles that are locked in the long position. Stretching an already lengthened muscle is not going to provide the lasting relief you seek.
So what did you try? Did you try stretching your opposing muscles? Eg tightness in your upper back – did you stretch your chest and arms?
Stretching the opposing muscles can bring you more relief but if it doesn’t last, then you need to start working on strengthening the areas that feel tight. Start with the stretch of the opposing muscles, then strengthen the areas that feel tight.
Chest stretch in against door
Band pull to strengthen upper back
Strengthen muscles rather than stretch them
So in the case of your upper back, where you feel tightness in between your shoulder blades, you need to work on strengthening your shoulder retractors. Imagine there is a pencil in between your shoulder blades, pinch your shoulder blades together like you’re trying to keep the pencil in place.
The pinching action is hard to create if your shoulders are rounded forward, so if you’re finding it hard to pinch, roll your shoulders back push and push your breast bone forward. You can start to strengthen this area by just holding the pinch for 10 – 15 seconds and repeating eight times. You can then progress to using some resistance, be it weights or bands.
A simple band pull works effectively in strengthening this area and it’s not a very technical exercise.
The same rules apply for anywhere else that feels tight in the body.
Hips and lower back strengthening
If you’ve been to a physio for back or hip pain, you will probably have been given at least one of these exercises – clams, bridges, side leg raises. All of these exercises strengthen your glutes but each one has a different role. When you have lower back or hip pain, you should work to strengthen the whole area and all the surrounding muscles, so the more variations you can do, the better.
How will strengthening the area help with the tightness?
The tight sensation you feel is because the muscle isn’t in its relaxed state. It’s under tension. Imagine a rubber band – stretch it and hold it, that’s what your muscle is doing when it is in the long position.
Strengthening the muscles means they become better at managing and resisting the tension. Think of a thicker rubber band, it’s harder to stretch. This is similar, your muscle is stronger and harder to pull.
When your muscles are weak, they are easily stretched by stronger muscles. You want to create balance so the pull becomes more equal on both sides.
So what muscle groups do you need to strengthen? If you need help working this out, book your complimentary exploratory call now.
I am Sabrina Qua - Soft Tissue Therapist, Movement Coach and Personal Trainer based in Worcester Park, Epsom, who helps people reduce their muscular aches and pains through an integrative approach, so they can live active, enjoyable lives. More tips and information available in my Facebook group Reduce Pain and Move Better.