How to relax your back muscles: causes of spasm and methods of treatment

Greetings, dear readers! Today I want to discuss such a common phenomenon as clogged muscles. Many gym goers experience this. Some people think that this is how it should be and that this is a sign of well-conducted training. Others are afraid and try in every possible way to avoid being overwhelmed.

Quite recently, one of my friends, who recently started training with iron, complained that the next day after training he felt sore muscles. This prompted me to write an article, because he is probably not the only one who has questions about this phenomenon.

Why do our muscles get tired?

Let's understand the mechanisms that occur in our muscles during and after training.

When we lift weights, our muscle fibers begin to contract. This process requires energy. The main energy source for muscles is ATP (adenosine triphosphoric acid), which in turn can be synthesized in several ways. But during strength training, we tend to use up muscle glycogen. From which ATP is formed during the reaction of anaerobic glycolysis.

But every coin has a flip side, so as a result of the above chemical reaction, a by-product is formed - lactic acid (lactate). It is the culprit of muscle fatigue during training. Fortunately, the body quickly copes with its concentration in muscle tissue. And as soon as we rest after an approach for 1-2 minutes, we are ready for the next approach.

But this process is not endless. The fact is that the blood circulating in the muscle removes lactic acid, but this takes more than 30 minutes. And we only rest for 2 hours, so lactate slowly accumulates and our performance decreases.

Usually, gym enthusiasts get so carried away that by the end of the workout they can barely drag their feet. And the next day they can’t get out of bed or even brush their teeth because they can’t lift their arms. Is it all because of lactic acid?

Causes of muscle soreness

No, the reason here is no longer lactic acid. She safely left the muscles 30-60 minutes after training. Post-workout pain is caused by microtrauma to muscle fibers caused by overuse. Because someone doesn't know the limits. But most often, sore throat, also known as muscle pain, is observed in beginners. Since their muscles are not yet adapted to the load and receive many microtraumas, which lead to severe soreness.

Minor muscle soreness is not dangerous and usually ends after a recovery period. As your training progresses, pain after exercise may stop appearing altogether.

How can you clearly understand that your muscles are clogged? First of all, this is expressed in some swelling of the muscle, it looks swollen. After all, protein-rich tissue fluid and lymph rush to the site of damage. Movements become more constrained due to the fact that tension in the muscle group is accompanied by pain.

It happens that the soreness is pronounced and does not go away for a long time. What could this mean?

Training too hard

Perhaps you overdid it in your workout. Scientists have found that pain mainly occurs during eccentric muscle contraction. That is, when the muscle lengthens, but at the same time is under tension (an example from life is going down the stairs). Therefore, negative repetitions contribute the most to muscle damage. For those who don’t know, a negative movement is the phase in which a muscle is stretched, such as lowering a barbell during biceps curls.

Small muscle groups such as arms or shoulders require 2-3 days to recover. And large ones - legs, back, chest - from 3 to 7 days. If you train them more often, there is a high probability of overtraining. In simple words, the muscles will simply become clogged and will not be able to work at full strength. Working weights will fall or stand still.

You're neglecting stretching. The fact is that after removing the load from the working muscle, residual deformations may be observed in it. That is, the muscle tissue does not relax completely. If you leave this fact unattended, over time it can lead to muscle spasms, cramps and a constant feeling of congestion.

Asymmetrical muscle development

Despite the fact that we seem to be symmetrical relative to the sagittal plane (the vertical plane of human symmetry), our muscles on one side and the other may not develop equally. There are many reasons: for left-handers, the left hand will be more developed, for those who are used to leaning on their right leg, it will be stronger than the left.

Sometimes this can cause the muscles to become clogged on one side. This type of congestion occurs during training. For example, when you do dumbbell curls, one hand can still lift the dumbbell, but the other is no longer able to do it. Or another striking example - the barbell press - when a person squeezes one side faster than the other.

Daily Activities

Muscle congestion is not always associated with training. The back, neck and calves can get tired whether we exercise or not. This is caused by their functions in our daily life. The neck, back and, in particular, the lower back stabilize the position of the head and spine and are especially heavily loaded when we sit for a long time, especially in incorrect positions.

The calves maintain balance when walking and are responsible for pushing off the foot when moving. Their constant tension, especially static, leads to negative consequences. Blood flow in the muscles deteriorates and this leads to a lack of nutrients and spasms.

If you feel any symptoms of sore throat, then carefully look to see if you fall under one of the above points.

Leg Braiding

Lie on your back. Bend your legs so that your feet rest on the floor. Grasp your right leg with your hands and rotate it, bringing your shin under the knee bend of your left leg. Slowly pull your legs towards your stomach with your hands until the shin of your left leg is horizontal in the air. Stay in this position for 30 seconds. Repeat the exercise 8-10 times for each leg.

Constant tension of the back muscles is fraught with the development of their spasm, which can persist for years. This situation leads to pinching of blood vessels and nerve fibers; At the same time, internal organs and the brain begin to suffer from a lack of nutrients and oxygen.

Exercises to relax the back muscles do not require much effort or time. By getting used to performing them daily, you can avoid the appearance of many health problems, such as chronic migraine, intercostal neuralgia, decreased vision, etc. In combination with water procedures, these activities allow you to maintain physical activity, ability to work and good mood for a long time.

Video from YouTube on the topic of the article:

Education: First Moscow State Medical University named after I.M. Sechenov, specialty “General Medicine”.

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How to deal with sore throat?

How to deal with muscle congestion? You are unlikely to find a universal recipe, and once a sore throat occurs, you will not be able to get rid of it. But you can ease your suffering and speed up the process of muscle recovery. Here are some tips for you.

A thorough warm-up before training is paramount. If you do not prepare the body for the load, the likelihood of developing sore throat increases. For example, before squatting, don’t forget to thoroughly stretch the muscles involved in the exercise—your hips and buttocks.
Stretching is one of the most effective ways. But you don’t need to stretch your muscles the day after training, when they are already sore. Although this is also welcome. It is much more important to do stretching immediately after training. Or even between sets. It is not necessary to stretch all the muscles, just do a couple of exercises for the working group
Temperature effect. These can be either baths with water of variable temperature, or a sauna or bathhouse. Increased temperature will help both relax tired muscles and improve blood flow
Massage. Mechanical impact on tired areas of muscles leads to improved blood and lymph flow, normalizes muscle tone and promotes the elimination of metabolites (metabolic products). During massage, you can use various ointments that help warm up the skin, improve microcirculation, relieve swelling and prevent skin irritation
Repeated loading. What to do if your muscles hurt from exertion? That's right, load them again. It sounds crazy, but it might work. Of course, we are not talking about the load that led to pain. For repeated exposure, you can use cardio equipment when it comes to your legs. For the upper body, you can use the same exercises, but with 2-3 times less weight. And the goal will no longer be to clog the muscles, but simply to stimulate blood circulation

Relaxing massage

It has been used since ancient times to relieve tension. However, even in our time it is a relevant and best way to combat back discomfort. In order for the massage to be performed correctly, several rules must be followed:

Choose a comfortable environment in which you can relax your whole body.
Use various oils, mixtures, creams. Massage is performed only on the naked part of the body.
It is not recommended to take breaks; changing techniques should occur smoothly.
The duration of the massage should not exceed 25 minutes.
It is necessary to start and end a relaxing massage with elements of stroking;
Before the procedure, do not eat for at least 60 minutes.

The main techniques are stroking, rubbing, kneading, patting and vibration. You should not use a lot of force, movements should be smooth and slow.

Choose your workout

3 programs for every taste

Do you want a back like a professional wrestler? This means you need to sharply increase the intensity of your training. Reduce the rest time between sets to a maximum of a minute, while maintaining a high number of repetitions in each approach. This intake will force the body to produce more growth hormone, which will inevitably affect the increase in muscle size.

Instructions

Start with either dumbbell rows (2) or barbell rows (3).
Do 3 sets of 12 repetitions, resting 30-60 seconds between sets.
Next, perform 3 more sets of seated wide-grip block rows (4) or seated close-grip block rows (7).
Again, try to do 12 reps for each set, resting 30-60 seconds between sets.
Finish your workout with a drop set of vertical rows (8): do 10 reps with the maximum weight you can handle.
Without resting, reduce the weight by 20% and perform 10 more repetitions.
Lower the weight again and force yourself to do the final 10 reps. The lighter the weight, the slower you need to move.

Increase your chin-up best by three to four reps in just a month. To do this, focus on the eccentric phase of the exercise—the part where you go down—this will force your back muscles to become even stronger.

Instructions

Do as many pull-ups (1) as you can (if you can't do even one pull-up, go straight to the next step).
Without resting, push off with your feet from the bench you previously placed under the horizontal bar and rise up, then lower down slowly and under control, spending exactly 10 seconds on the descent.
In total, do three such slow repetitions and immediately perform close-grip rows on the block (7) for 12 repetitions. Rest for 60–90 seconds and repeat the entire sequence twice more.
Try doing these exercises three times a week, resting at least one day between workouts.

By strengthening the spinal extensors, rear deltoids and mid-trapezius, you will not only protect your spine from any troubles, but also improve your posture. You only need two exercises.

Instructions

At the beginning or end of the workout, do hyperextensions on the fitball (6) and immediately retract the scapulae on the lower block (5).
Each exercise requires 12–15 repetitions.
In total, you need to perform two similar approaches, the rest between which should not exceed 60 seconds.
Do the exercises two to three times a week.

80% of the world's population suffers from regular back pain, and in only 10% they are caused by serious illnesses.

How can you relax your back muscles at home if all the main load when walking and sitting falls on your back?

And considering that we spend most of the day in an office chair or at home at a computer, it is not strange that everyone faces similar problems one day.

Having become accustomed to this feeling, we may not realize that the muscles need urgent help...

Flexible snake

Such movements contribute to a slight stretch of the spine and help compensate for the stress that the intervertebral discs experience during the day if you constantly sit in an uncomfortable position.

The position characteristic of the fetus during intrauterine development is not without reason considered one of the most comfortable and physiologically correct. It is also useful for an adult who wants to quickly relax, unwind and restore peace of mind.

Lie on your back, bend your legs and pull them with your hands to your stomach, clasping your palms under your knees. Lie like this for a minute. Return to the starting position, then do the exercise while lying on your side (first on one side, then on the other). Repeat the movements several times.

To perform the exercise you will need a sofa or chair with a soft back. To relax your back muscles and slightly stretch your spine, you need to go behind the chair from the back, lean over it and hang for several minutes, resting your toes on the floor and your lower abdomen on the back of the chair. The body should be bent at a right angle, and the arms folded on the chest.

Why is spinal muscle spasm dangerous?

It would seem that if, having gotten used to the tightness of the back muscles, we do not feel any discomfort, why pay attention to it?

But the fact is that a sudden movement or a slight draft with tense muscles can cause a reflex spasm when the tightened position of the muscle persists for a long time.

And here it will no longer be enough to lie quietly to relax. After all, a spasm that lingers for a long time also affects the spine.

The intervertebral discs are compressed, which in turn leads to pinched nerves and the development of severe pain.

In this way, the body tries to protect this area, but as a result, due to constant tension, not only the nerves, but also the blood vessels are pinched.

Back muscle spasms can have serious health consequences

Spinal curvature and posture problems
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Disturbances in the functioning of internal organs (most often these are disorders of the gastrointestinal tract - colitis, enterocolitis, chronic constipation, etc.)
Neuroses (panic attacks, vegetative-vascular dystonia, anxiety, irrational fears, etc.)
Cardiovascular problems, including arrhythmia or blood pressure problems

Now you understand how important it is to have a healthy back.

Contraindications for back stretching

In order to stretch your back muscles, you should perform some exercises. But there are a number of contraindications for such gymnastics. Therefore, before you start stretching your back, you should consult your doctor.

It is strictly not recommended to stretch your back in the following cases:

for arthritis, osteoporosis, osteochondrosis;
with high blood pressure;
for diseases of the cardiovascular system;
with thrombosis;
for viral diseases;
at elevated body temperature.

You should be very careful when stretching your back during pregnancy and menstruation. But even if you are an absolutely healthy person, you should not overexert yourself when doing exercises to stretch your back.

How to relax the muscles of the back and neck with osteochondrosis?

The pain that all patients with osteochondrosis suffer from is precisely due to muscle tension and muscle inflammation resulting from it.

And in order to get rid of painful sensations, you should learn to relax the muscles of all parts of the spine.

The simplest and safest method of muscle relaxation is physical influence (massage, acupuncture or physiotherapeutic procedures).

Massage sessions will be useful

Often, when we consult a doctor, we receive a prescription for sedatives and muscle relaxants - substances for relaxing smooth muscles, which are controlled by the somatic system, that is, unconsciously.

But before you run to the pharmacy for pills, think about whether you need additional stress on the liver and artificial substances that depress the activity of the nervous system?

Is there a safe alternative to synthetic drugs? Yes, I have.

To reduce pain, try using warming compresses based on hot pepper, mustard or black radish.

Use warming patches

But be careful and do not use too concentrated tinctures of pungent plants - this way you risk getting a chemical burn to the skin.

Relaxing massage

A relaxing back massage for men or women should be performed by a professional massage therapist. He will be able to relieve tension and muscle spasms. After a professional massage, blood circulation will improve, pain and stiffness will go away. Experts recommend at least four massage sessions; if possible, they should be spread out over six weeks. It is worth monitoring your health; if the massage done does not bring results, you need to use another technique.

The patient lies down on a flat surface, the back massage for a guy or girl begins with light strokes from bottom to top along the back along the spine. When moving up, the efforts of the hands should be slightly stronger than when moving down. This is followed by light rubbing movements. Particular importance is given to the collar area and shoulders of the person being massaged. The parts of the back are rubbed alternately from the sides to the spine.

In the waist area, the hands should slide freely, smoothing the muscles in the direction from the waist to the neck. To do this, you can apply a few drops of massage oil to your hands. You need to grab 5 cm on each side along the line of the spine. Smoothing can be alternated with light pressure.

You need to massage the neck and shoulder area very carefully. The movements should resemble the hands of a sculpture when sculpting. Gradually the intensity increases, you need to knead your shoulders with both hands, making effort. The area of the shoulder blades is massaged with circular movements of the palms. Using your fingertips, you need to feel all the muscles around the shoulder blades.

To finally understand how to do a relaxing back massage, you need to complete the appropriate courses. A training video will help you learn a lot of new things. After viewing it, you can learn the basic techniques of stroking, pinching, and stretching the skin during massage. Non-professional massage can also bring relief from osteochondrosis and muscle spasms.

Massage has a number of contraindications, so consultation with your doctor is necessary. And any methods that relax muscles are not as harmless as they seem. It is better to visit a doctor first, get examined, and not self-medicate.

How to relax the muscles of the thoracic back at home?

At home, the most effective way to relax your back muscles is to do spinal stretching exercises.

Complex Pilates exercises, as well as exercises with a roller, give good results.

To relax your thoracic back, perform one or several techniques at once.

Roller exercises and stretching exercises are great for scoliosis.

First, practice doing these exercises one at a time, then gradually learn to combine them.

Each muscle group should be held at maximum tension for 15-30 seconds, and in no case should you hold your breath.

Breathe evenly, even through clenched teeth. Then relax your muscles as much as possible and try to remember this feeling.

Breathe deeply and relaxed for a minute or two, resting from tension.

You may not succeed the first time. Train every day, repeating the exercises at least twice a day, and preferably more often - 5-7 times.

Simply put, do the whole complex or parts of it whenever you have the opportunity.

Perform a set of exercises regularly

After a week or two, you will learn to relax your muscles without pre-tensioning.

This is the ultimate goal of the exercises - the ability to deeply relax the muscles consciously.

They also have an excellent effect. The vibrations that arise in this case relax the clamps well.

To relax your shoulder girdle, lean forward so your head and arms hang down and move from side to side (or have someone shake you).

Shaking tight muscles works great

If you do not have serious problems with the cardiovascular system, visiting a sauna (classical or infrared) and a steam bath will be useful.

Deep heating provides a powerful therapeutic effect.

Physiotherapy

Exercises to relax the back muscles are an excellent method to relieve spasm and pain. An important rule of therapeutic exercises is that exercises should alleviate the condition. If it hurts, you should stop exercising.

Exercises for the cervical region

The solution to the question of how to relax the neck muscles can be found by doing the following set of exercises:

Turn your head to the sides. Elements must be performed slowly. Turn your head as far as possible in one direction and hold for a while, then do the same in the other direction;
Tilts of the head left and right, forward and backward are performed slowly until it stops. You can't raise your shoulders. So, you stretch the muscles, relieving the spasm;
Resistance. Place your palms on your forehead, trying to tilt your head forward as much as possible. The exercise is performed for 5 seconds in 4 sets. Clasp your hands at the back of your head and try to move your head back in the same way. Repeat the elements in a similar way to the sides, placing your palm to your ear;
Shrug. To perform this element, it is advisable to take light dumbbells in your hands. Place your arms down, movements are slow.

To relax the neck muscles, you can perform such gymnastics in the morning and evening, 4 approaches.

Exercises for the lower back

There is a good exercise to relax the lumbar region. To perform it, you need to sit on a chair, lean back and pull your legs to your chest with your hands. It is advisable to hold this position for a minute. When you get up, try not to tense your muscles;
Lie on your stomach, without lifting your buttocks from the floor, do push-ups on your hands;
Without getting up from the previous pose, raise your right arm and left leg as much as possible. Stay in this position for a couple of seconds and change arms and legs;
Static exercise: Lie on your back. Bend your legs a little at the knees, do not lift your heel and toe off the floor. Cross your arms, hugging yourself. Try to raise your head and shoulders, and, on the contrary, press your buttocks and legs down as much as possible. So hold on for a couple of seconds.

Useful information: what to do if your neck is pinched

General exercises for the back and neck

The “cat” exercise will help to relax the muscles of the neck and back. You need to get on all fours. Palms and knees should be on the floor. Round your back and then arch it;
Stand up straight, hands should be on your belt. Raise one shoulder, hold for a couple of seconds and relax. Repeat the same with the other shoulder;
In the same position, place your hands on your waist, push your shoulders and arms forward, arching your back. The chin should be pressed to the chest;
Lying on your stomach, clasp your hands behind your back. Try to lift your head and shoulders off the floor and stretch your arms back. Count to two and slowly lower yourself;
Lying on your back, squeeze your knees, pulling them towards your chest. Press your head to your knees, curling up like a snail. Maintain this position for several seconds.

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