Tight muscles can cause pain and limit your mobility without proper treatment. At Praxis Physical Therapy in Vernon Hills, Illinois, the team of orthopedic physical therapy specialists uses targeted techniques and advanced equipment to improve flexibility in your tight muscles. Physical therapy can help relieve pain from tight muscles and restore function. To learn more about muscle tightness, call Praxis Physical Therapy or schedule an appointment online today.
Muscles are soft tissues that allow your body movement and flexibility. You have muscles throughout your entire body. When muscles become rigid and stiff, they can cause pain, reduce your flexibility, and even limit your mobility. The best way to treat muscle tightness is to diagnose and treat the cause as quickly as possible.
Muscle tightness is a common complaint in individuals of all ages. Whether you sit at a desk for the majority of the day, run daily, or frequently lift weights, you’ve likely experienced muscle tightness at some point in your life.
Many musculoskeletal conditions and injuries can cause muscle tightness, but the most common are:
Repetitive stress on a specific group of muscles can temporarily damage the muscle cells that create them. That is especially common in individuals who exercise after not doing so for a long time.
An electrolyte imbalance from dehydration can stiffen the muscles. Electrolytes, which contain sodium, potassium, calcium, and other minerals, help your muscles contract. Without enough electrolytes, your muscles can become stiff and tense.
Muscle injuries occur when the tissue stretches too far or tears. Injured muscles can feel painful, sore, and stiff.
To diagnose muscle tightness, your physical therapist at Praxis Physical Therapy performs a physical assessment. Your physical therapist may evaluate your movement, apply pressure to the affected area, and ask questions regarding your symptoms to make the appropriate diagnosis.
Imaging scans, such as X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and computed tomography (CT), are often necessary to evaluate your muscle damage and rule out other conditions.
When you have tight muscles, rest, ice and heat therapy, and massage are essential for your recovery. Your physical therapist at Praxis Physical Therapy provides one-on-one treatment to restore full function to your tight muscles and reduce pain.
At their facility, the team may use the following equipment in your individualized treatment plan:
To learn more about the muscle tightness treatments available at Praxis Physical Therapy, call the office or schedule an appointment online today.
