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At Home Trigger Point Self Care
- Adrienne Osborn
- May 16
- 2 min read
You know that gnarly feeling spot that kinda hurts when you touch it on your shoulder after you did all that yard work? Like you can actually touch it and feel it in your muscle! Slept the wrong way and now that spot in your neck is screaming at you or even worse causing a headache? These are just a few of the ways that you may experience pain, discomfort, and dysfunction from trigger points. The American Academy of Family Physicians defines a trigger point as "discrete, focal, hyperirritable spots located in a taut band of skeletal muscle. They produce pain locally and in a referred pattern and often accompany chronic musculoskeletal disorders (Alvarez & Rockwell, AAFP)." Why do trigger points form? There is one major reason, trauma to the muscle. This trauma can be acute, the result of repetitive motion, or even poor posture. To simplify, overloading or misusing a muscle has the potential to cause a trigger point (Bron & Dommerhalt, NIH).
So what exactly does this mean for you? It means that you can experience pain at the actual site of the trigger point, or even far away from the it (this is what is called referred pain). A quick note on pain. Because pain can be referred, it is critical that you see a qualified healthcare professional for any sudden, unexplained pain, especially in the abdomen, left arm, left shoulder, and neck. The same with a sudden and intense headache when you don't have a history of them, as it could very well save your life!
So what can you do at home between appointments to address trigger points? It's very simple, grab a foam roller and a lacrosse or tennis ball. Use the foam roller to find the trigger point (in larger muscles like quads, hamstrings, back, shoulder, etc, never use a foam roller, ball, or massage gun on the neck please). Apply pressure throughout the muscle with the foam roller to locate these hyper-iritable spots. You'll know once you've found one, it will usually produce some discomfort. Once you've located it, go in with your lacrosse or tennis ball and gradually apply pressure until the tightness eases and the discomfort subsides. Just a few minutes a day makes a huge difference in how your body will feel and move!
Last but not least, regular massage treatments, stretching, and self-care will help you stay happy, healthy, and mobile. If you ever have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me or schedule an appointment! Please be well, move often, and care for yourself and those important to you.
P.S.
I'm offering a discount for clients for the remainder of May. Enter the code May10 or mention the discount code at checkout to receive it. I'm so thankful for every one of my guests; none of this would be possible without you.
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