How is a knot in your back formed, and why does massaging get rid of it?
In: Biology
The typical cause for a “knot” is a build up of lactic acid (muscle exhaust fumes) in the muscle. If the lactic acid does not leave the muscle through some sort of stretching, manipulation, hydration, etc. the muscles start to pretty much stick together. This causes the muscles to be sore and form what feels like a knot. Massaging the “knot” releases the crud from the muscle and allows it to go back to normal. The more formal name for it, by massage therapists at least, is an adhesion.
Bonus: the main reason it is so prevalent in the back muscles is due to the amount of activities in daily life that force us to work directly in front of us, which bring the shoulders forward and over stretch the back muscles (using computers, cell phones, and pretty much everything we do) which makes it more difficult for the muscle to flush the toxins.
Source: Massage therapist
Latest Answers