Many of us are all too familiar with muscle knots. These are basically pain points that form when muscle bands become tight and tender. You may feel pain all the time or only when you touch the knot. If you sit hunched over at a desk most of the day, or tend to overdo your workout, you’ll be more prone to muscle knots.

The good news is that there are ways to ease tight muscle knots. Stretching, gentle movement, and massage can all relieve pain. The best massage guns are a convenient way to encourage your muscles to relax without having to leave the house. Even better, there are simple steps you can take to reduce your risk of developing muscle knots in the first place.

Although muscle knots are common, it can be difficult to navigate through all the available information, especially as scientific knowledge is still evolving. We’ll ask the experts to tell you what causes muscle knots. Keep reading for simple pain relief tips and learn how to prevent muscle knots from occurring in the first place.

What are muscle knots and what causes them?

So what exactly are muscle knots? “A muscle knot is a common term used to describe a hyper-irritable point in a muscle,” says Abi Smith, a rehabilitation physiotherapist at Six Physios Chelsea and mansion. “Although you may feel muscle pain in a tender spot, the muscles do not develop knots.”

knots, or myofascial Trigger points, usually arise due to underuse or overuse of muscles. This causes a feeling of tightness which in turn leads to pain.

Having a sedentary lifestyle can increase your risk of muscle knots, especially if you’re slouched. “Muscles love movement,” says Smith, “If you sit at a desk for eight hours, you might not consider it exhausting, but it may affect certain muscles. This leads to these muscles becoming overworked and sore.

Yet even if you move throughout the day and exercise regularly, you can still develop muscle knots. If you push yourself too hard or repeatedly work the same muscles, they can become overloaded and tight, depending on the American Council on Exercise. You’ll want to strike a balance between moving and exercising regularly while making sure you include enough recovery time.

“Knots can also form due to stress, poor posture or workstation setup, or lack of sleep,” says Sherry McAllister, Doctor of Chiropractic and President of the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress.

Regardless of your activity level, it helps to be aware of muscle knots and understand how to treat and prevent them.

How can you treat muscle knots?

Muscle knots can be painful, but you’ll be happy to know that you can take simple steps to ease the pain. “Understand the root cause of the pain and fix it,” says Smith. “It saves you and frees you from suffering so you can focus on the important things in life.”

If inactivity is the culprit, you’ll want to prioritize regular movement throughout the day, whether that’s stretching from your desk or taking a brisk walk at lunch. If you think you’ve done too much in the gym, give your body a rest.

Looking for short to medium term relief? A trigger point massage is a great way to relieve muscle knots. A study published in the International Scientific Research Notice suggests that massage can relieve tension, although experts don’t fully understand why. You might want to experiment with a homemade massage or you can treat yourself to a salon appointment. Other simple pain relief strategies include drinking plenty of water and applying heat or ice to the area. If the pain persists, seek advice from a healthcare professional.

Can you prevent muscle knots?

Although you can’t entirely prevent muscle knots, there are simple steps you can take to reduce the risk of them occurring. “The best way to prevent and cure muscle soreness is through movement,” says Smith. “Make simple changes like getting up and moving every 20 minutes throughout the day. Exercise offers a host of benefits and is a great way to relax your muscles.

If you’re already an avid athlete and want to avoid muscle knots, there are some simple changes you can make to your exercise routine. Mix up your schedule so you don’t target the same muscle groups on consecutive days. Remember to prioritize rest and recovery time as well – overtraining can be counterproductive as it increases the risk of injury that could knock you out completely.

Being aware of your posture can also help. “Review your posture when you’re sitting and sleeping to avoid straining muscle tissue,” says McAllister. “Spending long periods of time on your cell phone, such as with your head bowed forward and your upper back and neck stressed, leads to the onset of an ‘overused’ or stressed muscle.”

Consider other factors that could cause muscle irritation. “Hydration and nutrition play an important role in a muscle’s ability to do its job,” adds McAllister. “Consider your water and vegetable intake and your stress level. All of these play an important role in ensuring that your body is performing well when you ask it to.

Although muscle knots can be painful, there are options for pain relief. Prevention is better than cure, so adopting healthy habits like regular movement can help keep muscle knots at bay.