“My shoulder feels tight.” “My hip flexors are tight; I need to stretch them.”
These are common complaints we hear in physical therapy.
While these descriptions aren’t wrong—after all, no one can argue with how you feel—they can sometimes lead to misconceptions about how to address the problem.
The sensation of “tightness” often arises as the body’s way of protecting areas that are vulnerable to injury. When a part of the body is unstable, the nervous system responds by creating stiffness in the surrounding muscles to safeguard it. For example, the hamstrings, which attach to the pelvis, might feel tight in someone with low back pain. This tightness occurs as the muscles stiffen to provide added stability to the pelvis.
In this case, simply stretching the hamstrings won’t solve the problem. The individual needs to learn how to stabilize their back, perhaps by mastering the stack (find out how to do that here) and strengthening the trunk muscles accordingly. Once the underlying issue is addressed, the hamstrings can finally relax.
This is just one example of why a muscle might feel tight, but it’s important to understand that tightness can stem from various causes—and the solution is rarely just to stretch!
If you’re dealing with tight, uncomfortable muscles, it’s time to uncover the root cause. Contact us today to schedule an evaluation and discover how you can finally resolve those tight muscles!
