FAQs

Running repetitively strains your hamstrings (bending your knee) and quadriceps (straightening your leg), plus all of your lower leg muscles as they are responsible for all of your ankle movements. When your quadricep muscles tighten, they pull on your kneecap and as they get tight they may pull it slightly out of alignment.  Also, your hip muscle, the tensor fascia lata (TFL) merges into your iliotibial band (ITB) which stabilizes your knee joint. By releasing your quads and your TFL, you’ll let your kneecap move smoothly again and the pain will usually disappear.

Long hours of sitting, or exercises such as endurance cycling, shorten four key muscles, the: iliacus, psoas, rectus femoris (quadricep), and quadratus lumborum. As these muscles tighten, they pull your pelvis forward, which puts pressure on your lumbar spine of the lower back. When you treat each of these muscles (in the order I just mentioned) and stretch the muscles, your spine realigns naturally and your back can relax.

Your chest and upper-arm muscles can shorten from overuse, forcing the shoulder joint out of balance. The key muscles are: trapezius, deltoids, pectoralis minor, latissimus dorsi, levator scapulae, biceps and triceps. When you release the tension in each of these muscles, you can then safely stretch without tearing the muscle fibers, you’ll regain pain-free strength.

Sleeping with your head turned or tucked shortens the small muscles at the base of your skull. If you sleep on your side and your pillow is too, your head is lifted up toward the ceiling for hours, and likewise, if the pillow is too thin your head is bent down toward the mattress for hours. Or if you sleep on your back with a pillow under your head, your head is pushed forward and your chin moves down toward your clavicle (collarbone). All of these positions put a strain on your cervical vertebrae. As you turn over in bed the tight muscles will press the bones into your spinal cord at the base of your brain. The first thing to do is check your pillow and see if your head, neck, and spine are in a straight line when you are sleeping.  As a treatment when you wake up, gently press along the sides of your neck and under the occiput (base of your skull) to restore circulation and loosen the stiff muscles.

While the pain is in your foot, the source of the pain is each of the muscles of your lower leg.  The reason is these muscles all insert into the bones of your foot and your heel. As the muscles contract they move your foot in all the directions it can go.  Grip your lower leg and then move your foot around and you’ll feel the muscles contracting.  Tight calf muscles pull on the heel and irritate the fascia, while the muscles of the front and lateral side of your lower leg both insert into the bones of your arch. Press deeply into each of your lower leg muscles and it will release the tension on your foot.

The muscles that bend your wrist originate at your elbow and shorten from repetition as your type, play tennis, or any other hand sport, such as golf or pickleball. The tension will tug on the elbow. Massage deeply into all of the muscles from the elbow toward your wrist and stretch your fingers back gently to release the tension.

Most headaches start in tight neck and shoulder muscles that clamp down on nerves and blood vessels. By releasing those trigger points, especially at the base of the skull, you’ll often stop the pain right away.

When your glutes or deep hip rotators tighten, they can twist the joint slightly and cause pain. Using a ball to press into the area around your sacrum and the top of your thigh bone (femur) will loosening those muscles and restore normal alignment, letting you run comfortably again.

Typing keeps your forearm flexor and extensor muscles shortened. Massage deeply from your elbow down toward your palm, working on the muscles at the top of your forearm (extensors), and the underside of your forearm (flexors). stretch your fingers back, and also bring your flat hand all the way down toward the floor, to stretch both sets of muscles. You’ll feel the pressure in your wrist disappear.  Do this frequently, especially if you are working for hours at a time.

Your calves are repetitively strained from standing or walking all day. Gently squeeze them, releasing those muscles. Drinking plenty of water usually helps to stop the nighttime cramps. Check with your doctor about adding magnesium &/or apple cider vinegar to water that you drink at night before you go to bed as this will possibly prevent the cramping from happening.

The iliopsoas—the deep hip flexor—often shortens from sitting or over-training. When it tightens, it pulls the thigh bone forward and pinches the joint.  Release and stretch this muscle and you’ll notice your hip moves freely again.

There is a muscle in the front of your neck, the scalenes muscle, that presses on a bundle of nerves called the brachial plexus.  Depending on which nerve fiber is being press you will feel pain or numbness in a variety of places, including between your shoulder blades.  Also your rhomboids muscle is between your shoulder blades so when it is tight it is putting pressure on the bones of your shoulder blade and your ribs.  Finally, there are tiny muscles between your ribs that are vital to breathing in and out.  Whe these muscles get tight (sometimes from coughing or panting while you are running, etc.) they pull on your ribs and you feel pain at the point of the strain. Open the chest, release the pectorals, and gently massage between your shoulder blades to restore balance.

There are several reasons why your fingers go numb while you are sleeping, but a key one is having your arm lifted up over your head. When you do that a bone (coracoid process) presses down on the nerves that pass underneath the bone, and you feel numbness and tingling in your hand &/or fingers. The medical world calls this thoracic outlet syndrome. Many times you can stop it immediately by just bringing your arm down by your side. Relax those areas with gentle massage on the front of your chest, and stretching, and circulation returns so the tingling fades.

A tight muscle resists stretching, so always release the knots before trying to stretch the muscle. First massage the area by gently squeezing or rubbing the muscles, then press into any “hot spots” (spasms), holding the pressure for 15-30 seconds, then ease slowly into each stretch. You’ll gain flexibility faster and avoid strain.

The hamstrings may actually be overstretched, making it feel like a tight rope.  As your quadriceps get repetitively strained and shorten into spasms/contractions, they pull your pelvis down in the front and UP in the back.  This is stretching your hamstrings since they originate at the base of your posterior pelvis.  Of course, your hamstrings have their own spasms happening because every time you bend your knee (to walk or sit down) they are being repetitively used, which can cause them to knot up.

Before you try to stretch your hamstrings, first release the tension in your quadriceps, and then look for spasms in your hamstrings. After you do that you can stretch your hamstrings more successfully.

Hours of sitting keep the hip flexors and glutes shortened, and even more important, it keeps the two muscles (iliacus and psoas) that pull you into a sitting position contracted for the entire time you are sitting.  Before you stand, take a minute to massage your thighs and glutes. Your hips will feel much better when you walk.

Uneven muscle tension in the front and back of the shoulder lets the joint slip slightly out of place. Releasing the pectoralis minor muscle in your chest, and the infraspinatus muscle on your shoulder blade returns smooth motion and usually quiets the pop.  There are 16 muscles that insert into your shoulder so it could easily be other muscles causing the problem, but these two are the most common.

Shin splints happen when tight calf muscles fight tight shin muscles. Massage both sides of your lower leg, especially just to the outside (lateral) of your shin bone, and the thick part of your calf. If you feel an especially tender point (a “hot spot”) keep pressure on it for 15-30 seconds, then release the pressure, and repeat that 4-6 times until the point isn’t tender any longer.  Then you can stretch gently after activity to keep the muscles balanced.

The small muscles between your ribs can tighten from rapid &/or shallow breathing, coughing, or posture stress. Using the fingertips of your opposite hand, massage between the ribs and around  the edges of your shoulder blade to release tension. When it’s not painful take a slow, deep breath to stretch the muscles. This will help your breathing to ease.

Tight cheek and neck muscles pull on the jaw joint. Gently massage along your jawline and the front of your neck—this simple release often stops the clicking and eases discomfort.