Tight muscles are often the result of overwork, an injury or a sedentary lifestyle. Regardless of origin, tight muscles can cause pain and limit your mobility and range-of-motion. A tight muscle is more vulnerable to injury; performing regular stretches, applying compression, getting a massage, using foam rollers and applying heat to your muscles can help loosen them up.
Stretching
Stretching often takes a backseat to working out, but it should be a major part of your exercise routine. Stretching increases the blood flow to your muscles, allowing them to grow and repair more easily. Muscle stretching also improves your overall flexibility, helping to ease pain symptoms and prevent injury. Warm up before stretching, and avoid stretching to the point of pain. Stretching after your workout is also recommended, as it helps prevent muscles from tightening during rest.
Massage and Compression
Massage is well-known for its ability to relax your muscles while compression is often a recommended part of injury recovery. Sports massage can target specific muscle groups based on your activity, loosening tight muscles as well as helping to repair injured tissue. Compression, done by clothing, brace or bandage, reduces swelling and inflammation. A study published in the "Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research" in November 2010 found that manual massage and compression are effective elements of treatment for exercise induced muscle injuries. The study also found that compression -- in this study, compression clothing was used -- alone is an effective strategy.
Foam Rollers
Foam rollers can provide a massaging motion as well as slight compression to your muscles. Cylindrical in shape, rollers vary in width and length but are designed to move between your body and a hard surface to "massage" specific muscles and soft tissues. Rollers are used on large muscle groups, like the legs and back, as well as small groups like the neck area. These foam objects can help reduce tension and stiffness in your muscles.
Heat Therapy
Similar to warming up before a workout, applying gentle heat to a muscle can loosen tight fibers. Heating pads or heat therapy ointments will help to bring more blood flow to your muscle and resolve inflammation. Heat can also reduce muscle and joint stiffness and muscle spasms or cramps. You can use a warm towel or a heating pad on your tight muscles. If using the latter, place a towel between the heating pad and your skin to prevent burns.
References
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: Muscle Strains in the Thigh
- MayoClinic.com; Stretching: Focus on Flexibility; Feb. 23, 2011
- "Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research"; Efficacy of Lower Limb Compression and Combined Treatment of Manual Massage and Lower Limb Compression on Symptoms of Exercise-induced Muscle Damage in Women; J.R. Jakeman et al; November 2010
- PTC Physical Therapy, LLC: Foam Roller Exercises
- New York-Presbyterian: Ice Packs vs. Warm Compresses for Pain
