Stretching: The Truth

“What kind of stretches should I be doing?”

This might be one of the most common questions I hear. The answer? “It depends!”

Let’s dive into why muscles feel tight and what you can do to feel and move better.

What Causes Muscle Spasms and Cramps?

Muscle cramps and tightness can stem from several reasons, including:

• Protection Mode
  Your brain might turn up muscle activity to protect an injured joint, ligament, or muscle. This protective reflex aims to prevent further damage by increasing tension in some muscles and “shutting down” others. Unfortunately, overriding this reflex without addressing the cause can worsen the pain and spasms.
• Compensation Patterns
  If one muscle or group of muscles isn’t functioning well, your brain might recruit another muscle to pick up the slack. Over time, the overworked muscle becomes tired, irritated, and painful.
• Weakness
  Weak or underactive muscles often feel tight, even if they’re not actually shortened. These muscles are overworked, inflamed, and sometimes holding on for dear life to keep you moving. This is especially common after injuries that haven’t been fully rehabilitated.

What Should You Do When a Muscle Cramp or Spasm Hits?

The standard approach often involves medications like muscle relaxers or anti-inflammatories. While these can temporarily reduce symptoms, they don’t address the root cause and can come with unpleasant side effects.

Other common methods—like stretching, massage, needling, or foam rolling—can provide short-term relief. These techniques relax tight muscles and may reduce pain, but they often don’t fix the underlying problem.

In fact, too much stretching can sometimes inhibit muscle function, weakening the support and stability muscles provide to your joints.

What’s the Better Approach?

Instead of simply chasing symptoms, it’s important to:

• Strengthen Muscles: Weak or underperforming muscles often need targeted strengthening to function properly.
• Address the Whole Body: Look for “weak links” in your movement patterns that might be creating stress or strain.
• Consider Other Factors: Mental, emotional, and even chemical stresses can lock your body into a protective posture that contributes to tightness and pain.

How We Can Help

At Frederick Chiropractic Wellness Center, we take a comprehensive approach to address muscle tightness and spasms:

• Thorough Assessment: We perform a detailed history and physical exam to understand how your muscles are working—and why.
• Customized Recommendations: You’ll receive a tailored plan that includes stretching, strengthening, mobility, and breathing exercises designed to reduce pain and improve function.
• Microcurrent Therapy: Frequency Specific Microcurrent therapy can help calm irritated nerves, reduce muscle tension, and support healing by improving cellular communication. This therapy is particularly effective for reducing pain and inflammation that contribute to spasms.
• Laser Therapy: Our low-level laser (LLLT) helps reduce inflammation, accelerate tissue repair, and improve circulation, creating an ideal environment for healing. This non-invasive treatment supports recovery and can ease the discomfort of tight, overworked muscles.
• Proactive Care: We focus on long-term solutions that keep you healthy and active, so you can feel confident in your body’s ability to move and heal.

If you’re tired of dealing with tight, irritated muscles that keep coming back, let us help you find the real solution. With the right plan—and advanced tools like microcurrent and laser therapy—you can move better, feel better, and stay active without relying on temporary fixes.

Ready to get started? Schedule an appointment today!