Muscle knots, or “myofascial trigger points,” occur at places where your muscles and nerves communicate with each other. The exact mechanism isn’t entirely clear, but essentially, a small portion of the muscle spasms, causing pain. The pain then triggers more spasms, which lead to more pain, locking the muscle in a pain-spasm cycle. To treat a knot, gently stretch the muscle, use a heating pad, or massage it to try to loosen the tension. (You can do this on your own—or treat yourself to a professional massage!)
READ MORE: What to Do for a Muscle Knot
