Contracture, also known as muscle cramp or spasm, is a sustained and involuntary contraction of a particular muscle or group of muscles.
The constant tension of the muscle or its fibers usually causes weakness, pain, or prevents normal movements.
Contracture can occur due to:
- Dehydration.
- Stretching or sudden movements.
- Stress or anxiety.
- Cold.
- Bad diet.
- Bad postures or forced postures and repetitive.
- Overtraining or overexertion.
- Trauma.
Although we can all suffer contractures, this condition is more common among athletes, since they are exposed to a higher level of physical impact on a daily basis , or in sedentary people, since their muscles are not trained and it is more difficult for them to function properly in front of different types of activities or physical efforts.
How to relieve the pain caused by a contracture
If you feel a muscle contracture or discomfort you can use the following tips to find some relief:
Self-massages
With the fingertips, pressure can be applied to the area where the contracture is located. In tune with breathing, the pressure can gradually increase until there is an increase in blood supply and the muscle relaxes.
To massage you can also use an anti-inflammatory cream or ointment. So the fingers run or the product penetrates the skin better.
Place heat in the area
To relax a contracted muscle, heat can be applied to the affected area during 10 to 15 minutes, either with a hot water bottle or a hot pack.
Important : between the hot pack or the hot water bottle and the skin has to be placed a towel so that it does not come into direct contact with the hot object. Otherwise, burns or skin irritation may occur.
Elongations
Depending on the area or contracted muscle, movements can be made to lengthen. For example, if you have a contracture at the level of the right side of the neck, you can take it to the left to stretch and relieve the contraction.
Breaths
Breaths They are usually accompanied by stretching or self-massage, as they help to gain ranges of movement and relax the body.
For example, when you perform a movement, take a deep breath through your nose, at the time of mobilize, do a short apnea and when you are reaching the final position of the movement, exhale gently through your mouth.
Professional treatment to relieve contractures
In some cases the contracture can be serious or prevent the patient perform the above movements. In that case, you can seek help from a healthcare professional, who will use different techniques and products to relieve pain:
Myofascial release
Myofascial release is a technique used to treat dysfunctions of the myofascial system, which cause pain and lack of mobility .
The fascia is a thin, elastic and hard connective tissue that envelops, supports and protects most of the structures within the body, including the muscles.
A myofascial restriction in a muscle, depending on the size and the area, causes the contraction of this to be weaker and there is a less range of motion.
Physiotherapy
Also called physical therapy, physiotherapy is a discipline that offers therapeutic treatment and non-pharmacological rehabilitation to prevent, diagnose and treat symptoms of different ailments.
The objective of this practice is to facilitate the development, maintenance and recovery of mobility and functionality of the patient’s body. To do this, it uses physical agents:
- Water.
- Electricity.
- Stretching.
- Cold / Heat.
- Laser.
- Massages.
- Traction.
- Ultrasound.
Complementary therapies
As its name indicates, complementary therapies are practices that can be administered alongside conventional medical treatment. To relieve contractures you can choose:
- Acupuncture: It is one of the oldest forms of medicinal practice in human history that is still used. It consists of penetrating the skin with small needles in specific points of the body, with the aim of stimulating certain nerve endings and alleviating different health conditions.
- Auriculotherapy : has medical principles similar to acupuncture, but focuses only on the ear. Magnetic microspheres attached with ear patches or micromassages are used to stimulate the reflex areas of the ear to affect the affected area of the body.
- Foot reflexology : according to this practice, the foot represents in a schematic way the whole body and its organs. By means of massage, the corresponding organs, joints or muscles can be influenced as a reflex. It is usually practiced by many physiotherapists, as it has good results and practically no side effects.
Medications
Health professionals may also recommend certain medications to relieve muscle contraction.
Among the most common are anti-inflammatories, such as ibuprofen or diclofenac, and muscle relaxants, such as benzodiazepines .
How to have strong muscles
To train or strengthen muscles and stimulate tendon recovery, it is essential to consume proteins, both of animal and vegetable origin.
The latter are optimized when combined with rice and other cereals. Carbohydrates and fats are also necessary sources for strong muscles. You can achieve this goal by incorporating these foods into your diet:
- Foods rich in magnesium: such as avocado, brown rice or millet, beans, peas, soy products, sunflower seeds, or yogurt, among others.
- Chard.
- Spinach.
- Fruit: especially the one that is rich in vitamin C, such as citrus fruits, strawberries, kiwis or mangoes.
- Nuts.
- Eggs.
- Fish: especially mackerel, sole or pink salmon.
- Chicken.
To remember:
Muscle contractures, cramps or spasms are contractions of the fibers of one or more muscles. They cause weakness, pain, and reduced movement.
It occurs more frequently among athletes or sedentary people, and its causes range from dehydration and poor diet, to forced postures, stretching or brute movements, and exposure to low temperatures.
To relieve contractures you can resort to personal care, such as self-massage, application of heat, or stretching, as well as professional treatments, such as physiotherapy , acupuncture, foot reflexology or the use of certain medications.
Sources consulted : US National Library of Medicine. , Mayo Clinic, National Institute of Complementary and Alternative Medicine.