What Causes Muscle Stiffness and How Can a Woodstock Chiropractor Help?
Is muscle stiffness stopping you from living your life to the fullest? Muscle stiffness limits mobility and weakens spirits, causing many people to be more sedentary. Having a reliable Woodstock chiropractor is a great way to loosen stiff muscles and get back on your feet!
From sports injuries to strains, there are many things that cause stiff muscles. Ribley Family Chiropractic explains what causes muscle stiffness and how chiropractors treat it.
What Is Muscle Stiffness?
You may hear the terms “muscle stiffness” and “muscle tension” used interchangeably. These two terms refer to tension in your muscles that makes them feel tight and uncomfortable. Stiff muscles are tense and hard to move, making it difficult to exercise, play sports, or perform normal physical activities.
Causes of Muscle Stiffness and Tension
Muscle stiffness has a wide array of causes. Some are easy to identify and address, while others require medical treatment. The following are the most common causes of muscle tension.
Soft Tissue Injuries
Soft tissue injuries are a common culprit behind muscle stiffness. You might injure your muscles during a sports game, exercise, or even just playing around. Whatever the cause, an injury to the soft tissue causes inflammation in the muscles that produces a tightening effect.
Injuries to the spine are another cause of muscle tension. When vertebrae slip out of alignment, the surrounding muscles tense up to provide additional support for your posture and movement.
Strenuous Exercise
Are you putting in extra hours at the gym? Extensive exercise puts added strain on the muscles, which causes some stiffness. Muscles acclimate to certain levels of exercise, so jumping into a rigorous new workout routine increases the risk of muscle tension.
Exercise is more likely to cause muscle stiffness if you forget to stretch beforehand. Without stretching, the muscle strains to accommodate certain movements, causing more pain and swelling.
Medical Conditions
What causes muscle stiffness outside of physical activity? Stiff muscles are a symptom of many different medical concerns. One example of this is lupus, an autoimmune disease that causes flare-ups of inflammation throughout the body.
Another condition that causes stiff muscles is Lyme disease. Lyme disease causes aches and tension throughout your entire body, including in the soft tissues. Many people with Lyme disease suffer from neck and back stiffness.
How Chiropractors Address Muscle Stiffness
Chiropractors can help relieve muscle tension. Depending on the affected areas, your chiropractor performs adjustments to re-align your bones and joints, relieving pain and discomfort from the surrounding soft tissue. Chiropractors also perform massage therapy to break down hard muscle knots and relax tense bands of muscle.
Contact Ribley Family Chiropractic To Manage Your Stiff Muscles in Woodstock, GA
Many people in Woodstock experience muscle stiffness at some point. Now that you know what causes your muscle stiffness, you can find proper relief! Ribley Family Chiropractic offers a variety of treatments for managing muscle pain and stiffness. Contact the team today to schedule your consultation appointment.