You don’t have to be a regular athlete or practicing any sport to have contractures . Older people and those who suffer from stress or lead a sedentary lifestyle can also be affected by this injury. Also, any bad posture is very likely to lead to a problem of this type.
When suffering a contracture, what we feel is muscle pain that greatly limits our normal body movements. Everything will largely depend on the severity of the contracture. There are different levels ranging from a minor discomfort to a serious injury that can completely paralyze muscle action .
To these situations of limitation of movements, other episodes must be added depending on the area of the body in which the contracture has been suffered. For example, if it is in the neck, the person may suffer dizziness, migraines, vertigo, etc. If the injury could not be diagnosed, it is likely that even the person believes that they have something more serious that causes these disorders.
Main muscle groups that can suffer a contracture
The muscle groups most prone to contractures are:
- Calf
- Reverse of the thigh
- Femoral biceps
- Quadriceps
- Back of neck
- Trapezius muscle
- Feet, hands and arms
- Abdomen
- Buttocks
- Shoulders and back
- Hip
On the other hand, when suffering a contracture, the extension of it must also be taken into account. The larger the size of the injury, the more complicated it is and will worsen the effects. It goes without saying that if left untreated it can lead to bigger problems. Some problems that would fundamentally affect the muscles and joints, to the point of leading to situations of arthritis, herniated discs, osteoarthritis and other similar consequences.
Symptoms and general causes of muscle contractures
The main symptoms suffered when suffering a muscle contracture are the following:
- Increased muscle tone
- Muscle shortening
- Decreased metabolism
- Minimized performance capacity
- Pain on pressure and contraction (feeling of a knot in the muscle) as if it were a burning
- Limitation of movements
- Inflammation of the affected area
As we mentioned at the beginning, the causes of a muscle contracture can be several. In general, they are derived from an overexertion when taking a load , due to an inappropriate posture or tension in situations of fear, stress, nervousness, anxiety, etc. The elderly and sedentary people are also prone to these muscular episodes.
Treatment
In addition, special care must be taken when suffering a contracture. At first, the pain may even disappear. However, the contracture continues to make an appearance again later. The best thing in these cases is to go to the physiotherapist as soon as possible to evaluate the injury. Especially considering that the contracture usually presents a very complicated diagnosis of origin.
The physiotherapist must take into account whether the contracture is chronic or an isolated event. Depending on the situation, he will exercise different treatments on the patient. Massages, stretching, changes in diet, and even medication. Medicines can speed up the healing process and make the pain go away.
Prevention
Any self-respecting athlete must follow a series of recommendations to try to prevent muscle contractures . First of all, a warm-up is necessary prior to any type of training or effort. In addition, it will be necessary to stretch before and after each exercise to benefit flexibility and muscle tone. In the cases of training with loads , these have to be carried out progressively.
As there are situations in which sports practice is not even necessary to suffer a contracture, there are also other recommendations to follow. For example, if you are a person who must spend a lot of time sitting in front of the computer, it is ideal that you change your position frequently and do some stretches from time to time.
In short, no one is exempt from being able to suffer a muscle contracture . It is necessary to know at all times the risks, symptoms, causes and treatments that can be carried out against them. Especially if it is a sports person or one who usually spends a lot of time in the same position.
