How to cope with the consequences of muscle strain?

From time to time, each of us experiences fatigue. Sometimes it feels as if the body or some separate part of it is being squeezed in a vice, and this causes serious discomfort. Everyone has their own muscle relaxation techniques: some are sure that taking a warm bath is enough, some just need to sit in their favorite chair for a while, and some believe that the best medicine is sleep.

All these relaxation methods do provide a certain effect, but it is often short-lived, because the degree of muscle tension varies. It is worse if a person does not pay attention to such pressures, believing that everything will go away on its own. Muscle tone is useful in moderation, but its excess can lead to serious consequences.

So why is relaxation important, and what are the techniques for relieving muscle tension, we will tell you in this article. Go!

Benefits of muscle relaxation for humans

Relaxation (from the Latin relaxatio “relaxation”) is a decrease in skeletal muscle tone, which is achieved with the help of special techniques, exercises, physiotherapy and medications.

Relaxation is especially important for those who have increased muscle tension or a tendency to sudden changes in muscle tone, which leads to various diseases.

Good tone is a balance between muscle tension, contraction and relaxation. If it is followed, then the human body remains strong and flexible, but in fact most people experience muscle tension. And this applies not only to those who are interested in sports, but also to those who are constantly in an unstable emotional state.

The causes of muscle tension are:

1. Stressful situations: the muscles of the neck and shoulders, pelvic area and solar plexus area react to stress. Surely, before an exciting event, you felt as if a weight was hung on your shoulders or spasms appeared in the abdomen or chest, which made it even difficult to take a breath. It was so?
2. Hypothermia: a person, when faced with cold, is forced to retain heat inside himself by tensing certain muscles. Therefore, those who live in cold regions often experience muscle spasms, tightness and pain.
3. Sedentary lifestyle: we spend most of our lives in front of a computer at a desk or in a vertical position if work requires us to be on our feet. Can you imagine how stressful this is for our muscles? After all, probably not everyone watches their posture and periodically does a warm-up.
4. Increased physical activity: have you noticed how after a long workout some muscles begin to ache? Such pain does not always indicate the benefit of the work done, or rather, its cause may just be the incorrect technique of performing physical exercises [A. Vladimirova, 2020].

When a muscle spasms, the capillaries are compressed and the outflow of blood is disrupted, i.e. oxygen and glucose begin to flow in insufficient quantities. As a result, metabolic products accumulate, swelling appears, which causes pain. And if the clamp is not removed, there is a risk of cell destruction. Muscle tension has a negative impact on sleep, performance and can cause apathy and irritability.

Muscle tension makes it difficult for nutrients to reach the internal organs, which causes a decrease in immunity and worsens the external condition. Can you imagine what will happen to your face in a couple of years if you constantly strain its muscles? Simply put, the ability to relax muscles maintains health, beauty and helps maintain emotional well-being. That is why it is important to monitor muscle tone and maintain its balance [V. Varygin, 2021].

To relax the muscles, it is not always enough to take a vertical position and get enough sleep, because the situation can be so advanced that even in sleep the body cannot enter a state of relaxation.

There are several techniques that help relax muscles:

1. Osteopathy: a type of alternative medicine that implies that there is a certain connection between the functioning of organs and the musculoskeletal structure. Osteopaths relieve muscle tension by first determining the cause and source of tension.
2. Massage: Another relaxation technique. It is less precise than osteopathy, but more pleasant.
3. Thermal procedures: if cold causes muscle tension, then heat helps to relax them, so warm baths and saunas will come in handy if there are no contraindications [A. Vladimirova, 2020].

But there are several more effective relaxation techniques developed by scientists that you can put into practice yourself. Let's take a closer look at them.

Muscle tension. Muscle spasm

For the human body to perform work, its muscle tissue in normal condition must be smooth and elastic. Depending on his will, muscle tissue can be equally tense or equally relaxed. But we constantly encounter a situation where, in various places on the human body, areas (or even groups of muscle fibers and entire muscles) may appear in which tension, regardless of the desire of this person, is preserved and maintained. Such areas can be both large and very small; they can be recognized by consciousness as a spasm, tension, or they may not be noticed at all.

What is the harm from muscle tension and spasms?

1. The first answer to this question lies on the surface: if a muscle is in spasm, it compresses blood vessels and nerve fibers. As a result, nutrition and energy-information exchange are disrupted both in the tissues of the muscle itself and in those internal organs to which nutrition and innervation are provided by compressed vessels and nerves. For example, in the neck area the vagus nerve is pinched; impulses do not pass through it to the pancreas, which causes a disruption of the innervation of the organ with corresponding enzymatic disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.
2. The second negative result: a spasmed muscle is a contracted muscle; maintaining it in a tense state requires ATP - certain energy costs. That is, maintaining the muscle in a state of tension consumes the body’s own energy, and the resulting tension not only does not bring benefit, but also harms the body (see point 1). Considering that the areas in which muscle tension has arisen can be quite extensive, and the tension is maintained constantly (even during sleep), the body’s energy expenditure on irrational and harmful work can be quite significant.

There is a third negative consequence, which we will talk about a little later.

Symptoms

Typically, when examined by a doctor, trigger (pain) zones can be found in the erector spinae or levator scapula muscle, in the trapezius muscle, as well as in some others. With muscle tension, the patient may feel:

• pain of aching, itching, pressing nature
• increased or decreased almost constant pain
• reflection of pain in the shoulder, eye, head
• inability to perform full range of arm movements or turn the head.

Causes

The main causes of muscle spasms are:

• osteochondrosis, as well as its manifestations, expressed in the form of protrusions, herniated intervertebral discs
• injuries and bruises of the spine, in which muscle tension occurs in response to pain and a trigger syndrome develops
• static muscle tension of a long-term nature, which can occur due to incorrect posture of a person sitting at a table or working at a computer, when carrying a bag on one shoulder (when one shoulder becomes higher than the other)
• emotional stress causing increased muscle tone.

Why do muscle tension and spasms occur?

Muscle spasms are painful, convulsive muscle contractions that occur involuntarily during or immediately after exercise.

The cause of spasms depends on various reasons and has not yet been fully studied. However, there are some common reasons that determine the nature of the origin of muscle tension.

Electrolytes

The hydration state of the human body plays a key role in the likely occurrence of muscle spasms. At the gym, you may notice people consuming vitamin drinks while doing exercises. They do this for a reason.

Vitamin drinks contain optimally balanced concentrations of sodium, potassium and calcium. These microelements have a beneficial effect on the functioning of muscles and nerves. If the balance of these electrolytes is disturbed (which is possible when a person sweats heavily), problems can arise.

The same thing can happen if you start drinking a lot of water during exercise. Many people do a set and immediately drink water, do the next set and drink again. At the same time, they are sure that in this way they are helping their body.

Everyone knows that the human body is three-quarters water. During intense exercise, sodium is released along with sweat, which does not replace anything. When a person drinks water, he replaces one released liquid with another, which is not similar - it lacks a key mineral component. This may be the reason why muscle function deteriorates.

In addition, when exercising in a very hot room, this process is complicated: not only does the person sweat more, but the heat also negatively affects the muscles. The result is weakness and fatigue.

Calcium level

Another reason for the appearance of blocks is low levels of calcium in the body. If calcium concentration decreases, the amount of intracellular fluid that surrounds muscles and nerves decreases. As a result, the nerve endings are subject to excessive irritation, and this, in turn, leads to spasms.

Muscle fatigue

After muscle tension, a period of relaxation begins, lasting longer than the contraction itself. But this relaxation process is based on sensory feedback that occurs between the spinal cord and muscles and connects the tendons and neuromuscular spindles.

If muscles are tired, they contract. This increases the load on the neuromuscular spindles and decreases the load on the tendons. If this happens at the same time, the process of proper muscle compression/relaxation is disrupted, which leads to spasm.

Large amount of carbohydrates

If a person follows a low-carbohydrate diet, this may affect the state of the muscular system. Therefore, it is necessary to remember that such a diet can lead to muscle spasms and avoid overexertion.

Where do muscle spasms come from?

Let's consider this example: with osteochondrosis, growths of bone tissue (having sharp edges) are formed along the edges of the intervertebral discs, the so-called osteophytes. These growths can easily injure surrounding tissues and nerves when making awkward turns or sudden movements. As a result of pain, the brain sends a command to tighten the surrounding muscles to protect the injured area. The stronger the pain, the greater the muscle tension. At the same time, the stronger the muscle tension, the more painful it is. A trigger syndrome occurs.

Two conclusions follow from this:

• In order to put a displaced vertebra in place, you must first relax the surrounding muscles
• muscle spasm is a response to pain.

Another example: a fracture occurred, and the surrounding muscles tensed in response to pain. The bone subsequently healed, but muscle spasm remained at the fracture site for life. It compresses blood vessels and nerves, thereby limiting mobility.

Thus, the first reason for the formation of muscle spasms can be attributed to all kinds of injuries, in which the muscles tense in response to pain and a trigger syndrome develops. For this reason, the formation of spasms can occur from birth due to birth injuries. In general, childbirth is very stressful for both the child’s body and the mother’s body. They can be very traumatic. Spasms of the cervical muscles (especially the suboccipital muscles), which disrupt the nutrition of the brain, very often occur in most people and persist for life as a result of birth injuries.

The second reason for the formation of muscle spasms is prolonged static muscle tension, which can occur when a schoolchild sits incorrectly at a desk, a person at a computer, or when carrying a bag on the same shoulder (in this case, one shoulder becomes higher than the other). If such tension is maintained for a long time, the phenomenon of inhibition occurs, the tense state for the cells becomes habitual. If a specifically tense area is not relaxed and mobilized, tension will remain in it constantly.

A third cause of muscle spasms may be emotional stress. To overcome a stressful situation at the moment of its occurrence, the body mobilizes all internal resources: muscle tone increases, heart rate accelerates, certain hormones are released into the blood, digestion slows down. This reaction is required for the survival of the organism - to ensure an appropriate reaction in threatening conditions. After overcoming the threat, the body returns to normal functioning and relaxes. But under certain circumstances there is no return to normal. This leads to the fact that a person seems to be in a state of stress all the time; muscle tension, which is characteristic of a stressful situation, becomes chronic for him. At the same time, the presence of muscle tone during chronic stress is far from its only negative consequence. In addition, disorders of the cardiovascular and digestive systems develop (up to the occurrence of serious diseases), a person becomes irritable, and his performance decreases.

When should you consult a doctor?

1. If the muscles are inactive and pain is felt during the first three days.
2. If muscle spasms in the back or neck are accompanied by numbness, tingling or weakness, you should consult a doctor immediately.

How to avoid recurrence of blocks, muscle tension and spasms.

The best way to prevent recurrent spasms is to keep the muscles strong, flexible and adequately conditioned. Before starting active physical exercise, do not forget about stretching and perform exercises to strengthen your muscles. Avid athletes should definitely consult with a coach who can correct the movement mechanisms that are necessary for this sport.

Progressive muscle relaxation

Edmund Jacobson (Jacobson), an American physician, psychiatrist and physiologist, published the book “Progressive Relaxation” in 1929, in which he described methods of muscle relaxation. In his opinion, after strong tension, the muscle itself deeply relaxes, and in order to achieve relaxation of the skeletal muscles, it is necessary to tense all muscle groups simultaneously or in turn. The doctor recommends tensing each muscle as much as possible for 5-10 seconds, and then concentrating on relaxation for 15-20 seconds.

Jacobson developed about 200 exercises for relaxation of even the smallest muscles of the body, but at the moment exercises are used only for 16 muscle groups, because this is considered sufficient to relax the body completely.

Here is the recommended sequence of working the muscles:

• right leg;
• right lower leg and foot;
• full right leg;
• left leg;
• left lower leg and foot;
• left leg completely;
• right hand;
• right forearm and hand;
• right hand completely;
• left hand;
• left forearm and hand;
• right hand completely;
• abdomen;
• breast;
• neck and shoulders;
• face.

If you are left-handed, then you need to start with your left foot.

The relaxation procedure itself is simple and the same for all muscle groups; the main thing is not to get confused in the sequence and learn to work with the muscle group that is necessary. Let's look at this as an example of working all the muscles in your right arm: Focus on the muscles in your right arm only, inhale and really tense them as hard as you can for about 8 seconds. Don't forget to use your hand muscles: your hand needs to be clenched into a fist.

Those who practice this technique for the first time often make the mistake of using other muscle groups. For example, in our case it could be the muscles of not only the right arm, but also the shoulder. Don’t be afraid to do something wrong, with experience you will learn to feel your body and concentrate.

The muscular skeleton is a single system, therefore, even if we tense only the muscles of the arm, we will automatically feel a slight tension in the forearm. At maximum muscle tension you will feel trembling and even pain, so be careful. Working on certain parts of the body, such as the back and legs, requires a conscious approach.

After you have maximally tensed the required area, you need to get rid of the tension - this is the most enjoyable part of the procedure. After 8 seconds, just sharply exhale and relax your muscles, and you will feel as if the tension is coming out of you through your fingertips. Focus on the difference in conditions and repeat the procedure after 15 seconds. As a rule, with repeated exercise the sensations intensify.

Full progressive muscle relaxation training can begin once you have learned to work a specific muscle group. It is recommended to practice twice a day for a week. If this time is not enough, increase the number of workouts.

After you achieve maximum relaxation, you can move on to training on a reduced schedule, which involves working with total muscle groups:

• lower limbs;
• chest and stomach;
• arms, shoulders, neck;
• face.

Simply put, you will not work separately with your right or left hand, but with both hands at the same time. It is important to focus on your breathing while doing the exercises: tension while inhaling, relaxation while exhaling. To “anchor” a state of maximum relaxation, it is recommended to say a word or phrase while exhaling: “let go of the situation,” “relax,” “everything is okay,” etc.

Here are some more tips to make the most of your practice:

1. Practice in silence, alone, eliminating all distractions.
2. Wear comfortable clothing and remove your shoes.
3. Do exercises before meals, do not smoke or drink alcohol before relaxation.
4. Practice before bed should be in addition to the main practice, because most likely you will not complete the exercises and fall asleep.
5. At the end of the exercises, do not immediately get up from the chair (if you did it while sitting). Close your eyes, count to five and only then slowly rise up. Due to the drop in blood pressure there is a risk of fainting [R. Richmond, 2017].

Relaxing with breathing

One of the reasons for muscle tone is stress. The abdominal muscles respond first to stimuli. These muscles, when tense, put pressure on the diaphragm during inhalation, which leads to a lack of oxygen in the body: it simply lingers in the upper part of the lungs and does not pass further. In this state, a person feels as if he can’t breathe, begins to get nervous, panics, and his breathing quickens, which only worsens the situation.

The abdominal breathing technique allows you to relax the abdominal muscles and restore the breathing process. It helps to avoid insomnia, depression and atherosclerosis and even get rid of some types of pain. A person can restore his condition in just three inhalations and three exhalations.

To do this, just do the following exercises:

1. Lie on your back, close your eyes and concentrate on your bodily sensations. Take a few breaths in and out and watch the reaction of your chest and abdomen.
2. Perform a cycle of slow inhalations and exhalations, go to your breathing pace, gradually getting rid of muscle tension.
3. With one hand, press lightly on your stomach and try to make your stomach lift and lower your hand. This way you will learn to regulate the air flow.
4. Inhale and, counting to ten, count the number of exhalations. Repeat the exercise for ten minutes.

Belly breathing has a positive effect on the nervous system, helps relieve tension during stress, lowers blood sugar levels and improves the body's condition after exercise.

Digestion also improves, the lungs are strengthened, and during breathing exercises the heart and internal organs are massaged. But this method of relaxation is not suitable for those who have high blood pressure, and it is best to start studying breathing practice under the supervision of specialized specialists [E. Mukhina, 2019].

So why is vertical (chest) breathing considered wrong? When we breathe with our chest, as we inhale, our chest and shoulders rise, which triggers the sympathetic part of the nervous system in the body. With proper breathing, the shoulders and chest remain motionless, only the stomach is involved.

Proper relaxation and tension of the intercostal muscles and working with the diaphragm will help you take full breaths and exhales. Try to exhale so that your stomach “sticks” to your back. Feel like you've squeezed all the air out of your lungs?

To reduce stress and relax your muscles, the 4-7-8 method is great: sit up straight, touch the back of your upper teeth with the tip of your tongue, and stay in that position throughout the exercise.

Now start counting: on the count of 4, inhale calmly and quietly through your nose. On the count of 7, hold your breath and exhale until the count of 8, making some sound. The exhalation should be longer than the inhalation.

You need to take 4 full breaths at a time. You can perform this exercise whenever you want, but it is not recommended to exceed the number of breaths in the first month of practice.

Another muscle relaxation exercise, the 365 method, can be done throughout the day or in between different activities. It's very simple: breathe at a rhythm of six cycles per minute (5 seconds inhale, 5 seconds exhale) for five minutes. Do this every day for a year (hence, by the way, the name “365 method”) [Rospotrebnadzor, 2020].

A useful technique for healthy breathing was developed by Alexandra Strelnikova, an opera singer and teacher. Initially, this technique was aimed at restoring the voice and getting rid of attacks of suffocation (the singer herself suffered from them), but it also has a beneficial effect on muscle tone.

When performing breathing exercises by A. Strelnikova, the neck, abs, legs, arms, shoulders, back and pelvis are involved. Exercises have a beneficial effect on the immune system, cleanse the bronchi, improve posture and are recommended as therapy for pathologies of the chest muscles.

Breathing exercises should be performed before meals or 1-1.5 hours after a meal. It is contraindicated for those who have high blood pressure, head trauma, internal bleeding, high temperature, or weakness.

And here are the exercises themselves:

“Palms”: this is a warm-up before starting a workout. Stand up straight and open your palms as if you are showing them to someone. Lower your elbows and keep your arms away from your body. Inhale noisily through your nose and at the same time clench your palms tightly into fists. As you exhale, open your palms and relax. Repeat the exercise 4 times and rest for 3 seconds. You need to do 24 repetitions.

“Nose”: stand straight, place your feet shoulder-width apart, keep your arms along your body. Bend forward, but do not touch the floor with your hands, while inhaling loudly and briefly through your nose during the second stage of the tilt, ending at the bottom point. Get up and repeat the exercise 8 times. The bends should be light and rhythmic; you do not need to bend as low as possible. Round your back and lower your head.

“Cat”: take a half-squat position and simultaneously turn your body and arms to the right, as if you are trying to catch something, and then to the left. Exhale naturally, your knees should be half bent, and make the turns at the waist. The exercise can be performed while lying in bed or sitting on a chair.

Shoulder Hug: Stand straight and bend your elbows, raising them to shoulder height. Hug yourself by the shoulders, spreading your arms in opposite directions. With each hug, inhale and exhale sharply through your nose. It is not recommended to perform this exercise in the first week of training; it is also contraindicated for those who have heart problems.

“Big Pendulum”: stand straight, place your feet at a distance slightly narrower than your shoulders. Bend forward as if you were trying to reach the floor with your hands and inhale. Without interrupting the exercise, straighten your body, lean back, hugging your shoulders with your arms. Inhale from the floor and exhale from the ceiling. Do not pause in breathing and do not increase the pace [I. Rudevich, 2020].

We recommend watching a video where the main cycle of breathing exercises by Alexandra Strelnikova is conducted by her student, Dr. Mikhail Shchetinin:

Gymnastics in the office

At work, many of us spend most of our time sitting at the computer. This has a detrimental effect on the muscles of the back and shoulder girdle, and can also impair blood circulation in the legs. Someone, on the contrary, spends their working day standing and thus overloads the muscles of the back and lower extremities.

This mode of operation is fraught with serious consequences, but they can be avoided if you regularly do certain exercises :

1. Relaxation of the neck muscles : slowly tilt your head first to the right and then to the left shoulder. Repeat the side bends 10 times, then do another 10 head tilts forward and backward. The exercise can be done while sitting at your desk or standing.
2. Gymnastics for the eyes: often, due to prolonged work at the computer, you may feel the heaviness of the eyelids, dryness and pain in the eyes. To get rid of discomfort, just switch your attention to another object and sit with your eyes closed for several minutes. It is best to turn your eyes in different directions, move them left and right, up and down and diagonally.
3. Relaxing the shoulder muscles: rotate your shoulders forward and backward 10 times in each direction.
4. Relaxing the back muscles : stretch your arms up, bringing your palms together, and bend to the right and left sides. You should feel your back muscles working. Perform 10 bends in each direction. Then stretch your arms forward and stretch to the right side, lock in this position for a few seconds and then stretch to the left.
5. Relaxing the arm muscles: rotate your wrists 10 times in each direction, shake your relaxed arms. Clench and unclench your fist, spreading your fingers as far apart as possible. Shake each finger and rotate it in different directions.
6. Relaxing the leg muscles: Straighten your leg, stretching it forward, and then bend it. Repeat the exercise 20 times on each leg. Move your feet in different directions (at least 15 times). Stand on your tiptoes and lower both feet at the same time from toe to heel. To improve blood circulation, perform calf raises with both legs while standing.

If you perform these exercises regularly 2-3 times a day, you can achieve the desired result faster. The main thing is to do them smoothly and not be afraid of possible discomfort at first (this is possible due to stiff muscles) [T. Mantulina, 2020].

Neck pain: back, front, back of the head, neck, right or left side

One of the most common problems of our time for “office plankton” (and not only) is neck pain caused by muscle strain.

Having sat at the computer all day, buried in gadgets on the way home and spent the evening on social networks, we often experience unpleasant sensations mainly in the back of the neck, shoulders, and back of the head. It is worth noting that pain from muscle overstrain is far from the main problem; what is much more dangerous is that constant overstrain of the neck muscles leads to a feeling of fatigue, disruption of the supply of nutrients and oxygen to the brain, salt deposits, pinched nerves, decreased vision, deterioration of blood supply to the muscles in in general, the appearance of headaches. It would seem that your neck is just tired, but in fact - you are turning into a broken and inoperable object! The most noticeable consequence of such conditions for the person himself is the premature appearance of wrinkles and swelling of the face. The fair half of humanity (and now often men as well) begins to spend a fortune on fighting the signs of aging in cosmetic stores and beauty salons, and without eliminating the main cause, they run cyclically in a circle.

Let's understand what are the main reasons why muscles become overstrained, what we can easily do to relax them and how to avoid the problem from recurring?

The experience of our clinic specialists suggests that in most cases, patients complaining of pain and burning in the neck, shoulders, arms, the area between the shoulder blades and in the back of the head, talking about a feeling of heaviness when “the arms hang like a troglodyte” and “like as if a carload of sacks of flour was unloaded” - they have an overload of the trapezius muscle, located from the base of the skull and ending at the medial edge of the scapula.

Why does my neck hurt? The main causes of neck muscle strain:

• incorrect body position when walking;
• prolonged sitting;
• incorrect body position when working with office equipment;
• habit of constantly looking at a smartphone or other device;
• incorrect posture;
• uncomfortable pillow;
• constant stress;
• inability to properly relax muscles.

If you constantly experience pain in the areas described above, the best solution would be to consult an osteopath to accurately determine the source of the problem! It is not difficult to determine that the problem lies specifically in the trapezius muscle: just “walk” your fingers with light pressure along this muscle and identify trigger points. When you hit a trigger point, the pain begins to spread throughout the muscle. Trigger points can be located at the base of the skull, directly on the neck, at the junction of the muscle from the neck to the shoulder, near the shoulder blades.

Effective ways to help you relieve neck muscle tension:

• Complete relaxation. Even if you do not have the skills and knowledge of relaxation techniques and techniques, a 20-30 minute stay in a quiet room, lying with your eyes closed, when, following slow and deep breathing, you will gradually relax every muscle, starting from the head. We do not encourage you to “learn Zen”, we recommend not to forget about relaxation!
• Massage. If you do not have the opportunity to attract a professional massage therapist to help you, do not ignore the “help yourself” principle. By independently warming up (at first stroking, then massaging in a circular motion) the neck muscles, then kneading the muscles (tapping with the pads of your fingers and pinching) you can achieve noticeable and significant effect. Self-massage is recommended for 5 minutes, ending with stroking along the muscle. Attention: be careful with massages from unqualified specialists and nuggets “from the Tumbu-Yumbu Islands”, unfortunately, we often have to save patients from the consequences of exclusive massage techniques...
• Simple exercises. To relieve stress from the neck muscles, we recommend the following complex: Slowly raise your shoulders as hard as you can up to your ears, fixate on a count of 1-5 and slowly lower them (3-5 times);
• Sit up straight, straighten your back, looking straight ahead, slowly turn your head with your chin to one shoulder, fixing at the end point for a count of 1-10, then turn in the other direction (1-3 times).
• Slowly tilt your head with your ear to the right and left shoulder, holding at the end point for a count of 1-10 (1-3 times);
• Raise your right arm up, bend it at the elbow, grab your right elbow with your left hand and gently pull it towards your head; at the end point, hold for a count of 1-5, repeat with the other hand;
• Squeeze your shoulder blades towards each other (10 times), then move your shoulder blades back (10 times).

What about yoga and meditation?

Yoga is one of the most popular and fashionable areas, which includes various practices that help normalize the state of the body, including the physical one. But the main task of yoga is to teach you to control your psycho-emotional state and relax. The greatest effect can be achieved if you combine yoga and meditative exercises that are aimed at working with the subconscious.

There are several basic relaxing meditative asanas that you can perform at home on your own:

Padmasana – Lotus Pose: This is one of the main asanas in yoga. Scientists consider it the most suitable pose for meditation. How to do it: sit on the floor or mat, cross your legs (your feet should be on opposite thighs and your knees should touch the floor), put your hands on your knees, keep your back straight, close your eyes and completely relax your body. The asana develops a sense of balance, relaxes muscles, leads to deep relaxation, calms the nerves and normalizes the cardiovascular and respiratory systems through slow breathing.

Siddhasana – Half Lotus: This is a simplified version of the lotus pose. Here, only one foot is placed on the thigh, and not both, as in the previous case. How to do it: sit with a straight back, bend your knees, press one foot to the perineum and to the floor, and place the other on the calf of the opposite leg, trying to reach your thigh with your fingers; Place your palms on your knees and make a circle with your thumb and forefinger; tilt your head to your chest, relax your neck and close your eyes. The benefits of this asana are identical to those of the lotus pose: the main effect is on strengthening the muscles of the back, spine and improving joint mobility.

Sukhasana: This asana is also called “Turkish pose”. Beginners are recommended to start practicing yoga with it, because... it is simpler than the asanas described above. Everything is very easy: get down on the mat, bend your left leg at the knee and press your foot to your thigh as close to your groin as possible; Bend your right leg too and place it on the floor parallel to your left and spread your knees wider.

Vajrasana: kneel down and “place” your pelvis on your heels, place your right palm on your right knee, your left palm on your left. The head, neck and spine should be in a straight line and vertical at all times. Relax your muscles, close your eyes and breathe slowly. Despite the fact that the exercise requires complete muscle relaxation, it strengthens the spine, leg muscles and makes the leg joints more flexible.

Shavasana (“dead pose”): this pose is one of the most important in yoga, because... helps achieve complete relaxation. Technique: lie on your back, stretch your arms along your body, but do not touch your body; spread your legs slightly to the sides, close your eyes and alternately relax the muscles of your arms, legs, pelvis, back, abdomen, chest and shoulders, and at the very end, relax your face and neck. You can do this exercise as much as you want, and when you come out of it, tense your muscles well and slowly stand up.

There are no contraindications for performing this asana. This is the best exercise for relaxation after mental and physical stress.

If you are new to yoga, then start with short practices: 1-2 minutes for each asana, gradually extending the time to 30 minutes [I. Kriksunova, 2018].

Yoga involves natural muscle relaxation through complete immersion in the process and achieving internal balance. If you perform asanas regularly, then a bonus to all the benefits of exercise will be the development of body flexibility.

Practice meditation before and after yoga, such as breathing exercises. This will help you relax faster. Or perform the “Ajapa-japa” (“Mantra-meditation”) technique: take a comfortable position. You can lie down or stand up, the main thing is that your back should be straight. Focus on your breathing, feel how the air passes through your nostrils or how your stomach and chest move as you breathe.

Then concentrate on the sound of air entering and leaving your nostrils. When you inhale, pronounce the syllable “so”, and when you exhale, pronounce “ham”. These sounds are similar to the natural sound of breathing. Your task is to hold the sensation of breathing, its sound, and at the same time repeat these two syllables to yourself. It is recommended to perform this practice for 5 minutes or more [M. Gorshetchenko, V. Zobnina, 2020].

By the way, have you heard anything about post-isometric muscle relaxation? The main meaning of such relaxation is a combination of isometric muscle tension (at this stage the breath is held) and their further stretching (occurs as you exhale in a relaxed state). As a result of such manipulations, hypotension is achieved - muscle relaxation.

Let's look at how to achieve post-isometric relaxation using the example of Hatha yoga asanas:

1. Iliopsoas muscle: Lie on your back, bend your left knee and clasp your knee with both hands. The right leg should lie straight on the surface. As you inhale, lift your right leg off the surface for 5-7 seconds. As you exhale, lower your right leg to the floor and pull your left knee towards you.
2. Gluteus maximus: Lie on your back, bend your left leg at the knee and clasp it with your hands under the knee. Place the foot of your right foot on the knee of your bent leg (the bent leg should lift off the floor surface). As you inhale, apply resistance with your right foot to your knee (no more than 7 seconds). As you exhale, pull the “structure” towards you. Repeat the technique with the other leg [Yu. Kukoleva, 2021].

You can find many video tutorials on this topic on the Internet. Look at this one for example:

Psychoisometric muscle relaxation is used not only in yoga, but also as a separate relaxation technique.

Don’t forget that the point of such practices is complete mental and physical relaxation. If you fail to “switch off” during exercise, you will not be able to achieve the desired effect.

Pain in arm muscles

General information

The muscles of the arm are divided into the muscles of the shoulder girdle, shoulder and hand. Muscles of the shoulder girdle: The deltoid muscle begins with a wide aponeurosis from the clavicle, scapular region and acromion of the scapula and is attached to the upper edge of the humerus. The scapula is covered by the supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles.
Both muscles cover the back of the scapula; with a wide aponeurosis they are attached along the entire edge of the scapula and end at the greater tubercle of the humerus. The greater tubercle of the humerus faces outward and the muscles attached to it rotate the shoulder outward. On the anterior side, which faces the ribs, the scapula is covered by the subscapularis muscle . It is attached to the lesser tuberosity of the humerus and, contracting, rotates the shoulder inward. The subscapularis, infraspinatus and supraspinatus muscles are assisted by the teres major and minor muscles. Elbow flexion is produced by the biceps brachii and internal brachialis muscles. The biceps muscle begins with two heads. The first begins in the bag from the articular surface of the scapula in front, the second - from the coracoid process of the scapula. This muscle lies on the anterior surface of the shoulder and is attached under the head of the radius; it flexes the forearm, helps rotate the forearm palm up, and elevates the shoulder. Underneath it lies a shorter one, the internal brachialis muscle. It begins under the deltoid muscle on both sides of the humerus and attaches to the coronoid process of the ulna. Shoulder muscles:

• supraspinatus;
• infraspinatus;
• small;
• big;
• subscapular.

They control the movements of the shoulder and keep it from dislocating. Particularly important in this regard are the supraspinatus muscle, which is short and strong, and the deltoid muscle on top of the shoulder . In the space between the biceps and triceps muscles lie:

• brachial artery;
• brachial veins;
• deep lymphatic vessels and nerves.

All large vessels lie in the internal groove separating the biceps from the triceps muscles . The external groove is less deep, and the external saphenous brachial vein passes through it. Myalgia is spontaneous or palpation-induced muscle pain. Pain in the arm muscles occurs in many diseases. Pathogenetically, pain in the arm muscles is associated with impaired permeability of muscle cell membranes, swelling or inflammatory changes in the muscles. Pain in the arm muscles can occur in practically healthy people after heavy physical (unusual) work or during overtraining in athletes. In these cases, moderate swelling and hardening of the overloaded muscles are often observed.

Causes of pain in arm muscles

Pain in the arm muscles may be the initial manifestation of polymyositis, which subsequently develops muscle weakness, mainly in the proximal parts of the arm, and moderate muscle wasting. Polymyalgia rheumatica is known , which is characterized by pain and tension initially in the muscles of the neck and shoulder girdle, then spreading to the muscles of the pelvic girdle and lower extremities. Pain in the arm muscles often occurs with other infectious diseases , in particular with:

• flu,
• brucellosis,
• parasitic myositis (with trichinosis, cysticercosis, toxoplasmosis),
• intoxication (alcohol, lead, carbon monoxide)
• metabolic disorders (diabetes mellitus),
• glycogenosis,
• primary amyloidosis.

Arm muscle injury

Vigorous physical activity, even in athletic people, can tear a muscle or tendon. In this case, there is a sudden acute pain in the muscle , swelling and tenderness on palpation. Pain in the arm muscles during exercise is characteristic of metabolic muscle lesions, such as a lack of enzymes involved in glycolysis, most often accompanied by the development of contractures. In most patients with complaints of pain in the arm muscles that occur during or after exercise, no clear pathological changes are detected. Pain in the arm muscles can occur in case of infectious diseases caused by influenza and Coxsackie viruses. The terms fibrositis , fibromyalgia and fibromyositis are synonymous, used to describe lesions accompanied by acute pain and tenderness on palpation of the muscle and adjacent connective tissue. Local “trigger points” of pain can be detected, and general symptoms often occur in the form of severe weakness, insomnia and depressed mood.

Muscular rheumatism

Muscular rheumatism develops in people over the age of 50 and is characterized by tension and pain in the muscles of the shoulder and pelvic girdle. Despite the localization of pain in the muscles, there is convincing evidence that arthritis of the proximal joints develops with this disease.

Patients often exhibit effusions in the knee and other joints, deep muscle atrophy due to inactivity of the limb. In addition, they complain of weakness, which gives reason to suspect the presence of polymyositis. Peripheral nerve diseases can also cause pain in the arm muscles. With neuralgia, pain is paroxysmal in nature and occurs along the nerve fibers. In the intervals between attacks, there is practically no pain, and the painful attack itself can last from several seconds to several minutes. The most severe pain occurs when the arm muscles become inflamed . Myositis is a rather serious disease that must be treated under constant medical supervision. Myositis is inflammation of skeletal muscles. It can occur as a complication of various diseases, such as influenza. A common cause of myositis is muscle overstrain due to unusual physical activity or injury to the arm muscles.

With myositis, aching pain appears in the muscles of the arms, which intensifies with movement. Often, dense nodules or cords are felt in the muscles. With an open injury, due to infection, purulent myositis develops, which manifests itself:

• increased body temperature;
• chills;
• gradual increase in pain;
• swelling;
• tightening and tension of the muscle.

A peculiar form is parasitic myositis, which occurs when muscles are damaged by parasites (Trichinella, cysticerci, Toxoplasma) and is characterized by fever .

Pain in the arm muscles can be caused by an infectious bone disease such as osteomyelitis . The pain in this disease is acute and prolonged. In this case, the cause of pain is the bones themselves. Arm muscle cramps are involuntary contractions of individual muscles or muscle groups. To stop them, it is recommended to relax your muscles. To do this, just lie down or sit down, thereby changing the position of the limb, and strongly rub the cramped muscle with your hands. Then apply a towel soaked in cold water or stand with your bare feet on the cold ground. Fibromyalgia can occur in a variety of locations, but it most often affects the back of the head, lower back (lumbago), neck, shoulder area, chest, and thigh areas near the knee joint. This pain occurs mainly in women. It can be caused or aggravated by physical or mental overload , sleep disturbances, trauma, dampness or cold, and sometimes systemic, usually rheumatic diseases . If pain occurs in the arm muscles, seek help from a neurologist or traumatologist.

Summarize

The most common cause of muscle tension is stress. This is understandable: today’s rhythm of life presents us with various surprises, which we cannot always avoid. As soon as you allow negative thoughts or fear, the body immediately turns on the readiness mode to fight the enemy, tensing its muscles. It’s not for nothing that they say that all diseases are caused by nerves, because in this way we do not allow the body to function properly and disrupt its natural processes.

In fact, everything is simple: to eliminate pain and spasms in muscles and relax, you need to identify the source of anxiety and learn to control your emotions. Just for this, we have an online program “Mental Self-Regulation”, where you will learn to cope with stress, difficult relationships, anxiety and fear and other “inhibiting” factors.

Avoid physical overload, don’t get nervous over trifles and remember that your health is a treasure and needs to be protected!

Good luck!

We also recommend reading:

• Storytelling
• The main ideas of Konstantin Stanislavsky
• 10 Popular Exercises to Relieve Stress
• What to do with psychological problems?
• Systematic desensitization of Joseph Wolpe
• Methods of mental self-regulation
• Is it possible to do without a psychotherapist?
• Methods of mental self-regulation: save yourself
• Isometric exercises
• How to learn to relax: effective relaxation techniques
• How to run correctly

Key words:1Psychoregulation

Why do muscles feel tense when they are not actually tense?

So why can muscles feel tense even if they are physically relaxed? I think we can use the concept of pain as an analogy here. Pain can exist even in the absence of tissue damage because pain results from the perception of a threat, and perception is not always true. Pain is essentially an alarm, and alarms sometimes go off even when there is no real danger.

Perhaps a similar logic is present in the case of feeling muscle tension. This feeling occurs when we unconsciously perceive (correctly or incorrectly) that there is a threatening condition in the muscles that requires correction of movements.

So what is this threatening condition that the feeling of muscle tension is trying to warn us about? Of course, this is not just the presence of tension, because muscles are designed to generate tension, and we often feel tension in the muscles, and then they completely relax.

Those. Tension itself is not a threat, but lack of adequate rest or blood flow can be, which can cause metabolic stress and activate chemical nociceptors. Thus, the problem that the feeling of tension is trying to warn us about may not be the existence of tension, but the frequency of tension (lack of rest) or lack of blood flow (especially to the nerves, which are very “bloodthirsty”).

With that in mind, I think of the feeling as tight and as a type of pain, perhaps too mild to be called pain, but it's definitely bothersome. True, it has a certain feature that forces a person to change his resting position, move or stretch, which is fundamentally different from pain behavior, which is characterized by a desire for immobility. In other words, pain can limit our mobility, while the feeling of tension forces us to move.