Chronically tight muscles can cause pain in the lower back, neck and upper spine. Muscles that are constantly tightened isn’t normal. In this article, we will explain why muscle tightness occurs and what can be done to relieve it.

In my 35-year career as a chiropractor, I have heard patients complain of constant tension or stiffness in their muscles. We’ll discuss what normal muscle function is.

Muscles are attached to the bones. Our bones move when muscles contract. When we overuse muscles, the soreness and spasm can occur. It could be mild or severe. This type of muscle tightness usually eases after a few days, as the body begins to heal itself. If their muscles feel tight and sore after an overuse injury, I advise them that it is likely to diminish in 24 to 72 hours. It is the normal process of muscle healing.

Some people, on the other hand, complain of muscles being tense and stiff all the time. The pain may worsen at certain times, then subside, but the problem never disappears. It is an indication that there is something wrong.

A professional baseball pitcher had visited me. The patient had recently joined the baseball team of my city. He complained of constant tension in the upper back muscles. It was affecting his ability to throw normally. He told me that he’d tried to fix the problem before. He told me that the trainers in his team had massaged him and helped him to stretch. It gave him temporary relief, but did not completely solve the problem. He had spasms in the upper and lower back muscles. This was due to a more serious problem. My examination revealed that his spinal bones in the neck and upper spine were misaligned. He had tight muscles and spasms because his body was trying to correct the spinal misalignment.

My muscles had been in spasm and chronically tight because they tried to protect deeper spinal misalignments. While we may not like to have sore and tight muscles, they do protect us against the worsening of our condition.

The misalignment of his neck and upper spine was corrected by me using chiropractic spinal adjustment. He immediately relaxed and felt his muscles loosen after the first treatment. The trainer said, “Wow! They never did that to me before!” In response, I told him that chiropractors were the most qualified healthcare professionals to treat spinal misalignment through chiropractic manipulation and adjusting. After several treatments, his muscles relaxed enough to allow him to pitch normally.

The majority of people find that a chiropractic adjustment helps to release tight muscles. How many visits are needed to relieve pain from tight muscles depends on the severity of the condition as well as how long a person has had it.

Summary: Tight and painful muscles will heal with a couple of days rest. It is perfectly normal. If muscles are tight or stiff, in spasm, and cause chronic pain, it’s most likely because of a spinal misalignment. It is wise to get safe and gentle chiropractic treatment for relief of muscle pain if this applies.