Why are my muscles rigid? Stress?

As I explored last week, muscle rigidity  is characterised by the inability of one or more of your muscles to relax normally.  One cause of muscle rigidity is stress.

Stress can significantly affect the body, including the muscles and joints. As a part of the stress response, the body releases hormones like cortisol and adrenaline which can cause the muscles to tighten and become more sensitive to pain while increasing inflammation.

When stress levels are high or stress is sustained over a significant length of time, the brain continues to send nerve signals telling the muscles to contract even when the muscles are no longer needed for movement. This can sometimes last for several hours or days. The longer your muscles remains contracted, the more pain you’ll feel.

When muscles are contracted over a sustained period of time they become rigidity, often due to stress.

In clinic, I frequently see this as rigid neck and shoulder muscles, which are often painful and frequently lead to restricted or painful movement.

If muscle rigidity is affecting you, and you would like to book a massage, click here.

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