What causes muscle cramps?

Chair sitting is unique in that Gluteus maximi are totally relaxed at the same time as having an upright torso, and they are therefore not able to contribute to lumbar extension and back stabilization as they usually do. Without the help of the Gluteal muscles, the Erector Spinae muscles above become tired and painful in a very short time, and give up fighting to maintain the correct "hollow" in the lumbar spine. The diagram on the left indicates what happens to three key muscles when you spend long periods of time sitting. The Hamstrings (H) are shortened by sitting.  Also, during sitting, the Gluteus Maximus (GM) is relaxed and unable to tension the lumbosacral fascia.  This means the Errector Spinae (ES) muscle group must therefore perform the entire lumber extension workload. This article discusses the link between lower back pain and the following muscle problems:-

1. Shortening of the hamstring muscle.
2. Overworking of the Erector Spinae muscle group and the development of trigger points.
3. Overworking of the Iliopsoas muscle group and the development of trigger points.

• Diffuse achy - type pain radiating out from the groin area to the lower back, and possibly around to the side of the hip and the butt area. If the trigger points in the groin are not pressed, the pain is not sharp or stabbing.
• Relief of pain is often experienced by sitting down.
• Worse upon lengthening the iliopsoas, i.e. when one stands up, or straightens the hip joint.
• Worse for doing situps.
• Worsened by externally rotating the hip (i.e. making the knee cap look outward) when the hip joint is fully extended.
• In patients with sciatic nerve pain, lying flat on one's back with the legs out straight causes the trigger point tightened iliopsoas to compress the lumbar vertebrae together, with the result that the nerve roots of the sciatic nerve are compressed too.
• When lying flat on one's back, doing a straight leg raise reveals weakness on the affected side.
• In patients with sciatic nerve pain due to nerve root compression, lying flat on one's back with legs out straight stretches that trigger point tightened iliopsoas. The result is that the iliopsoas compresses the lumbar vertebrae together, and the the nerve roots of the sciatic nerve are compressed at the same time.

Obviously I am a firm believer of massage in the workplace, so I will start by acknowledging my bias on the topic.  What people may not know is that during the many years working in IT, I suffered from a verity of neck and shoulder issues.  This lead me to go to see a GP, chiropractor, osteopath and masseur.  While they all helped, what was most beneficial to me was regular seated acupressure neck & shoulder massage which helped me nip the tension and the problems in the bud. We all know getting a massage feels great. Once your massages starts, the nerve cells in your skin send messages to your brain to release feel-good endorphins .  As a result stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline begin to decrease and the other all effect is to boost your mood and give you a natural high.  On a physical level the tension and tightness in the muscles begin to release. This means your awareness shifts so your mind and body can function better.  Researches find your mind gets de-cluttered helping you to think more clearly, improve your alertness which leads to improve performance. So why not book a massage see>> http://vitalitytherapy.co.uk/booking

Previously I explained the scientific theory for  "How does massage reduce muscle pain?" in the short term .  But what about the long term? I would like to introduce to you the "descending pain suppression mechanism." The brain is not a passive receiver of sensory messages, but rather a centre that interprets them and makes constant adjustments accordingly. For example, everyone knows that the way you perceive pain will be influenced by whether you focus on it or think of something else instead. And it seems reasonable to suppose that evolutionary selection may have favoured those individuals who could ignore pain signals for long enough to take actions that let them escape and survive danger.

Unpleasant cutaneous sensations stimulate nuclei within the mid brain.  These nuclei in turn initiate activity in the descending spinal tracts that release endogenous opiates (inhibitory neurotransmitters) within the spinal segment receiving the painful input.  This diminishes the intensity of the pain transmitted to the higher centres. Sports and Deep Tissue massage techniques can reinforce a naturally occurring discomfort, causing much greater release of opiates and achieve a more profound pain suppression.