What on Earth Is a Muscle Knot? (And Why Does It Feel Like You’ve Got a Pebble in Your Shoulder?) Cardiff Chiropractor Explains

Ever felt like your shoulder has a rock in it? Or your back has a spot that hurts when you press it, and somehow your leg joins the pain party too? Congrats, you’ve probably got a muscle knot — a mysterious little bundle of tension that has confused scientists and therapists alike.

Let’s unravel this twisty topic together. Don’t worry, we’ll keep it simple, light-hearted, and as jargon-free as possible (with only a few science-y bits to keep it spicy).

So... What Is a Muscle Knot, Anyway?

Imagine your muscle is like a smooth ribbon. Now imagine someone tied a tiny knot in that ribbon. That’s basically what a muscle knot feels like, a tight, grumpy clump of muscle fibers that just won’t chill out.

These are often called trigger points by therapists (because they can “trigger” pain in other places). But don't let the name fool you, there's no actual knot you could untie with tweezers. It's more like a tight band of muscle that’s stuck in contraction, like your muscle is clenching its tiny fists and refusing to let go.

How Do Muscle Knots Happen?

There are a few usual suspects:

• Sitting like a shrimp at your desk for 8 hours a day

• Lifting weights with enthusiasm but poor form

• Sleeping like a pretzel

• Carrying toddlers (or bags of shopping) on one side all day

• Stress, turns out your shoulders do try to become earrings under pressure

When muscles are overworked, injured, or used too much without a break, some of their tiny units (called sarcomeres) can get stuck in a shortened, tense state. Blood flow can’t get in easily, waste products can’t get out, and the muscle gets cranky, like a muscle hangover. This spot becomes sensitive, sore, and sometimes sends pain to other areas. That’s why a knot in your back might cause a headache.

But Are These "Trigger Points" Even Real?

Ah, the million-pound question.

If you ask therapists, they’ll say, “Yes, of course!” They've felt them, seen them disappear with treatment, and watched patients walk away smiling.

Ask some scientists, though, and you'll get a skeptical eyebrow raise. Why? Because:

We can’t always see knots on scans like MRI or X-rays.

Different people might find different knots in the same patient.

And in some studies, fake treatments worked just as well as real ones (the power of the placebo is strong).

But here’s the kicker: newer tools like ultrasound elastography (fancy sound wave imaging) can show stiffer, grumpier bits of muscle where trigger points are supposed to be. Plus, chemical studies have found inflammation and pain signals in those areas. So maybe they’re real, just sneaky.

How Do They Cause Pain?

Muscle knots are overachievers. They don’t just hurt where they live, they often send pain to other places. This is called referred pain.

Some classics:

• A knot in your neck causing headaches

• A knot in your glutes (bum muscles) causing leg pain

• A knot between your shoulder blades stabbing you in the chest

This makes diagnosing them tricky, but luckily, here at Corbin Chiropractic, we’ve got the touch (literally) to find the real troublemakers.

What’s Happening Inside a Knot? (Science-y But Friendly)

Inside a muscle knot, a few things are going down:

The muscle fibers are stuck in contraction, like someone holding a flexed bicep forever

Blood flow is poor, so oxygen and nutrients can’t get in

Nasty stuff like bradykinin and substance P (pain-causing chemicals) build up

Nerves get irritated, so even light touch can feel sore

It’s like a muscle traffic jam, and your body’s shouting, “Fix this mess!”

Are You Saying It’s All in My Head?

Sort of... but not in a dismissive way!

Some pain experts think part of the problem is how the brain and nervous system process signals. If the brain is on high alert (from stress, lack of sleep, or injury), it can amplify normal sensations into pain. This doesn’t mean the pain isn’t real — it just means your brain is being a bit dramatic. We’ve all been there.

So What Can We Do About Them?

Plenty! At Corbin Chiropractic, we’ve got an arsenal of techniques to help:

Massage therapy to release those stubborn knots

Chiropractic adjustments to improve mobility and reduce tension

Dry needling (think acupuncture with a coffee, also currentlyunavailable atm) for deeper trigger points

Stretching and movement coaching so they don’t come back

And of course, lifestyle tips so you don’t repeat the same muscle crimes

Final Thoughts: Muscle Knots, Real, Imagined, or Somewhere in Between?

The truth? They’re probably a bit of both. There’s growing evidence that muscle knots (aka trigger points) are real bits of unhappy tissue — but they also involve your brain, your stress levels, your posture, and your habits.

The good news? They’re very treatable. And we’re here to help untangle the mystery, and your muscles.

Still feeling knotted up?

Come visit us at Corbin Chiropractic in Cardiff, we’ll help you feel looser, lighter, and hopefully laughing just a little along the way!