Muscle Disbalance, as well as Persistent Injuries

Muscle Disbalance, as well as Persistent Injuries

Although accidents can happen at any time and in any location, the workplace is by far the most common setting in which people are hurt. Because people spend 8–18 hours a day, 5-7 days a week, executing unidirectional (one-way) movement patterns, this causes an imbalance in the musculoskeletal system, which in turn leads to the overuse and underuse of particular muscle groups. As a result, the rate of injury is extremely high. These injuries, if not properly treated, have the potential to become chronic, which can result in discomfort and dysfunction that can endure for many years.

When one muscle group is overused, the opposing muscle group, which is supposed to act as a stabilizer, becomes underused. This happens most of the time. When this imbalance takes hold in the musculoskeletal system, the body is unable to perform its functions in the way they were intended. When this happens, instead of the muscles working together to execute a certain function, they work against each other. This causes the body to expend more energy in order to complete the same action that it had previously seen as "simple."

When muscles become too short and tight, they lose their strength because they are in a chronic semi-contracted state and are unable to contract (shorten) properly due to being pre-fatigued and the fact that they are already in a condition where they are too short for proper function. 

This is because they are in a state where they are insufficiently long to perform their normal function. If a muscle is already in a situation in which it is partially contracted and has begun to shorten, it will not be able to contract or shorten any more. And the stronger a muscle's ability to contract (shorten) and move, the greater its strength and endurance will be. 

Muscles that are chronically tight and restrictive do not perform very well, and they can impinge on structures around and beneath them, such as nerves and blood vessels. This can lead to conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome and cubital tunnel syndrome, as well as a wide variety of other linked repetitive strain injuries. In addition, short muscles pull bones out of alignment, which results in an imbalance in the joints. This imbalance frequently leads to severe discomfort and dysfunction.

The same is true for muscles that aren't used enough. The lack of direct stimulation that underdeveloped muscles receive causes them to be weak. The length of weak muscles is typically excessive, unless the muscles are in a condition of spasm. This is a preventive response that occurs in order to prevent the muscle from being overstretched. When the opposing muscle or muscles are activated, weak, underdeveloped muscles are unable to perform their function as effective stabilizers. 

This, in turn, leads to the development of joint imbalances because weak muscles are unable to keep bones in their correct position or alignment. Whether a muscle is short and tight or long and weak, the strength and length imbalance of the affected muscle(s) must be rectified for the body to perform at its peak potential without experiencing pain, dysfunction, or a reduction in the range of motion of the muscles or joints involved.

Muscle imbalances are the root cause of the vast majority of the body's biomechanical problems. In nine out of ten cases, the underlying cause of the condition is an imbalance in the muscles that already exists. These imbalances might range from carpal tunnel syndrome to thoracic outlet syndrome. There are far too many treatments that are based on the "band-aid principle," which lets the muscular imbalance continue for years with just sporadic moments of alleviation here and there. The moment has come to zero in on the actual "cause(s)" of these illnesses and do away with them completely. The vast majority of musculoskeletal diseases are highly treatable and can be cured quickly and permanently with the right exercise and stretching routine.

The method of correcting muscular imbalances involves doing a series of stretches and exercises in order to obtain the desired results. If a quicker pace of healing is needed, options such as soft-tissue massage and hot or cold therapy can be applied to help facilitate this process. Usually, the nature of performing both stretches and exercises within the same program can be extremely efficient at removing the current ailment without the addition of soft tissue treatment and hydrotherapy. 

This is because of the nature of how the body responds to both of these activities. A word of caution: there is a treatment sequence that must be followed in order to address muscle imbalances properly and produce the greatest possible outcomes. An individual runs the risk of doing more harm than good to themselves if they practice stretching and exercise routines at will.

When correcting a chronic muscular imbalance, the following program should be carried out in accordance with a general rule:

1. Heat Therapy: Use a heating pad for five minutes to warm the injured joint and the muscles that are surrounding it. This will get the muscles ready for the stretches and exercises that are coming up. (Make sure that the muscles on all sides of the joint and the ones that surround it are warmed up.)

2. Soft-Tissue Treatment: A soft-tissue treatment that makes use of effleurage and trigger point therapy to relieve muscular spasm and relax the tight, restrictive muscles that have been overworked can be particularly useful in correcting muscle imbalances. Using transverse friction massage (TFM) on specifically weak, injured muscles and/or tendons to break down adhesions in the soft tissues can also be very effective in reducing overall pain and dysfunction. (Performing basic massage on the tight muscles is the easiest way to address the issue without getting too complex.) (Using TFM on specifically weak, injured muscles and/or tendons to break down adhesions in the soft tissues can also be very effective.)

3. Establish a routine for extending Once the muscles have been warmed up, extending the tight, restrictive muscle group is the key to increasing their length, minimizing their impingement on the tissues around them, and reducing their effect on the joint's misalignment. (Stretching the frail and underdeveloped muscles is not advised because those muscles are already at their maximum length and do not require any more lengthening.)

4. The Exercise Routine Once the tight, restrictive muscles have been lengthened as a result of the stretches, it is time to exercise the opposing muscle group, the one that is weak and underdeveloped, in order to shorten and strengthen the muscles in order to reduce the tensile stresses that are imposed on them by the opposing tight muscle group. When you exercise and strengthen the muscles that are undeveloped or underdeveloped, it not only causes the opposing muscle group to relax and lengthen further, but it also helps to retain the length that was established in those muscles from the stretches that came before. You should not conduct stretches following the workouts because doing so causes the joints to become misaligned and causes the muscles to rebound. When treating chronic muscular imbalances, you should always begin by stretching, and immediately afterward, you should move on to performing exercises.

5. Contrast Bath: Utilizing a contrast bath at the end of the complete routine can be effective in reducing muscle spasm, removing toxins from the muscles, and increasing circulation and general nutrient flow to the injury, all of which serve to facilitate and increase the pace of healing. The basic technique consists of heating for three minutes and then cooling for one minute. Repeat this process three times, ending with the cold water.

This basic treatment program for chronic repetitive strain injuries that come from muscular imbalances is quite effective, and it frequently gets rid of all of the symptoms that were previously connected with the injury in a way that is both quick and effective. Always get clearance from a medical professional before commencing any kind of treatment or exercise regimen.

Always keep in mind that your health depends on you!