muscle knots/spasm

[goldfinch]

Back in my working years I spent hours leaned over a desk and had a high stress job. I frequently would get a knotted muscle below my left shoulder near the shoulder blade. I also would get tension headaches frequently. My then spouse was pretty good at working out the knots. I would do light neck "exercises" (slowly turn head to right, then to left, then look down. Very slowly) to try to keep my neck and shoulders relaxed but it often was a losing battle.

Then I retired and the problem about disappeared. Now I am finding that the same area knots up in my upper back and my shoulder s get hard as rock when I ride by bke. Not always, but sometimes. It can be extremely painful and keep me awake at night. I have been fitted to the bike and I am trying to watch my bike posture. I think that I have two issues. One is inadvertently tensing up. The other is lack of core strength, given that I am coming from a place of no fitness only months ago. Any suggestions for relaxing and strengthening? I live mostly in a motorhome on the road a lot so I can't join a gym or carry around any significant equipment.

[Sky King]

my knot is on my right shoulder blade and is from computer work and sleeping in the wrong position, aggravated when riding. Someone posted a great thought pattern (sorry can't remember who or when) about thinking about putting your shoulder blades into your back pocket. I have found that helpful when riding.
Exercises - raise both arms out in front of your body, keep shoulders level and relaxed. Reach out with one arm at a time- which moves your shoulder forward, keeping elbows locked.

#2 raise arms in front of body, bend arms at elbows 90 degrees. palms together and forearms together, place your thumbs on your forehead and lift your elbows toward the sky, w/o tilting your head or arching your back.
#3 stand in a door way, reach up and back to grab the frame (you will be adjusting your body, forward and at angles) as you are holding onto the doorway with your arm fully extended, turn your body to feel the pull across your chest, hold for two seconds and repeat, start low and continue higher as your arms & chest loosen up.
Good luck!

[goldfinch]

Thanks for the tips! I just tried them out.

[marni]

front and side planks, one legged and 2 legged are an excellent all around core exercise that just take floor space occupied by your body. Also V ups, long slow controlled curls up and down with feet just slightly off the floor. Pushups, modified but preferably full body are good as well

good luck with that, as for lossening up, shoulder rolls front and back, arm swings and head and neck rolls ususally feel pretty good.

marni

[goldfinch]

front and side planks, one legged and 2 legged are an excellent all around core exercise that just take floor space occupied by your body. Also V ups, long slow controlled curls up and down with feet just slightly off the floor. Pushups, modified but preferably full body are good as well

good luck with that, as for lossening up, shoulder rolls front and back, arm swings and head and neck rolls ususally feel pretty good.

marni

Thanks. I just started with the front plank. I can't do the side. I also can't do a full push up and struggle with the modified. Goes to show how far I have to go. V ups? Don't know what that is.

[goldfinch]

#2 raise arms in front of body, bend arms at elbows 90 degrees. palms together and forearms together, place your thumbs on your forehead and lift your elbows toward the sky, w/o tilting your head or arching your back.


This feels really, really good, like it stretches out my hunched shoulders. Thanks.

[KathiCville]

While you're scouting around for answers and help, you might want to get hold of a copy of this book: The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook. [ http://www.amazon.com/Trigger-Point-Therapy-Workbook-Self-Treatment/dp/1572242507 ]

I've been dealing on and off for years with a painful neck/shoulder/arm scenario, thanks to way too much time spent hovering over a keyboard. In the course of trying to find some relief, I came across this book. It's great at explaining why the knots develop, WHERE they are, how they refer pain to unexpected place, and---best of all---how to work on them yourself using simple items like a hard lacrosse ball or a Theracane.

Although I'm not as diligent as I *should* be about dealing with all my knots, I pull out the book pretty regularly to remind myself of what I need to work on. One of the most enlightening bits has been learning that lots of shoulder blade and arm pain stems from trigger points in the scalenes of the neck. Sure enough, when I went poking around and pressing my scalenes, using the book's directions, I discovered---YYYYYYOUCH!---big knots that weren't otherwise apparent. I'm now working on them daily with a nifty gizmo called The Stick. The book also helped me realize how much I need to work on keeping my IT band and hip flexors stretched.

At any rate, I encourage you to snag a library copy or used copy of the book. It's a great resource for those of us who get pretty knotted up, whether from computer work, cycling or some other repetitive activity. :)

[goldfinch]

Well, my problem is more structural than I thought. I went to the doc and had a first appointment with a PT. It looks like I may have an aggravated old rotator cuff injury. I have a bit of C6 disk herniation in my spine (certain motions can cause my index finger and thumb on my left side to tingle). And I have a general lack of core fitness. All these combine to cause my muscles to spasm.

I have dropped the more strenuous exercises I had been trying (plank, pushups, etc) for some very light core exercises from the PT , as well as a couple of cervical spine and one rotator cuff exercises. Next week I go in for more treatment and assignments. Conservative treatment will probably work if I am religious about it and I am feeling really religious right now.

The PT recommends moving to a drop bar bike from my flat bar Cannondale Quick to get more hand positions and in the interim putting bar ends on the bike.

I am giving serious consideration to buying a recumbent trike (I'm too short for two wheeled recumbents) as my riding is more limited than I want it to be. But when I start shopping I end up wanting trikes that cost $4000-5000 not $1000-$2000.

Frustrating.

[Brandon King]

Goldfinch,
There is a company in Watsonville CA owned by some friend of mine that builds custom recumbent bikes and trikes. Because they are custom fit, they may be able to build a two wheel recumbent that would fit your stature. I know some of them can get pretty expensive, but they do have some for around $2000. I personally have a hernitated L4 from about 10 years back, and, while i don't have muscle spasms it does give me trouble from time to time. The relaxed seating position of the recumbent bikes does make it a lot easier to enjoy a long ride. If you want to check them out their web page is www.easyracers.com

Hope you find a solution that works for you.

Brandon

[Dogmama]

When you are riding, try to remember to keep your elbows pressing together rather than flaring out. You cannot hunch your shoulders while pressing your elbows together, hence, you upper back/neck problems will decrease.

If you think about our basic position on a bike - it's a plank! I always recommend planks to my spinning students. As soon as your PT gives you the green light, I'd start those. Or, possibly you can do a modified plank with your upper body on a raised surface.

Those tips were given to me by my physical therapist who is also a cyclist.

[goldfinch]

When you are riding, try to remember to keep your elbows pressing together rather than flaring out. You cannot hunch your shoulders while pressing your elbows together, hence, you upper back/neck problems will decrease.

If you think about our basic position on a bike - it's a plank! I always recommend planks to my spinning students. As soon as your PT gives you the green light, I'd start those. Or, possibly you can do a modified plank with your upper body on a raised surface.

Those tips were given to me by my physical therapist who is also a cyclist.

My PT emphasized the same thing today! I feel lucky that my PT is a distance biker. He doesn't want me to do the plank yet, but has added a few slightly more strenuous exercises. I managed to ride 18 miles on Saturday without too much pain. Tomorrow I'll see if I can do 20. He says do what I can and even gave me some ideas for nice local loops that have nice smooth pavement as ratty pavement is disagreeing with me right now. :)