Muscle hardening is the increase of tension.
What many do not know: It is not only the legendary "Blackroll" & Co. that promises relief.
There are other options.
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Anyone who regularly suffers from tension knows how painful it can be.
But there is an increase: muscle hardening.
While normal tension can also be solved by yourself, hardening is usually a case for a physiotherapist, who uses targeted treatment methods to loosen the stiffened muscle again.
But you can also provide first aid at home.
There are some helpers from the rehabilitation and physiotherapy area that can easily be used by yourself.
But beware: A hardened muscle initially reacts extremely painfully in the acute stage!
The good news: If you slowly approach and bite through, you will usually experience quick relief.
Here we will tell you how it works and what you need to know.
Insiders and physiotherapists use these alternatives to the fascia roll
Trigger point pusher
- small but powerful for around €29.95
Trigger Pusher with Suction Cup
- for those self-medicating for around €23.99
The Theragagun of the professionals
- long established in top-class sports and medical practices, one of the top tools for €279.99
Fascia cups
– soothing fascia massage for laypeople for around €39.95
TENS device
- put your feet up and enjoy, used by doctors, physiotherapists or yourself
Acupressure mat
– benefit for deeper tissue, helps in the long term and preventively, for around €43.99
Muscle hardening or tension?
Put simply, a muscle hardening is an advanced muscle tension.
This so-called myogelosis or myalgia occurs when there is muscle tension over a long period of time.
The continuously tense muscle fibers compress the blood capillaries within the muscles, which restricts blood flow and prevents the removal of metabolic products.
This can lead to painful hardening of the muscles and, in the worst case, to persistent inflammation.
Typical symptoms of hardening: They can often be felt as pressure-sensitive "bumps" or bulging muscle thickenings.
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Muscle hardening: possible causes
A muscle hardening always occurs when a tension is not released or cured.
As with tension, the most common cause of muscle hardening is persistent poor posture or incorrect strain.
But also unfamiliar movements or an overload, for example during sports, are among the classic triggers of muscle hardening.
However, stress cannot be neglected as a cause.
Anyone who is constantly emotionally under tension also subconsciously tenses their muscles.
In the long run, this constantly tense muscle tone leads to classic back tension and, over a longer period of time, extremely painful hardening develops from this.
Tip: check pillows
If you keep suffering from tension in the neck area, it's worth taking a look at the pillow.
Special ergonomic pillows can bring significant improvements here.
It's definitely worth trying out!
For example, the neck support pillow HADAR from Third of Life with a special shoulder arch for side and back sleepers.
Neck support pillow for side sleepers
relieve muscle stiffness
The most common measure to tackle muscle hardening is to visit a physiotherapist.
With so-called "manual therapy", which is often incorrectly referred to as "massage", the professionals mobilize the hardened tissue.
A very important role is played by the fascia, which runs through the body like a fine network and also stiffens when muscles harden.
The use of heat or acupressure or trigger point therapy is also helpful, although the latter method can be quite painful at first.
For this purpose, two resourceful physiotherapists invented TRIGGid, which was introduced in "The Lion's Den".
But all of them provide relief with regular use.
Locally applied pressure on the hardened tissue increases blood flow and subsequently reduces hardening.
Relieve muscle hardening with a trigger point pusher
Trigger points are points in the center of the induration.
If these are pressed selectively, it is extremely painful at first.
But if you clench your teeth, you will quickly feel the pain subside!
This is because the hardened tissue slowly gives in to the pressure, blood circulation is increased and the muscles can gradually relax.
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TMX® Original Plus trigger point pusher for narrow muscle groups.
© TMX®
Order TMX
®
Triggers
This trigger essentially replaces the thumb of a physiotherapist.
Through selective, long-lasting and deep acupressure, he helps to treat muscle hardening in the neck, shoulders, back, arms and legs at any time.
✅ Includes 30-day pain-free programs and acute pain-free exercises.
✅ Attaches to any wall - removable and reusable
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DONGSHEN Trigger Point Pusher Set
©Amazon
Order DONGSHEN triggers
Three different trigger pushers for small and larger hardenings made of environmentally friendly, comfortable silicone material.
All can be attached to any smooth surface with a suction cup: Ideal for triggering in hard-to-reach places without outside help.
✅ Soft shell, hard core for more comfortable handling
✅ Extra small hand and forearm trigger ideal for "mouse arm" after a long writing activity
Muscle hardening dissolve via the fascia
When the muscles harden, the surrounding tissue also hardens.
This includes, above all, the fascia, which covers our entire body like a supporting net.
The harder the muscle, the harder the fascia - a vicious circle that can be avoided by specifically relaxing the fascia.
Fascia rolls in particular are popular, but by far not the only loosening agent.
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Theragun is in charge, also with physiotherapists.
© Theragun
Order Theragun
Physiotherapists swear by the Original Theragun.
Although there are cheaper massage gun variants, the scientifically proven combination of power, depth and speed of movement is market-leading.
The vibration of the head is transmitted to the tissue with high speed and large amplitude.
✅ Medical product used in physiotherapy and rehabilitation
✅ Particularly quiet with maximum impact
✅ With 4 different attachments
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BellaBambi® Cupping Set
© BellaBambi®
Order a cupping set
With the small suction cups from the German manufacturer BellaBambi®, even laypeople can achieve a beneficial fascia massage with a little practice.
The small suction cups adhere to the skin through negative pressure, and when they are moved back and forth, they massage the fascia beneath the skin.
✅ Fascia cup, fascia roller and trigger pointer at the same time
✅ Very easy and easy on the hands for daily use
Relieve muscle hardening with electricity & acupressure
With this type of treatment, you can literally sit back and relax.
Because here neither you nor anyone else have to take an active role.
The stimuli that lead to relaxation of the muscles and tissue are set without your active involvement.
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The Beurer TENS relieves pain by means of electrical nerve stimulation.
© beurer
Order TENS device
For more than 35 years, doctors, physiotherapists and patients themselves have been using transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS).
In this process, trigger points are stimulated with electrical stimulation via electrode pads that are glued to the skin.
The impulses prevent the transmission of pain signals to the brain and thus relax muscles and promote blood circulation.
✅ With 64 pre-programmed applications in the areas of EMS/TENS/Massage
✅ "Doctor's Function" with customizable programs to match your personal therapy program
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Acupressure mat with pillow filled with 100% coconut fiber
©Amazon
Free delivery on Amazon
Acupressure is a Japanese healing method from the late 20th century that can be used to relieve hardening in the long term.
Because the extremely fine acupressure tips promote blood circulation in the deeper tissue via skin contact.
This allows tense muscles and tissue structures to relax with regular use.
Click here for the acupressure mat test.
✅ 100% natural, with coconut fibers from fair production
✅ Can be used anywhere: in the office, on the couch, in bed...
✅ Set includes a pillow for the neck
Rubric list image: © 12_Tribes/PantherMedia