Daily Mobility Exercises by Dr. Kelly Starrett › Forums › General › Working on knots

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    • 12/02/2013 at 11:19 am #70624
      AvatarJim Hoffman
      Participant

      I’ve been working with a super friend on mashing using the feet and I found a relatively large “knot” (not sure that is the right term) in her calf muscle. If you apply pressure in the right way it seems to “snap” back and forth. We’ve tried some contract/relax stuff and working with more pressure, also trying to pin the spot and move the ankle through different ranges of motion. It doesn’t seem to be limiting any movements but its definitely a nasty, painful spot.

      What is the game plan for things like this just work on it everyday or are persistent knots something you’d want to go get addressed by an ART practitioner? It would be awesome if Kelly and Roop could do an episode on this as I’m sure a lot of people have found an extremely junky (and painful) spot. 

    • 12/02/2013 at 12:04 pm #73338
      AvatarTravis Wyant
      Participant

      This should help.


    • 12/02/2013 at 2:56 pm #73341
      AvatarJim Hoffman
      Participant

      I probably didn’t explain my question very well. I know what a trigger point is and I know of the techniques generally used to get rid of them. My question is if you find a large trigger point (or knot, or whatever) do you just keep hammering at it every day or is going to see a specialist a better option? 

       

       
    • 12/02/2013 at 3:18 pm #73343
      AvatarAnonymous
      Guest

      If you have been working with an area and are not seeing improvements it would be beneficial to see someone.
      There could be more going on with it.
      You need to identify what is causing the knot happen.
      Addressing the knot is one part of it, but if you don’t address the cause of the knot it will continue to show up.
      It will improve for some time after addressing the symptom (the knot).
      Look upstream and downstream of the knot to identify where issue originates.
      As Kelly has noted “Remember, you are a system of systems. Don’t stop hunting till you find the problem”
      Mobilize long enough to make change,
      Work on an area until you stop seeing change.

    • 12/02/2013 at 4:29 pm #73345
      AvatarNathan Richer
      Participant

      To add to Kaitlin’s comment, after you go up and downstream (look up kinetic chains or anatomy trains, basically groups of muscles that work together to perform movements), there could be muscle imbalances or technique problems in your friend’s movements.  Say your friend is a runner.  She could have problems in her running technique which cause the big knot to form in her calf.  Your mob might remove it or calm it down, but she doesn’t address her running technique, it will undoubtedly come back every time she runs…  So I would also explore someone who can take a look at her form and technique in whatever sport she is in.

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