When muscle fibers tear, the result is stiffness, pain and inflammation. The body is excellent at “soldering together” the broken ends within a couple of weeks. The end result is a knot, often called a trigger point: a lump where torn ends of fibers have healed.

However, those knotted fibers no longer expand and contract. Muscle strength is proportionally reduced. Even after the torn fibers have healed, if a nerve is involved, there may be chronic pain. A trigger point is aptly named. Pressing on the knot triggers pain!

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