Why does it get tight

It creates local adaptations in muscle that may improve endurance and make them less likely to suffer metabolic distress. And exercise also has an analgesic effect and can lower levels of inflammation that cause nervous system sensitivity. Back in the days when I did yoga I had much more flexibility, but my hamstrings always felt tight.

Then I quit yoga and started doing a lot of kettlebell swings. In its place was a feeling of functional strength and capacity, which I imagine decreased any perception of threat related to lengthening my hamstrings. But if you work them the right amount — enough to create an adaptation and not too much to cause injury or prevent full recovery — then you will make them healthier, stronger, and yes — less stiff. When you feel stiff, remember it is a feeling, and not necessarily a physical condition of shortness that needs an aggressive structural solution.

Like other feelings, you feel it more when you are sensitive. And like other forms of sensitivity, it will go down if you improve your overall fitness, strength, awareness, motor control and health. This paper from Stanton, Moseley, et al. Here are some quotes from the abstract:. We propose a new hypothesis: feelings of back stiffness are a protective perceptual construct, rather than reflecting biomechanical properties of the back.

Over three experiments, we challenge the prevailing view by showing that feeling stiff does not relate to objective spinal measures of stiffness and objective back stiffness does not differ between those who report feeling stiff and those who do not. Rather, those who report feeling stiff exhibit self-protective responses: they significantly overestimate force applied to their spine, yet are better at detecting changes in this force than those who do not report feeling stiff.

This perceptual error can be manipulated: providing auditory input in synchrony to forces applied to the spine modulates prediction accuracy in both groups, without altering actual stiffness, demonstrating that feeling stiff is a multi-sensory perceptual inference consistent with protection.

Together, this presents a compelling argument against the prevailing view that feeling stiff is an isomorphic marker of the biomechanical characteristics of the back. You can click here to read more blogs from them. If you have a question, suggestion or a link to some related research, share below! Hi there, i think you made a typo.

You must be logged in to post or like a comment. Posted in Other. Written by Todd Hargrove. Here are some of my thoughts about why muscles feel tight and what to do about it. Tightness is a Feeling, Not Just a Mechanical Condition When someone says they feel tight in a particular area, they might be referring to several different complaints. So I try to find out: Are they talking about poor range of motion?

Or maybe range of motion is fine, but movement to the end range feels uncomfortable or takes excess effort. Or maybe the area feels basically relaxed, but has some vague sense of discomfort — a feeling that is unpleasant but too mild to be called pain. I often say something like: Ummmmmm …… no.

They stretch intensely, dig into their muscles with a tool or their hands, and go for massages. While these tactics often provide short-term relief, the tightness almost always comes back, and they find themselves repeating the cycle. Does this sound like you? This is because muscle tightness is a subjective experience! This means that even if your muscle feels really tight, it might not actually be physically shortened or hardened.

This is why stretching may feel good in the short term, but is unlikely to make a significant difference in the long run. We do not need to lengthen the muscle to get rid of this sensation. Different muscles will have different properties. Some muscles are more ropy, some muscles are more flat, and some muscles feel like they have knots in them.

It is important to recognize, however, that we cannot really change this. Research has shown us that it takes about lbs of force to truly change connective tissue the tissue that surrounds our muscles. So, why do you feel better after trying to break up the knots or stretch tight muscles? You feel better because these techniques have an analgesic effect on your central nervous system. Sounds complicated, but this basically means that after stretching and trying to release tight muscles, your nervous system starts to relax and you feel less pain or tightness.

The feeling of vaginal fullness and pressure during pregnancy can make a woman feel as if her vagina is tighter than normal. During childbirth, the vagina dilates, which means it will grow and expand to accommodate the delivery of a baby.

Sometime after birth, the vagina contracts to its normal size. It is very common for a woman to experience changes to her vagina following a vaginal birth. Some women may experience injury via tearing or episiotomy to their vagina. While these injuries heal, the vagina may feel tighter or more tender than before.

Also, women who are breast-feeding may experience vaginal dryness due to changes in hormones. This dryness can cause a feeling of vaginal tightness during intercourse. When a woman becomes aroused, her vagina expands and lengthens and releases a natural lubricant. If not sufficiently aroused, the vagina may not expand or be lubricated enough, which can cause discomfort, pain, and a general feeling of being too tight.

Some women achieve arousal through a prolonged build up or foreplay with their partner. Other women practice relaxation rituals, such as taking a bath before intercourse. However, research has shown that almost all women can benefit from additional lubrication.

There is a range of lubricants available that can help make sex more pleasurable. Choose a water-soluble lubricant if using condoms as other oils can break down the condom. Some women fear that following the vaginal birth of a child, their vagina will never return to a pre-birth tightness. While the vagina does change some during pregnancy and childbirth, it returns more or less to a similar size and shape as it was before the pregnancy. After having a baby, a woman may want to strengthen her pelvic floor.

This increased strength may help a woman prevent urinary leaks and improve comfort during sex but will not change the shape or elasticity of the vagina itself. When a woman is aroused, the vaginal canal typically elongates slightly, and self-moisturizes. Being in a low estrogen state can occur while breast feeding, following menopause, or during periods of stress. This in turn can result in lack of moisturization which can be alleviated by using a personal lubricant.

These changes to the gynecological system can feel like a change in form and those who experience this may wish to tighten the vagina. Kegel exercises can be done to increase pelvic floor strength for improved sensation of vaginal tightness.

Kegels can be added to your personal care routine by squeezing the pelvic floor muscles as if you were shutting off the flow of urine for seconds, for 10 repetitions, 3 times per day with rest intervals of minutes in between.

Vaginal weights or Kegel balls can also be used to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and enhance vaginal tightness. Vaginal weights can be placed in the vagina and worn while performing light household activities for minutes per day to improve pelvic floor strength. Feeling that your vagina may be tighter than normal can be embarrassing, uncomfortable and painful.

Luckily there are cost-effective, safe and reliable ways for women to alleviate symptoms and regain confidence in the comfort of their own homes. Be sure to always consult your doctor as well. By combining Kegel exercises with a vaginal dilator you can take back control of your body and live your best life.