How Muscle Imbalance Leads to Pain
By Sara Butler
If you have chronic pain or or any kind of joint pain, then the root cause of it may be a muscle imbalance – and they’re more common than you may realize. What causes muscle imbalance and what can you do about it? Well, here’s what you need to know about muscle imbalance and how your chiropractor may be able to help you solve your problem!
What Causes a Muscle Imbalance?
Muscle imbalances can stem from many things. They can be caused by:
- Pulled muscles
- Poor posture
- Trigger points
- Sciatica
- Herniated discs
The pain caused by these conditions can impact the gait of your body. When other parts of your body are compensating for an abnormal gait, then that leads you straight to a muscle imbalance, which can then create new pain or discomfort for you to contend with.
It’s important to be mindful that this pain does not occur suddenly. It can take months or sometimes years for the pain to develop. However, it may feel very sudden to you when it does strike. This is because, when you are dealing with a muscle imbalance, sometimes it takes just one movement, such as lifting a box, for it to become a problem you recognize.
The Types of Pain
When it comes to muscle imbalances there are generally two types of pain you have to contend with:
- Referred pain – This is pain that you feel in a place other than the where the pain has originated. If you have pain in your chest it may be due to a tight muscle in your shoulder blade – that’s referred pain.
- Localized pain – This is pain felt in one particular area of the body that does not spread to others.
Do You Have a Muscle Imbalance?
At this point, you may be wondering if you have a muscle imbalance. Well, there’s a quick test you can take if you’re curious. You should take the following steps:
- Step forward
- Raise your left leg
- Bring both arms straight up over your head
Could you hold yourself up without falling over? Do the same thing again, but with the other leg. If you felt that one side was stronger than the other and easier to hold yourself up with, then you may just have a muscle imbalance that needs to be addressed.
If you have questions about muscle imbalances or pain you’re experiencing, then you should discuss it with your chiropractor during your next visit to The Joint Chiropractic!
