Stop Stretching that Tight Muscle

So Physio is your holistic physiotherapy clinic in Albany, North Shore and Auckland City Central. We are ACC providers and are able to file your injury or accident without any referrals.

Have you wondered why something is tight? Or have you been doing a hip flexor or hamstring stretch or rolling around on that foam roller for ages and feel like those damned muscles still would not let go? That it still feels as TIGHT, or worse, TIGHTER?

If that sounds like you? Then it is time to STOP. Muscles do not tighten for no reason. When they tighten, there is probably some dysfunction going in there. They are either overworking and holding on for an imbalance somewhere else in the body, or they are not performing their job as optimally as they can, causing them to stiffen and tighten. Your body has learnt a very smart way to protect you. It’s like that parking brake in your car. Its designed to stop the car from rolling down that hill. That’s what your body is doing. It’s limiting your MOBILITY to give you that STABILITY your body has lost somewhere else. It is trying its very best to hold on, while you go about your daily lives. An example is this – someone with chronically tight hamstrings and a history of recurrent lower back issues. The hamstrings are tightening up and acting like your parking brakes because the lower back has lost its stability. Or someone with chronically tight hip flexors or adductor (inner thigh) muscles. How often do people get told – oh you need to stretch your hip flexors or roll out your adductor muscles. Hip flexors and adductors often hold on when you have lost the ability to stabilise through your front with your TA muscles (lower abdominals).

Let’s talk about that car again. Imagine it being on a steep hill, and someone lets go of your parking brake. That car is going to keep rolling down that hill and crash into something. Your body does not want you to be injured, so it holds on for you. Every time you rub or roll or stretch that muscle out because it is ‘tight’ without knowing or understand WHY you are stretching it, it is going to hold on harder for you, until one day it gives up, and then you start to feel pain somewhere else in your body. Remember – PAIN is always the LAST thing to show up.

Get your body tested. Here at so,physio we use NeuroKinetic Therapy (NKT) to assess and tell you why that hamstring or hip flexor never loosens up, or why you need to spend 15 mins rolling around on that foam roller before your body feels slightly better, only for it to tighten again later. Choose to optimize your body with the best stability and mobility it deserves. Stop stretching or rubbing for no reason.

Get it assessed first. Book an appointment now.

Our expert team is ready to help in both locations - Albany, North Shore or Auckland City Center.