What is soft tissue?

Soft tissue is a term that is typically used to refer to muscles and the surrounding tissue such as fascia, tendons, ligaments and other connective tissue just below the skin.

Why is it important?

When muscles become tight this can cause a variety of problems. Because muscles are attached to bones via tendons, a muscle which stays tight can stress the tendon and lead to tendonitis. Also, tight muscles can become tender and restrict movement and mobility. This in turn can lead to pain and compensation causing stress on other parts of the body. The longer your muscles remain tight, the harder they become to treat due to learnt behaviour over time i.e. muscle memory. It is therefore important to treat tight sore areas sooner rather than later.

How do you get soft tissue injuries?

Soft tissues can be injured or become dysfunctional if they are overused for long periods. Typically, this occurs through poor posture, repetitive actions or by compensating for other problematic areas. The soft tissue can also suffer acute injuries such as strains and sprains.

Prevention

There are many ways your chiropractor can help you prevent soft tissue injuries. They can show you exercises and stretches, ways to correct your posture and advise you on other classes which may be of benefit such as yoga or Pilates. Also, with regular check-ups, your chiropractor can assess and palpate your muscles to see if any areas are becoming problematic.

Treatment

There are many ways to treat soft tissues depending on the tissue affected. At Wymondham Chiropractic Clinic we offer many different treatment types including: massage, acupuncture, electro-acupuncture, ultrasound, DNS (dynamic neuromuscular stabilisation) and a variety of other soft tissue techniques such as active release, cross friction, muscle energy techniques and several others.