Understanding Tension and Its Causes

By Valerie Carsey, LMT

Definition.com describes tension as “the act of stretching or straining.” In the body, tension refers to the stretching and straining of soft tissues. Soft tissues include anything in the body that is not bone, such as fascia (the connective tissue that wraps around bones, muscles, and organs), muscles, tendons, ligaments, and organs.

Causes of Tension

Tension can result from various factors, including:

• Inflammation

  The body’s natural reaction against illness or injury often results in extra fluid around the tissues.

• Nerve Agitation

  An irritated nerve, possibly due to nerve entrapment or a pinched nerve, can cause soft tissue to spasm.

• Micro Tears

  Daily activities or exercise can cause micro-tears in the soft tissue. While this is common in muscle-building, the body’s repair process might create minor scar tissue that strains the muscles, which can sometimes be alleviated with massage.

• Scar Tissue

  General scar tissue from surgeries or major injuries can strain muscles and cause contractions.

• Strain Patterns

  A strain in one part of the body can cause tension in another, referred to as a strain pattern.

Addressing Different Types of Tension

Understanding the specific type of tension you are experiencing is crucial for effective massage therapy. Different causes of tension require different techniques:

• Inflammation

  Manual lymphatic drainage can help reduce extra fluid in the tissues.

• Nerve-Induced Spasms

  Relaxing the muscle may relieve the spasm, but severe cases might need attention from a chiropractor or orthopedic doctor, especially if bones are involved.

• Micro Tears

  These often come with inflammation, so manual lymphatic drainage and deeper tissue* techniques can be beneficial.

• Scar Tissue

  Deep tissue techniques* can help. Craniosacral therapy can also be useful for addressing strain patterns in the body.

*Deep tissue techniques does not necessarily mean “deeper pressure”. Deeper techniques can often be effective with slowly and gently working your way deeper into the tissues.

Importance of Tailored Techniques

The body often contains different types of tension in various regions, which is why a “one technique for all” approach can be ineffective for the whole body. Different techniques might be necessary for different areas to achieve maximum benefit. For example, someone with general tension in the neck and shoulders from hunching over at work might have extra fluids in those areas. However, if the same person had sprained their left ankle ten years ago, the residual scar tissue might have created a long-term strain pattern affecting the left knee and hip, causing additional pain that can go all the way into the low back. This is where the detective work begins to determine which techniques work best and where to apply them to untangle the patterns effectively.

Edited by AI

Resources

“In Brief: What is Inflammation” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279298/

“Chronic Inflammation” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493173/#:~:text=Inflammation%20is%20part%20of%20the,Acute%20Inflammation

“What is Entrapment Neuropathy” https://www.rwjbh.org/treatment-care/neuroscience/neurology/conditions/entrapment-neuropathy/#:~:text=Entrapment%20neuropathy%20is%20a%20condition,or%20rub%20against%20the%20nerve.

“How Do Muscles Grow?” https://www.unm.edu/~lkravitz/Article%20folder/musclesgrowLK.html

“Maintaining Your Muscle” https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2020/03/maintain-your-muscle