According to human anatomical studies, our body is composed of at least, 650 muscles that are responsible for carrying out all our movements, whether voluntary or involuntary.whether voluntary or involuntary (visceral).
From pumping blood to the heart, to capturing air and adopting postures in three-dimensional space, it is clear that the musculature plays an essential role in our lives, both as a species and as individuals.
Unfortunately, in an increasingly busy yet sedentary society, many of us have lifestyles and routines that are not exactly conducive to muscle development and wellness. Read on, because today we present 5 bad habits that can lead to muscle discomfort.
Muscle pain: more common than you think
In order to contextualize the importance of the tips we are going to show you in the following lines, it is necessary that we first review the situation of musculoskeletal disorders in society. The World Health Organization (WHO) and other sources help us with the following data:
- Musculoskeletal disorders are the most common work-related conditions throughout Europe. Some 22.8% of European workers complain of muscle pain.
- Musculoskeletal disorders are the leading cause of disability worldwide.
- They occur in up to half of all cases of multimorbidity, i.e. patients presenting with more than one chronic disease at the same time.
- They represent the highest proportion of persistent painful conditions other than cancer.
As we can see, pain in the skeletal and muscular system goes far beyond minor discomfort when changing posture: many people are disabled by this type of disorder, which, in addition to limiting the patient’s mobility, promotes altered emotional states such as depression. such as depression. Of course, with more than 150 possible diagnoses for the locomotor system, it is clear that muscular diseases are the order of the day.
Habits to avoid to preserve muscle health
Once we have contextualized all this terminological conglomerate, it is time to address, without further ado, the 5 bad habits that can lead to muscle discomfort.
5. A deficient diet
Electrolytes are minerals that have an electrical charge. They include sodium, potassium, calcium, chloride, magnesium and many others. These substances, in addition to many other functions, help regulate the balance of nerve and muscle tissues.
Abnormally low intakes of calcium or potassium low intake of calcium or potassium can generate an imbalance, which translates into muscular discomfort. In addition to this, a lack of body water due to processes such as diarrhea, vomiting and other signs of an infectious nature, can cause homeostatic imbalances in the individual that translate into fatigue, muscle spasms, numbness and changes in blood pressure.
The key lies in consuming a balanced and equilibrated diet, and above all, ingesting plenty of water when we have a gastrointestinal infection or one that involves a constant loss of fluids. Although it is difficult to reach an electrolyte imbalance that translates into muscle discomfort (usually occurs in people with an underlying disease), it never hurts to watch what we eat and how we do it.
4. Muscle overload
Muscle overloads are involuntary and continuous contractions of muscle fibers. Symptoms include heaviness and lack of speed when performing certain movements, intense pain in the affected muscle and increased tone in the contracted muscle area.
Of course, as positive as it is to exercise independently, a bad habit that can lead to this condition is doing intense activities without prior warm-up or training.. Sometimes we want to push our body beyond its physiological limits in pursuit of an aesthetic ideal, and this can be costly in the long run. When immersing oneself in the world of intense exercise, a professional who accompanies the athlete is always recommended to avoid this type of occurrence.
3. Bad posture
The back pain with which almost all of us are familiar also has a muscular component, since beyond disc problems or bony ligaments, the associated contracted muscles are a direct cause of pain.
For example, patients with contracted hamstring muscles (located in the back of the thighs) often develop low back pain. Of course, back pain is an extremely common problem, as 70% to 80% of adults have back pain. 80% of adults worldwide report having suffered from it at some point.
In addition to other factors not so directly related to postural balance such as sedentary lifestyle, obesity or smoking, it is clear that not positioning ourselves correctly in three-dimensional space generates unnecessary muscular overloads, which can translate into low back pain.
To tackle this problem, it is best to get information from a professional about postural changes and relevant exercises for each patient, as working on a construction site is not the same as sitting in front of a computer for eight hours a day. In general, it is usually a good idea to change posture at certain times (stretching every hour) and always keep the back as straight as possible. back as straight as possibleHowever, as we say, each exercise must be linked to the specific case of the patient.
2. Consumption of alcohol and other drugs
Hangover is a concept with which almost all of us are familiar, but the muscular pains experienced during this process are not only due to unrestrained movements during a night out.
Residual substances generated in the process of obtaining alcohol, such as methanol, histamine, acetaldehyde, various polyphenols and other poisonous substances cause the symptomatology of a hangover. hangover and among its signs are muscle cramps and pains. In addition, the degradation of alcohol in our body produces dehydration, which also promotes muscle discomfort.
Not to mention the use of other drugs such as cocaine, which can cause rhabdomyolysis, a disease characterized by muscle necrosis. In addition to spasms, vertigo and dizziness, 24% of cocaine addicts end up developing this condition characterized by severe muscle damage.
1. Stress and poor emotional management
Muscle tension is completely related to stress events, as it is a primary physiological defense mechanism in our species. The release of cortisol and adrenaline (hormones) promotes hyperactivation of certain brain areas, which results in increased attention, alertness, increased pulse and muscle tension.
This is not inherently bad in an acute episode, as being prepared for the worst prevents us from many threats. The problem comes when this becomes chronic, and the jaw, neck and back muscles remain tense for long periods for no clear physiological reason.
Beyond what we may believe, stress not only generates muscular pain, but can also affect the areas that are subjected to its forces. For example, tension headaches (a type of headache) occur when the muscles of the neck and scalp are contracted. Naturally, this results in severe headaches. On the other hand, disorders of the muscles and temporomandibular joint (TMJ disorders) can cause earache, headache or dental pain.
In summary, it is clear that stress generates muscular discomfortBut beyond that, it also produces pain and clear signs in the structures that are associated with these continuously contracted muscles. Stress management is not always a simple matter, so limiting advice to “take a deep breath” or “relax” is more meaningless than anything else. The management of chronic stress requires the help of a specialist, who will promote a specific therapy in each case, which can be complemented (or not) with specific drugs.
Summary
As we have seen, some of the bad habits that can lead to muscular discomfort are due to poor diet or alcohol intake, others to poor posture and overloading, and others simply to the hectic pace of life that characterizes today’s society.
In any case, one thing is clear: normalizing muscle pain is never a good idea. Some people get used to this discomfort until it becomes unbearable, and therefore, the best option is always to tackle this type of pain when it is in its early stages, either with physiotherapeutic or psychological help, or both. physiotherapeutic or psychological help, or both..