What is Muscle Tension?
Muscle tension is a condition in which muscles in the human body remain semi-contracted for an extended period of time. Muscle tension is typically caused by the physiological effects of stress and can lead to episodes of back pain.
Stress can be a common factor in muscle tension as it affects the body’s nervous system by constricting blood vessels and reducing blood flow to the soft tissues, including muscles, tendons and nerves in the back. This process causes a decrease in oxygen and a buildup of biochemical waste products in the muscles, resulting in muscle tension, spasm and back pain.
Muscle tension is typically treated using conservative options to relax the muscles including exercise, water therapy and heat therapy.