The number one cause is, as can be expected, muscular overload. Muscular overload is not just the physical strain the muscle is put under, but also the degree of strain placed on the neuromuscular control mechanism. The latter being the weak link in the normal function of the muscle. A malfunction in the neuromuscular system is the primary cause of the development of muscle knots.

Knots are also medically known as “myofascial trigger points”. The question we all want to ask is: how do they get there? Several theories have been put forth as to why they develop, but as the years have gone by researcher seem to have agreed on an explanation.

Back pain, although not usually a sign of a more serious condition, can be very disruptive to your daily routine. In the majority of cases, acute back pain will improve after a couple of weeks or months. However, in a few cases the back pain becomes chronic or it returns with regular intervals.

Firstly, start treating muscle pain and knots early, either by seeing a massage therapist or by treating it at home.

Heat:

Tight muscles usually have compromised circulation, which means that a little less blood, with it's nutrients and oxygen, reaches the area. It also means that the lymphatic system does not remove waste products from the area as well as it should do. By applying heat to the area, the circulation is improved, speeding up healing time

High blood pressure or hypertension is a fairly common and serious condition. It occurs when the force with which blood is pushed against the walls of the arteries is too high. Blood pressure too high is defined as a reading above 140/90 mm Hg. 140mm Hg being the force with which the heart pumps the blood into the arteries, and 90 mm Hg being the force with which the blood travels in between beats or when the heart is at rest. High blood pressure can go unnoticed for years, as it has few symptoms, however it does increase the risk of heart disease and strokes.

Complementary therapy is also known as alternative therapy, alternative medicine, holistic therapy and traditional medicine. A wide variety of treatments fall under this category of "complementary therapy", with each treatment has it's own unique theory supporting it.