Muscle Soreness and Restricted Fascia

Part 1: Explore the anatomy behind muscle soreness and movement restrictions

Part 2: Exercises for dancers

Part 1

Has your teacher ever told you to shake out your legs after a strenuous combination to flush the lactic acid out of the tissue? For so long we have attributed muscle soreness to a build-up of lactic acid, misunderstanding how soreness occurs and thus, how it can be addressed.

Right off the bat, researchers now know lactic acid is not responsible for your day-after-a-hard-class soreness. Lactic acid is created when glucose is broken down (Cleveland Clinic, 2022). Glucose is the main fuel in anaerobic activity (dance class) and a  supplemental one in aerobic activity (cardio) as our oxygen supply reaches its limit (Martini & Nath, 2009, pp. 320–322).

That lactic acid then serves two purposes relating to muscle soreness. Firstly, lactic acid lowers tissue pH, activating nociceptors that sense muscle pain (Mense, 2008). Secondly, the presence of lactic acid acts as a marker for the immune system, highlighting an area that needs repair (Cleveland Clinic, 2022). Next-day soreness is created as micro-tears caused by exertion are healed. This process also develops muscle, strengthening us with each repair.

So, muscle soreness is not a bad thing- it actually makes us stronger- but there are tools to mitigate the pain of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Firstly, the anatomical reasoning behind shaking out our legs to reduce soreness may be unfounded, but the action is effective. Mobility is a key component to reducing DOMs, as muscle contraction and fascial glide are interconnected. 

Fascia is full of nerves and is separated into independent layers, but spans the entire body continuously (Pawlukiewicz et al., 2022). Incredibly, about 40% of a muscle's power is transferred via fascia, which functions best with heavy tension and lubrication, allowing for easy sliding (Pawlukiewicz et al., 2022). The interconnection of fascia and the concentric/eccentric relationship of our muscles create systems where one muscle’s tension affects another’s.

Concentric/ Eccentric Contraction Hayden Creech

*The agonist is the main mover, the muscle contracting concentrically. And the antagonist is its partner, coordinating to lengthen, allowing for the movement to occur.

Mobilizing the fascia is achieved in many different ways, but incredible results come with foam rolling (self myofascial release) and full-body movements (dynamic stretching). Incredibly- and often frustratingly- the interconnection of our myofascial systems means movement blocks can be located anywhere. Your turnout restriction could stem from the lower back, your shoulder malalignment from the bottom of the foot. Finding the root of a problem exceeds our capabilities as individual athletes, but a lot of effective work can be achieved in our own practice.

Part 2

Try foam rolling with deep, intentional breaths (Buranruk, 2022). Find a tight spot and still there, imagining your body melting over the foam roller with each exhale. Trust your intuition and roll in shapes that feel good. As long as you avoid joints and monitor your pain levels while resting on tight spots, your foam rolling experience is individual. 

An exercise to try before class:

Take a ball and place the toes in demi-pointe, flexed against its surface. Beginning with the big toe, press firmly and rub towards the end of the toe. Repeat for 15 seconds or so. Continue to each subsequent toe, moving the ball so the toe you are rubbing can completely press into it, maintaining a flex. Spend a few extra seconds on the pinkie, as this can rebalance fascial lines relating to our tendency to sickle. 

*This helps you find a higher demi-pointe in class, as well as aiding in foot shape and intrinsic activation.

 

Try simple dynamic series, moving intuitively with breath and articulation.

Exercise: Spinal Articulation Against the Wall

Stand with your back against a wall, feet hip-width apart in parallel and two steps away from the wall. With a slight bend in the knees, articulate down to standing forward bend. Feel each spinous process disengage from the wall one by one. As you return, press each back to the wall as soon as possible. You may find a sticky spot, one moment where the articulation feels tight, difficult, or delayed. If so, continue breathing and slow the exercise speed. Repeat 6-8 times, prioritizing methodical practice.

Spinal Articulation Against the Wall Hayden Creech

Exercise: Charlie’s Angels

Stand in a wide parallel 2nd, hands interlaced and extended in front of the sternum. Shift the weight to the pinkie of your right foot, supinating and activating the arch while keeping the toes long. Simultaneously shift the weight to the toe of your left foot, activating the outer arch. Maintaining a demi-plie and finding pliancy with the weight shift, alternate the roles of each foot, twisting the torso slightly towards the supinated foot. 

*Make sure to keep all toes on the floor. Like a doming exercise, the foot shape is found in the arch, not the toes. 

Charlie's Angels Mobilization Exercise Hayden Creech

 

Overall, muscle soreness and fascia tightness is a complicated matter that is still being researched, advancing the field of dance medicine. With what we currently know, however, there are plenty of tools at our disposal to not only fight DOMs, but free up tight, tense myofascial systems.

 

References

Cleveland Clinic. (2022, December 9). What Is Lactic Acid? Cleveland Clinic.  https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/24521-lactic-acid

 

Buranruk, O. (2022). A randomized clinical trial of self-stretching with and without mindful breathing immediate effect on pressure pain and range of motion in myofascial pain syndrome. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbmt.2022.05.016

 

Martini, F. H., & Nath, J. L. (2009). Fundamentals of Anatomy & Physiology (8th ed., pp. 320–322) [Review of Fundamentals of Anatomy & Physiology]. Pearson Benjamin Cummings.

 

Mense, S. (2008). Muscle Pain: Mechanisms and Clinical Significance. Deutsches Ärzteblatt International, 105(12), 214–219. https://doi.org/10.3238/artzebl.2008.0214

 

Pawlukiewicz, M., Kochan, M., Niewiadomy, P., Szuścik-Niewiadomy, K., Taradaj, J., Król, P., & Kuszewski, M. T. (2022). Fascial Manipulation Method Is Effective in the Treatment of Myofascial Pain, but the Treatment Protocol Matters: A Randomised Control Trial—Preliminary Report. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 11(15), 4546. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm11154546