Tight muscles and circulation

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ChrisHB Jan 2012 1:17am, 23 Jan 2012 7,049 posts	0 ChrisHB Is it an old wives' tale or true that tight muscles lead to poor circulation in those muscles, hence to shortage of oxygen and poor performance? Is it significant among all the other things that hinder our running? Is it a vicious circle? Thanks to anyone who can help.
JohnnyO Jan 2012 9:02am, 23 Jan 2012 11,177 posts	0 JohnnyO Not really. At the peak of contraction the pressure inside the muscle may exceed blood pressure, and hence flow would stop, but this is only for a fraction of a second and doesn't relate to the resting 'tight' muscle.
cabletow Jan 2012 9:15am, 23 Jan 2012 20,820 posts	0 cabletow If it did Chris - Your muscles would die and shrink and cause you lots of pain, contractures, death gangrene and the like. If you are thinking of claudication - relative ischemia under load due to hardened arteries - This is only a relative shortage of blood supply under load - the muscles develop severe pain and make the sufferer stop - and in rest the circulation is enough to restablish normal muscle function and the pain goes (within seconds of stopping walking) Pain from stiffness and tightness originates from the golgi bodies at the insertion of muscle to tendond - Actually the muscel is not tighter at all - the receptors just fire as soon as the muscle moves so moveemnt triggers pain. The tone and pressure within the muscle is normal
ChrisHB Jan 2012 9:27am, 23 Jan 2012 7,051 posts	0 ChrisHB Thanks very much - specially for your cheerfulness on a Monday morning, CT.
Frobester Jan 2012 9:29am, 23 Jan 2012 18,075 posts	0 Frobester Ah, now I know what ischemic means. I suffered a transient ischemic attack last June. I could work out what transient and attack meant, but ischemic, bingo. Thanks CT!
cabletow Jan 2012 9:32am, 23 Jan 2012 20,821 posts	0 cabletow monday always brings the cheery out in me