Every year the first few weeks in January people come into the clinic after the Christmas holidays stiff, tight achy and often with a slight increase in any symptoms that they had pre-Christmas. Christmas and New Year is the time of year that we sit more, sitting at the table eating with family and friends taking longer than normal over meals, slumping on the sofa watching Wallace and Gromit, Gavin and Stacey or a Netflix binge. On top of that, those who don’t scroll on their mobile more at this time of year are in a really poor position for causing muscle and joint tightness. A nice walk on the beach gets us moving a little but the days are short and we go back to sit on the sofa. Although only for a relatively short period, this increased amount of inactivity and sitting about contributes to changes in muscle length, strength and tightness.
This becomes noticeable as soon as you start to be active again and the concern is that if you are planning to start training for that half marathon, start playing golf , tennis or your New Years resolution is to be more active, the Christmas holiday effect can significantly increase your risk to injury.
When you sit for extended periods, certain muscles can become tight due to prolonged inactivity, poor posture, and the repetitive position of sitting. The key muscles that tend to tighten are:
1. Hip Flexors (Iliopsoas, Rectus Femoris)
Sitting keeps the hip flexors in a shortened position, which can lead to tightness over time.
The iliopsoas, a deep muscle that connects the lower back to the thigh bone is particularly prone to tightening.
The rectus femoris, part of the quadriceps, also shortens when the knee is bent for long periods.
2. Hamstrings
Sitting with bent knees shortens the hamstrings (located at the back of the thigh).
This can contribute to tightness and reduced flexibility over time.
Tight hip flexors and hamstrings limit the range of motion in your hips and knees.
Restricted movement can make activities like running, squatting, or lunging feel uncomfortable or inefficient and cause increased stress elsewhere, leading to imbalances and injury.
Misalignment of the pelvis (anterior pelvic tilt caused by tight hip flexors) disrupts running form and can strain the lower back and knees.
Tight hip flexors limit the extension of the hip, reducing stride length and power in running.
3. Gluteal Muscles (Gluteus Maximus, Medius, and Minimus)
Prolonged sitting can cause the glutes to become inactive (a phenomenon called "gluteal amnesia" or "dead butt syndrome").
While they don’t tighten as much as weaken, this imbalance can make surrounding muscles, like the hip flexors and lower back, feel tighter.
Tight hip flexors and weak glutes create an imbalance in the hip joint, leading to inefficient movement patterns.
Overactive hamstrings or lower back muscles may compensate for inactive glutes, causing discomfort or injury during activities like running, jumping, or lifting.
Weak Gluteal muscles reduce stability, balance and general strength and can cause back and hip pain, tight calves and instability.
4. Lower Back Muscles (Erector Spinae, Quadratus Lumborum)
Poor posture while sitting can overwork and tighten the muscles of the lower back.
The quadratus lumborum and erector spinae may become stiff and contribute to discomfort.
5. Chest Muscles (Pectoralis Major and Minor)
Slouching or hunching forward shortens the chest muscles, leading to tightness over time.
This tightness can pull the shoulders forward and contribute to poor posture.
This can lead to neck and/or arm pain, headaches and shoulder injuries.
6. Neck and Shoulder Muscles (Upper Trapezius, Levator Scapulae, and Sternocleidomastoid)
Sitting with poor posture, especially if you’re leaning forward or looking down at a mobile/tablet screen, can tighten the neck and upper shoulder muscles.
The upper trapezius and levator scapulae are commonly affected, leading to tension and discomfort in the neck and shoulders.
7. Calves (Gastrocnemius and Soleus)
When sitting, the calves remain in a shortened position due to the bent-knee posture, which can cause tightness.
Tightness in the calves and ankles restricts proper foot flexion and extension, making running or jumping inefficient.
Tight muscles can cause;
Reduced Range of Motion
Limited flexibility may prevent you from performing exercises with proper form, increasing the risk of strain or injury.
Poor Posture and Alignment
Sitting for long periods encourages poor posture (e.g., rounded shoulders, forward head posture, and a tilted pelvis). Poor upper body posture can hinder breathing efficiency and reduce performance in cardio and strength exercises.
Muscle Imbalances
When a person becomes tight or dysfunctional in an area, often the body adapts by using different muscle groups to achieve the same outcome. This can lead to a compensation-type effect which can mean a group of muscles become stronger than those on the opposite side of the body.
Decreased Power and Efficiency
In strength training, tight muscles can prevent full engagement of target muscle groups, decreasing force production.
Fatigue and Compensatory Patterns
When tight muscles restrict movement, other muscles are forced to overwork to compensate. For example, tight hip flexors can shift the workload to the lower back and quads, leading to early fatigue or discomfort. Over time, compensatory patterns can cause chronic pain or dysfunction.
Increased Injury Risk
As well as all the above reasons, tight muscles are less elastic and more prone to strains and tears when subjected to sudden or repetitive movement.
It is important to address any tightness/imbalances before you start to increase your activity levels.
By addressing tightness and imbalances you can improve performance, reduce injury risk, and enjoy a more comfortable and efficient fitness routine.
Common injuries from tightness include:
Runner's knee (caused by tight quads and IT band).
Lower back pain (from tight hip flexors and weak core muscles).
Hamstring strains (due to shortened hamstrings).
Muscle strains.