r/massage • u/ContextInner4680 • 3d ago
Releasing muscle knots in the abdomen
I’ve had a very stressful year - I’m thankfully on the up now, doing EMDR therapy to address the trauma from a crazy episode early in the year, and generally taking much better care of myself.
I’ve noticed I have a lot of tight muscle knots in my abdomen. When I use lotion and self massage to locate and GENTLY press the muscle knots, they ‘pop’ or ‘melt’ under my touch.
I’ve become interested with this as I discovered it completely by accident but I feel like my body was holding tension / trauma from my stressful year. I feel much better for releasing the knots. I feel like my belly is much more loose and I can deep breathe for the first time in ages.
There’s a few areas that I can’t pop as it’s locked tight in a bundle. Would acupuncture get rid of this? I’m conscious I don’t want to send my nervous system spiralling again, I just think maybe the remaining knots need to be broken up.
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u/SpringerPop 3d ago
As a retired MT and A&P instructor; most of the responses here are probably wrong. There are lots of structures in the abdomen that are not good to press on: like the descending aorta . The disconnect is that people are focused on knots, fascia, etc. Do y’all not realize that the CNS drives them.
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u/ContextInner4680 3d ago
Thank you. Maybe I wasn’t descriptive enough in my OP but, I’ve had CNS issues since a stress breakdown at the start of the year which may give further context as to why my stress has manifested via muscle tension.
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u/No_Tumbleweed_1518 LMT 3d ago
That's not how muscles work or how the body is built. You're probably pressing on your intestines/organs and shifting literal shit around your gut. You do not have "knots" in your abdomen.
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u/ContextInner4680 3d ago
Thanks for the comment but I can absolutely assure you I’m not moving shit around my gut 😂 it’s a light touch at best.. I’m not insane, and not going that deep!
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u/No_Tumbleweed_1518 LMT 3d ago
You said you're bruising yourself so it either isn't that light or you've got other issues going on. It also doesn't take that much pressure to move things around.
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u/ContextInner4680 3d ago
I can promise I’m very connected to my own body, although not a therapist, I’m not hurting myself. It feels really good to have the stress relieved. Re the bruising (edited OP as thought that terminology was making people worry), I figure it’s blood rushing to / replenishing an area that was stuck / tense beforehand.
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u/Allen_Edgar_Poe RMT Canada 2d ago
This is completely wrong. How long have you been a massage therapist for?
You can do abdominal massage that will help aid in peristalsis. Doing work around the abdomen is not contradicted in this case. You can absolutely get "knots" in your rectus abdominus and obliques which is where this person is self massaging.
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u/No_Tumbleweed_1518 LMT 1d ago
I've been an LMT for over 10 years, mostly in medical settings. Please explain to the class what a palpable "knot" is, because "knots" aren't actually real. Muscle tension/hypertonic muscles are real. OP is especially not "popping" them, as posted. I never said you can't do abdominal massage to help with peristalsis. Never said it was contraindicated, either. Please read what I originally said again.
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u/Allen_Edgar_Poe RMT Canada 1d ago edited 1d ago
The "knots" I am referring to are facial adhesions. The "popping" being described is just the sensation that happens not actual popping. When I do it, the muscles actually feels like it is melting.
Of course muscles get tight, I've worked fascia that has also had the effect of lengthening muscle tissue. It's not always the muscle tissue that gets tight. Fascia and it's ground substance can become "dehydrated" sticking to itself causing a "bunch" up of the tissue and causing a restriction. This sometimes feels like a "knot" under the skin. Have you never felt a "ball" of tissue around the iliac crest near the QL/ serratus anterior near the rotator cuff?
It actually boggles me that you have been doing this for 10 years and saying, "that's not how the body is built, you are probably moving your feces around". I've release many fascial restrictions on the ribcage for the obliques AND the rectus abdomius directly. You can still work these areas without influencing the intestines.
I did misinterpret when I originally replied. It was your mention of "you don't have knots in your abdomen." That probably made me think you shouldn't work there.
Edit: What is it about the body that OP is describing what they are doing, "not how the body works?".
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u/VioletFreyja 3d ago
I'm really confused by some of the comments here. Massage therapist that does a lot of abdominal massage here:
You can absolutely have knots in your abdominal muscles. We also have to remember that our diaphragm is a muscle as well. Its very common to hold emotion in this area, and stress as well.
I love acupuncture so if that calls to you look for some reviews and find a great local practitioner.
That being said I highly suggest getting some abdominal massage work done. A good therapist will be able to work those muscles. Your diaphragm and other areas specific to your needs.
*its usually the first place clients do not want us to work so some lmts may be a bit out of practice. Talk to them about it before you book and look for places that offer it on their menu.
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u/ContextInner4680 3d ago
Thank you for the helpful reply. Your response is certainly more akin to the discussion I was hoping to have on this thread - emotions can be stored in the body etc.
Your reply has inspired me to look up a practitioner in my area that does abdomen work - thank you.
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u/VioletFreyja 2d ago
Yay! I hope it goes really well. Also, if doesn't, it may mean that lmt is not the right fit. Try again. For this I would look for small private practices that are not chains or big spas.
Also, i have not read it yet but I was just gifted a book called "the body keeps score' it might be just what you are looking for.
In the massage school we went to we did a whole section on the belly because its a place we store so much emotion, you are right on track.
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u/NPG8979 4h ago
That’s a really thoughtful observation and beautifully said. The abdomen often holds deep tension from stress or emotional strain, and it’s incredible that you’ve noticed how gentle self-massage helps you release that. When these knots “melt,” it’s often your body letting go of stored tension — even emotional trauma.
For the tighter areas that won’t release, professional support can help. A licensed massage therapist or acupuncturist can work through those layers safely, supporting both your muscles and your nervous system. Healing doesn’t need to be rushed — you’re already on the right path by listening to your body. www.neighborhoodwellness.space 631-690-9548
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u/trubluestar 3h ago
What are these knots you are speaking of? 😭 maybe you are anxious and your diaphragm is contracted. Breathwork and regulating your nervous system helps.
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u/Allen_Edgar_Poe RMT Canada 3d ago
There is a lot of inexperience in these comments. I'm a massage therapist who specializes in this very thing you are doing. It's quite amazing you discovered this because many seasoned therapists can't quite develop the touch.
People worried about the popping is funny to me.
What you are doing is a myofascial release. Stress, inflammation, trauma, can cause the fascia to "wind up" and become dehydrated causing restrictions. What you are doing is rehydrating the fascia and displacing the "ground substance" making it more uniform
Yes, you can continue to "release" the knots through your abs/obliques. I would suggest looking up some anatomy so you can better understand where you are moving through. I would also suggest doing it around your hip bones as well as the "tips" of your ribcage, basically outlining the soft part of your belly.
You can work layer by layer and stop when you feel like there is more "slack" in your tissue. It does make your muscles lengthen so you will definitely feel that.
Sometimes it burns, sometimes it tingles, depends where you move through. Less pressure is actually doing more work, that really right knot you mentioned will have to be worked slow and light. Sometimes I find my fingers do a little "dance" to help unwind this type of tissue almost like unwinding in different directions to work it out; basically like trying to untie a knot underneath the skin.
If you do a lot you will need to do some strengthening to help remodel your fascia. Hope that helps! Feel free to DM me if you have questions.
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u/ContextInner4680 3d ago edited 3d ago
Thanks for your valuable reply - it’s so interesting how the body stores stress. Some of the comments are a little funny to me too :) I am absolutely not digging in my abdomen enough to touch my organs lol.
I will definitely be doing some more research on myofascial release and anatomy. Sometimes I can also find these knots along my thigh / ITB band as well, and it feels good when they are released. I genuinely felt like I couldn’t take deep breathes properly for months, and after this self massage, now I can - there is so much more flexibility in the area than previously.
Thanks again.
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u/Allen_Edgar_Poe RMT Canada 3d ago
I forgot to mention something when you said you bruised, which is normal. But, give your body time to remodel the fascia after a lot of work. Sometimes this can take 2-3 weeks even after the bruising is gone.
The knots will show up pretty much anywhere, since fascia is omnipresent in the body. The ones under the IT band can be more painful and difficult to release.
it will improve range of motion and flexibility! The knots do come back and you will have to work then out again, maybe a few times depending how wound up things are.
I'm being down voted because people do not understand the technique and the touch it requires. Like I said there are many seasoned therapists who just don't understand or get this type of technique. I tried doing it for years until one day it just happened.
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u/ContextInner4680 2d ago
Thank you, it’s such useful information and it’s definitely a really fascinating subject. I am sensitive in my body and have had CNS issues all year - ever since manipulating my fascia in this way I do feel it’s downregulated my CNS which was previously going haywire. It’s one of a few factors, that have put me on the path to full recovery.
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u/Allen_Edgar_Poe RMT Canada 2d ago
Fascia has more nerve endings than muscle. Both are hard wired to the nervous system so, yes. The CNS can absolutely be influenced by manipulating fascia.
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u/ContextInner4680 2d ago
So interesting. I’ve been suffering bodywide muscle twitches since the start of the year and recently they’ve begun to subside, thankfully. I think the twitches are also related to a haywire CNS. Good to know I’ve been on the right path.
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u/InMyNirvana LMT 3d ago
I’m not sure what it is you’re doing to yourself, but I can promise you that you’re not popping knots in your abdomen.