Why Your Body Still Feels Tired, Even After a Long Weekend.

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The Sports Injury Clinic

Steve Dillon

September 16, 2025

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You finally had a couple of days to rest, relax, and recharge - but instead of feeling refreshed, your body still feels sore, sluggish, or stiff. Sound familiar?

You're not alone. Many people feel this way despite taking time off. The truth is, rest alone isn’t always enough. Lingering tension, stress, and poor recovery habits can all contribute to that “heavy” feeling in your body, even when you think you’ve done everything right.

Let’s explore why this happens and how myotherapy can help you feel truly restored.

1. Muscle Tension: More Than Just a Sore Spot

Muscle tension, or muscle rigidity, is one of the most common causes of persistent fatigue and discomfort. It occurs when muscles stay partially contracted for long periods, often without you even noticing it. This can cause tightness, soreness, reduced mobility, and even a sense of overall fatigue.

Common causes of muscle tension include:

  • Poor posture or long hours sitting (especially at desks)
  • Stress and anxiety (mental stress often manifests in the body)
  • Lack of movement or overuse without recovery
  • Dehydration and nutrient deficiencies (like low magnesium or potassium)
  • Sleeping in awkward positions
  • Starting new workouts or physical activity

Tension often shows up in the neck, shoulders, lower back, and legs. Left untreated, it can contribute to chronic pain, headaches, poor sleep, and even reduced concentration and mood.

2. Rest Is Not the Same as Recovery

It’s a common myth that rest alone leads to recovery. True recovery is active, not passive. That means supporting your body with habits and routines that actively help muscles relax, repair, and regain their natural mobility.

Some ways to support better recovery at home:

  • Stretch regularly, especially after sitting or exercising
  • Use hot and cold therapy to ease inflammation and tension
  • Massage tight areas with tools like foam rollers or massage balls
  • Stay hydrated and support your muscles with good nutrition
  • Practice posture awareness throughout your day
  • Move often, even with low-impact activities like walking or yoga

Even small changes can make a BIG difference.

But if you're still feeling restricted or in pain despite these efforts, it may be time to seek professional support...

3. How Myotherapy Helps

Myotherapy is a hands-on therapy focused on treating and managing muscle pain, tightness, and dysfunction. It goes beyond relaxation by addressing the underlying causes of muscular tension to restore function and improve quality of life.

Myotherapy may include:

  • Therapeutic massage:
    • Relieves muscle knots and improves circulation, helping muscles receive the oxygen and nutrients they need to heal.
  • Trigger point therapy & myofascial release:
    • Targets the source of persistent tightness, especially helpful for stubborn or chronic pain areas.
  • Heat therapy:
    • Used in treatment to relax muscles, improve blood flow, and reduce pain.
  • Assisted stretching & movement therapy:
    • Improves flexibility and helps retrain muscle patterns to prevent recurring tension.
  • Postural & movement assessments:
    • Helps identify contributing factors like imbalance or weakness, with corrective exercises and rehabilitation strategies built into your plan.

For chronic or complex issues, your Myotherapist may also work alongside physiotherapists or other allied health professionals to ensure a holistic and effective treatment plan.

You Don’t Have to Live With Tension!!

Lingering muscle tightness isn’t just “in your head,” and it’s more common than you think. It’s often the result of cumulative stress, repetitive strain, or inactivity—and it’s highly treatable.

The good news? With the right combination of self-care and professional treatment, you can ease that tightness, boost your energy, and get back to feeling your best.

At The Sports Injury Clinic, our qualified Myotherapists are here to help you move better, feel better, and live better. Whether you're recovering from an injury, dealing with ongoing muscle tightness, or just want to improve your mobility, we’ll work with you to create a treatment plan tailored to your body and lifestyle.

Book an appointment today or speak to one of our team members about how we can support your recovery.

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