A strained of knotted muscle could be caused by a number of reasons, but the main cause is usually physical exercise. Physical exercise does not necessarily have to mean a heavy sportive activity, like playing tennis or basket ball. It could be something as simple as gardening, or working in the house, lifting heavy objects etc. Sometimes wrong posture while sitting or sleeping and even a bad mattress can lead to strained muscles. If there is the slightest feeling of soreness, you should immediately suspend all physical activity that might strain your muscles further can aggravate the problem. You should also invest in a new mattress, something that is firm and does not sag. Sometimes the problem could be simply because you have been exercising in winter without adequately warm clothing. You should thus ensure that your body is well clothed in woolens if you are exercising in winter.
While working, you should be conscious of your posture, taking care not to slouch, keeping your back straight. If you have a sedentary job, and spend several hours at a stretch at your desktop, then you should take frequent breaks and avoid working for long stretches especially with the computer. After every hour you should get up, stretch your muscles, and also rotate your neck clock-wise and anti clock-wise to ease the strain on the back and neck muscles. This is crucial for those in the field of information technology.
Apart from this, there are some simple home remedies to treat strained or knotted muscles in the back. The best remedy for a strained or knotted muscle is cold fermentation. You should apply an ice pack or some ice wrapped in towel, on the affected area, to reduce the swelling. This reduces the inflammation and also soothes the pain. Though heat fermentation helps to soothe the pain, it is not advisable since it aggravates the swelling. You should instead apply an ice pack on the knotted muscles for around 15 minutes, take a break of half an hour and then apply it again for the same period of time. Remember that both heat and cold fermentation applied for a very long period can be harmful so always apply the pack for a few minutes and then take a break. Apart from this, you should slowly recommence your activities, beginning with warm-up exercises and gradually getting back to your usual activities. Soaking in a bath with some Epsom salts also helps to reduce the pain caused by the strained muscles. Remember that muscles injuries take a long time to heal, so you have to be patient and calm during the treatment.
answered by M W