I have this knot in my neck that I think I must have had forever. I recently asked my PT about it. Would it make sense for her to massage it out? Her answer was NO (shocking?). She said that It is likely there because muscles are engaging to stabilize something that is out of whack. Hmm. So something isn't working well and it is actually a good thing that this knot is here? Yeah, kinda. If she were to massage the knot away I would be left with the instability but not necessarily the tools to change the pattern. Let's change the pattern first so the knot can go away on its own!

Here is an article from Dr. Dooley Noted that addresses this topic in an interesting and straight forward way.

What do I do, say you? We recommend thoughtful re-patterning! In a safe environment, get really simple and clear with how you are moving. Notice what your body does and try to find other possibilities for how you might work! Pilates is a great tool for this. Pilates is simple, focuses on deep stability and highlights weaknesses and imbalances. It gives you the tools to make changes in your body. Once you get to the bottom of a pattern, you can rebuild your strength in a new and improved way!