Muscle knots (myofascial trigger points are small, bump-like areas of muscle that can be painful to . They occur when muscle fibers or the fascia underneath them tense and tighten. trigger points are classified as either active or latent. active trigger points can be painful without touch, . Latent trigger points are only painful if someone presses them. Myofascial trigger points can cause pain and affect range of motion. There are ways to both treat and prevent these ‘knots