What are they?
When you feel a normal muscle, it should be soft and pain free to touch and press. In an active trigger point, part of the muscle contracts into a thickened area, which is why they feel like small knots under the skin. As these muscles are already sitting in a contracted state, they cannot be worked effectively. Prolonged contracture can also lead to the release of sensitising chemicals, thereby causing pain when the trigger point is pushed.
Trigger points can cause local pain as well as referral pain into another area. For instance, active trigger points in the shoulder and neck regions may cause headaches.
Treatment
Physiotherapy offers various ways in which to release and help deal with trigger point in the body
Heat therapy
Manual therapy
Stretching techniques
Regular exercise and avoiding prolonged sitting
Active trigger point release techniques
Instrument assisted soft tissue massage
Myofascial release
Correcting poor movement patterns or postures
Taping
If you have any questions in relation to Trigger points of physiotherapy treatment please do not hesitate to contact us here at Kensington Physio & Sports Medicine.