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Trigger Point Therapy enables deeper penetration and
recovery for the tender points of your body
Trigger Point Therapy is a bodywork technique that involves
the direct application of pressure or slow cross fiber friction to knots in the
muscle tissue.
Trigger points are described as hyperirritable spots in
skeletal muscle that are associated with palpable nodules (pea shaped like) in
taut bands of muscle fibers. Trigger points most often develop in a muscle when
it is injured or overworked, often related to poor posture or a sporting
injury.
Trigger points cause muscular pain and may refer pain and
tenderness to another area of the body when pressure is applied. It may occur at
rest or only on movement. It can vary from being a low-grade discomfort to being
severe and incapacitating. The referred pain caused by trigger points is
usually, steady, dull and aching, often deep.
There are two basic types of Trigger points: 'Active' and
'Latent'.
An Active trigger point causes referred pain to another area
of the body when pressure is applied. Latent trigger points only exhibit pain
to the isolated area when compressed, they do not refer pain to other areas of
the body. Latent trigger points are believed to be one of the causes of stiff
joints and restricted range of motion.
Your therapist will ask you to define your pain on a pain
scale between 0 -10. 0 to signify no pain and 10 being excruciating. Its normal to feel somewhere between 5 and 6 on the pain scale.(slightly
uncomfortable, yet tolerable). If your discomfort levels are above or below 5 or 6,
let your therapist know and they can adjust their pressure.
Common conditions associated with referred pain from Trigger
Points:
- Headaches
- Neck and jaw pain
- Low back pain
- Shoulder, knee,
hip elbow, and ankle pain
- Fibromyalgia
- Stress
- Post injury,
sprained ankle, strained muscles etc.
Trigger Point Therapy is often incorporated with Sports
massage, Deep tissue and Remedial styles. The client is usually undressed and draped appropriately leaving only the area of treatment
to be exposed.
Contraindications
Application of pressure is contraindicated directly over
sites of acute, active and ongoing infection and inflammation. Recent unhealed
fractures, acute gout, phlebitis, and unhealed wounds contraindicate massage. | 
