Trigger Points

Trigger points occur when paired muscles become hypersensitive and irritated and form a 'knot' in a tight band of muscle. There are approximately 200 paired muscles that can form trigger points, the trapezius of the upper back being a common example. These muscles form a tight rope like structure, ofter very painful and tender to touch and can cause referred pain in neighbouring areas.

Another example of a trigger point is the gluteus minimus of the hip girdle which can cause shooting pain down the leg to the ankle. This can be mistaken for sciatic nerve pain. As a lot of trigger points have referred pain a long distance from the actual trigger point they are often mis-diagnosed as local irritation or nerve compression syndromes, such as sciatica, carpel tunnel and pinched spinal nerves. Headaches, neck and upper back pain and plantar fasciitis are other common examples of discomfort that can be caused by untreated trigger points.

What causes trigger points? A number of factors can all contribute to the formation of a trigger point. Acute actions such as a muscle strain, or whiplash can cause a trigger point by causing the muscles to tighten and spasm. Chronic overload of the posture muscles used to maintain incorrect posture during work or sleep can also cause trigger points, as can low impact repetitive muscle movements over a sustained period. Muscular imbalances caused by this incorrect posture or incorrect sequence of muscle contraction is also a major factor in the formation of trigger points.

So what can be done to avoid these trigger points? Self myofascial release is the easiest (albeit very painful) way to relieve the effects of trigger points. The muscle fibres must be broken apart and allowed to glide over one another to be able to move correctly. This can be done with a foam roller, massage or small hard balls to increase pressure and blood flow to the area. That's all well and good but where are the trigger points? As part of our new restoration sessions we'll show you the most effective trigger points to relieve the most common pain from trigger points and explain exactly how this trigger point will impact you if it flares up again.

Call or email now to book a session with Alex and get you on the road to recovery.