The Gluteus medius is located in your hip. It is important for hip stability, and functions to abduct the hip. When trigger points form in this muscle pain can be felt deep into the sacrum and the hip, as well as down the lateral thigh. Trigger points in this muscle are an often overlooked source of low back and sacral pain.
Leg Pain
Trigger point massage.
Myofascial trigger points are contracted knots in muscle tissue. They are one of the most common causes of pain in the body. Most people will experience pain from trigger points at some point in there lives. Trigger point pain is usually felt as a deep achey pain. This pain may be refered In a specific pattern to other areas of the body. For example, trigger points in your hip can refer pain all the way down the leg into the foot. Trigger points will also mimick joint pain leading to misdiagnosis of arthritis. Trigger point massage therapy targets the knots specifically with focused deep work to release the area and allow the muscle to heal. Visit http://www.triggerpointmassagetherapy.info or http://www.aberdeenchiropractic.com for more information.
What are trigger points.
What is a Trigger Point?
Trigger Points (TP’s) are defined as a “hyper-irritable spot within a taut band of skeletal muscle. The spot is painful on compression and can evoke characteristic referred pain and autonomic phenomena.”1
Put into plain language, a TP is a painful knot in muscle tissue that can refer pain to other areas of the body. You have probably felt the characteristic achy pain and stiffness that TP’s produce at some time in your life.
Trigger points in the rectus femoris muscle.
The Rectus Femoris muscle is one of the muscles that makes up the quadriceps group. It works to extend the knee and flex the hip. Trigger points that form in the Rectus Femoris are an often overlooked source of knee pain. The pain is usually described as a achy pain felt deep in the joint.
Piriformis trigger points
Trigger points in the piriformis muscle will cause pain to refer into the buttocks and down the back of the leg. These points will also cause shortening and tightening of this muscle, which can in turn out pressure on the sciatic nerve. This is called piriformis syndrome.
Gluteus minimus trigger points and sciatica.
The gluteus minimus muscle is located at the hip. It functions to abduct the hip and stabilize the pelvis. Trigger points commonly develop in this muscle from overload stress. The referral pattern of these trigger points will refer pain down the side of the leg, as well as into the glute and hamstring. These symptoms are often mistaken for irritation of the sciatic nerve called ” sciatica” which produces very similar symptoms.
Piriformis syndrome
Piriformis syndrome is caused by a tight contracted piriformis muscle putting pressure on the sciatic nerve causing symptoms of tingling, numbness, and altered sensation. This muscle is often tight in people who sit for long periods of time. A common cause of this muscle being contracted and tight are trigger points. These trigger points are contracted knots within the belly of the muscle. These knots cause the muscle to become shortened. Trigger points will also cause pain on their own. This is usually felt as a deep achy pain in the glute and hip area, as well as in the back of the leg.
The Rectus Femoris muscle is a large muscle that makes up part of the quadriceps group. It functions to extend the knee and flex the hip. It originates on the anterior inferior iliac spine and part of the acetabulum. It’s insertion is the patella via the quadriceps tendon and tibial tuberosity via the patellar ligament. Trigger points in this muscle refer deep into the knee. This muscle is an often overlooked source of knee pain.
Myofascial pain syndrome
Myofascial pain syndrome is caused by a stimulus, such as muscle tightness, that sets off trigger points in your muscles. Factors that may increase your risk of muscle
trigger points include:
- Muscle injury. An acute muscle injury or continual muscle stress may lead to the development of trigger points. For example, a spot within or near a strained muscle may become a trigger point. Repetitive motions and poor posture also may increase your risk.
- Stress and anxiety. People who frequently experience stress and anxiety may be more likely to develop trigger points in their muscles. One theory holds that these people may be more likely to clench their muscles, a form of repeated strain that leaves muscles susceptible to trigger point
Trigger points and myofascial pain.
Sensitive areas of tight muscle fibers can form in your muscles after injuries or overuse. These sensitive areas are called trigger points. A trigger point in a muscle can cause strain and pain throughout the muscle. When this pain persists and worsens, doctors call it myofascial pain syndrome.
Aberdeen Chiropractic 