trigger points are well known for causing pain, but did you know that trigger points can also cause muscle weakness as well? The muscle fibers that are locked together in a trigger point cannot be used to produce muscular contractions thus weakening the entire muscle.
The brachioradialis muscle is located in your forearm, this muscle is responsible for helping to flex the elbow during semi pronation. Because of this it is sometimes called your drinking muscle. trigger points in this muscle will cause pain to refer into the elbow, down the forearm and into the hand. When severe enough trigger point pain can event travel up the arm.
The trapezius muscle or traps is a large muscle in the mid and upper back as well as the neck. This muscle plays an important role in shoulder and neck movement. With a chronic head forward shoulders rounded posture this muscle can become chronically overloaded and strained. When this happens trigger points can form. These points will refer pain into the neck, skull, and into the temple causing headaches. Trigger points won’t release by themselves, they need a manual technique like trigger point massage.
The sternocleidomastoid muscles are two strap like muscles located in the front of the neck. They are responsible for producing head movements like flexion, as well as rotating the head to the opposite side. These muscles often become chronically shortened due to poor posture such as sitting in front of a computer screen for to long. When this happens trigger points can form. These points will refer pain into the head, face, and skull producing headaches. Trigger points won’t resolve by themselves, a manual intervention like trigger point massage is required to cause a release.
Monster Walk
the rhomboids are muscles located in your upper back. They lie underneath the trapezius muscle. These muscles are responsible for retracting your scapula, or pulling your shoulder blades back. Since poor posture causes the shoulders to round forward, the rhomboids are often strained. When this happens trigger points will form. These points cause deep achy pain to be felt along the shoulder blade. Once trigger points have formed they will not release on there own. A manual release such as trigger point massage is required.
Your lats, or your latissimus dorsi muscles are the largest muscles of the back. They are responsible for adducting and medially rotating the arm. This muscle also produces extension at the shoulder joint. When trigger points for In this muscle, they can refer pain into the back, down the inside of the arm into the hand. These trigger points can also cause pain to be felt into the front of the shoulder. Once formed trigger points will not release on there own. They require a manual release technique like trigger point massage.
A pulled hamstring or strain is an injury to one or more of the muscles at the back of the thigh. Hamstring muscle injuries occur most frequently in athletes. They are especially common in athletes who participate in sports that require sprinting, such as track, soccer, and basketball.
Several factors can make it more likely you will have a muscle strain, including:
Muscle tightness. Tight muscles are vulnerable to strain. Athletes should follow a year-round program of daily stretching exercises.
Muscle imbalance.When one muscle group is much stronger than its opposing muscle group, the imbalance can lead to a strain. This frequently happens with the hamstring muscles. The quadriceps muscles at the front of the thigh are usually more powerful. During high-speed activities, the hamstring may become fatigued faster than the quadriceps. This fatigue can lead to a strain.
Poor conditioning. If your muscles are weak, they are less able to cope with the stress of exercise and are more likely to be injured.
Muscle fatigue. Fatigue reduces the energy-absorbing capabilities of muscle, making them more susceptible to injury.
Strains are graded 1, 2 or 3 depending on severity.
Grade 1 consists of minor tears within the muscle. A grade 2 is a partial tear in the muscle and grade 3 is a severe or complete rupture of the muscle.
What can the athlete do?
It is important that treatment for a pulled hamstring starts immediately following injury. The most important phase for treatment is the first 48 hours post-injury. In this time the following can be carried out by the athlete themselves:
The Class IV Laser is at the heart of our treatment program. It provides a safe, effective, non-invasive, painless solution for hamstring pain and injury. Patients respond exceptionally well to treatments and usually notice significant pain relief after just a few treatments. Our program utilizes the latest FDA Cleared Lasers, and combines them with other therapies to help reduce the pain, strengthen the muscles and increase range of motion. Most importantly these treatments help reduce inflammation/swelling, which helps improve overall function.
Trigger points are hyper irritable knots found in muscle tissue. These points form in a muscle due to overload stress. Trigger points can form anywhere, in any muscle. Once formed they irritate sensory nerves and produce pain, refered pain, weakness, and stiffness. Trigger points will also mimic symptoms of other conditions such as “sciatica” or Carple tunnel syndrome. Trigger points will not go away on there own, they must be manually released with hands on techniques like trigger point massage.
Trigger point massage therapy is specifically designed to alleviate the source of the pain through cycles of isolated pressure and release. In this type of massage for trigger point therapy, the recipient actively participates through deep breathing as well as identifying the exact location and intensity of the discomfort.
The results and benefits of trigger point massage are releasing constricted areas in the muscles thus alleviating pain. You can experience a significant decrease in pain after just one treatment. Receiving massage with trigger point therapy on a regular basis can help naturally manage pain and stress from chronic injuries.
Aberdeen Chiropractic 