Home WHAT IS MYOFASCIAL RELEASE TRIGGER POINT THERAPY?

WHAT IS MYOFASCIAL RELEASE TRIGGER POINT THERAPY?

Wednesday, 21st September 2022

Everyone experiences some level of muscle soreness, tight spots and knots at some point or another. These tight areas can often be linked to trigger points within specific muscles. A ‘trigger point’ is usually an identifiable painful nodule within a muscle. They often develop as a result of overloading or incorrectly loading a muscle causing the muscle fibers to contract and remain shortened and painful. One theory suggests that the sustained contraction inhibits oxygen and nutrient supply leading to the inability to self resolve. Trigger points can be a very common source of discomfort and your therapist or coach should be able to assist in releasing them.

Is trigger point therapy the same as myofascial release?

There is no significant difference between myofascial release and trigger point therapy as they both refer to similar methods of targeting tight bands of muscle and connective tissues to help ease tension. Some practitioners may use the term myofascial release in relation to deep tissue massage/release while using trigger point therapy to refer to specifically targeting trigger points. However, both have similar aims of releasing tissue and stimulating targeted blood flow and circulation.

How does myofascial release trigger point therapy work?

The primary goals of myofascial trigger point therapy are to improve blood circulation to tight trigger points, stretch out taut bands of muscle and release the fascia/connective tissues surrounding the trigger point. There are several ways in which your therapist or coach will target trigger points including using manual therapy, dry needling and stretching/strengthening exercises. Manual therapy can be used by applying pressure directly and specifically to the muscles, fascia and connective tissues to stimulate blood flow and ease tightness. Dry needling uses sterile acupuncture needles to target the specific trigger points and improve blood flow and circulation to the affected area. These treatments work best when paired with strength and mobility exercises to build muscle capacity and prevent recurrence of trigger points forming.

What causes trigger points to develop?

Injury sustained by a fall/trauma
Lack of exercise - commonly in sedentary populations
Bad posture
Muscle overuse/overload without adequate recovery
Chronic Stress condition - anxiety, depression, psychological stress trauma
Vitamin deficiencies - Vitamin C, D, B, folic acid, iron
Sleep disturbances
Joint problems and hypermobility

What are the benefits of myofascial release trigger point therapy?

These include pain relief, improved mobility and flexibility as well as providing an opportunity to start working on preventative strength and mobility exercises without as much discomfort. It can also allow for quicker return to functional activities, work and sports. Trigger point therapy can be used quite widely for many conditions including: