What is a Trigger Point?
Trigger points are localized, hyper-irritable zones of tenderness and cause a paroxysmic reaction when "triggered". For instance, during a massage, an initial digital pressure over an aggravated site can often produce a twitch, spasm or even a ticklish sensation, sending referred pain in a predictable area. Furthermore, trying to relax the trigger point with force will only increases resistance. Read on to learn what to do instead.
Trigger Points can be caused by many factors such as trauma, depression, anxiety, stress, lack of exercise, extreme temperature changes, overuse of a muscle or joint, and imbalances in the tone of muscle tissue, i.e.- locked short or locked long.
Types of Trigger Points
There are different types of Trigger Points (T.P's) and stages:
Latent: dormant yet still with restriction of the connective tissue, decrease in strength and direct pressure will activate it. Be careful- if you activate a Latent T.P, it is imperative that you fully release it or it can leave your client with a spasm and/or pain they did not experience before.
Active: feelings and symptoms apparent, referred pain to predictable areas, restrictions of mobility and spasmic reactions. An individual who has many active T.P's will likely not be able to tolerate a light massage with oil as it can irritate each point and cause many spasms in one pass during the massage (speaking from experience!). Also avoid frictions and percussions on active T.P's. Fasciatherapy, without oil, is preferred in this situation.
Satellite: created by the effect of having an active trigger points and irradiates persistent pain to a referred zone.
How to Release Trigger Points
Trigger points can be released through manual massage therapy. The massage should be designed to regulate tissue metabolism in the irritable area and if possible de-activate the T.P.
Techniques to be used should include ischemic pressure- which is direct sustained compression; key word here is sustained, stick with it for an extended period of time.
Fascial approximations work wonderfully on T.P's that spasm often, as well as myofascial raking, myofascial muscle bending or lifting, jostling and skin-rolling. Skin-rolling can be used to locate T.P's as well. As mentioned above, avoid frictions, percussions and light effleurages.
How to Keep Trigger Points Away
As we now know, trigger points are a form of tension that can create an undesired reaction if activated. Releasing a T.P is possible and once released we want to maintain healthy tissue in the area. Since a tight muscle = a weak muscle, you now want to strengthen the area after it's been released. Walking and strength training are recommended to improve structural balance, as well as unilateral stretching. These activities enhance proper motor control, which is the regulation and coordination of movements, and coordination in the body helps keep T.P's away.
Lastly, usually the more active you are the less T.P susceptibility you will have.
For ideas on how to self-soothe trigger points, check out The Body Blog's Bodywork board on Pinterest!
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