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Focused review: myofascial pain
Joanne Borg-Stein1, David G Simons
1Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02481, USA. Jborgstein@partners.org
Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
|April 26, 2002
Summary
Myofascial pain, originating from trigger points in skeletal muscle, is common in musculoskeletal conditions. This review covers its causes, treatments, and future research directions for better rehabilitation.
Area of Science:
- Pain Medicine
- Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation
- Sports Medicine
Background:
- Myofascial pain arises from myofascial trigger points within skeletal muscle.
- It frequently co-exists with other pain sources in regional pain syndromes.
- Effective management is crucial for musculoskeletal rehabilitation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To critically review the current understanding of myofascial pain pathophysiology.
- To provide an evidence-based assessment of various treatment modalities.
- To identify future research avenues in myofascial pain.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of pathophysiology hypotheses.
- Evidence-based analysis of pharmacologic treatments.
- Critical evaluation of nonpharmacologic, alternative, and exercise therapies.
Main Results:
- The review synthesizes current knowledge on myofascial trigger point mechanisms.
- It assesses the efficacy of diverse treatments, including medications, physical therapies, and exercise.
- Gaps in current research and future directions are highlighted.
Conclusions:
- Comprehensive understanding of myofascial pain pathophysiology is evolving.
- A multimodal approach integrating various treatments is often necessary.
- Further research is essential to optimize myofascial pain management and rehabilitation outcomes.