Skin Resistivity Value of Upper Trapezius Latent Trigger Points

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Physiology
• Pain Management

Background:

• Skin resistivity (SkR) is used for acupoint measurement, but its application for trigger points (TrPs) is less established.
• Only one prior study has investigated SkR for TrPs, necessitating further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the utility of skin resistivity (SkR) measurements in identifying latent trigger points (TrPs).
• To compare SkR values between latent TrPs, contralateral non-TrPs sites, and surrounding tissues.

Main Methods:

• Forty-two healthy volunteers with latent upper trapezius TrPs participated.
• Skin resistivity was measured using a Keithley electrometer 610B with Ag/AgCl electrodes.
• Measurements were taken at TrPs, non-TrPs sites, and surrounding tissues.

Main Results:

• A decrease in SkR at TrPs-positive sites compared to controls was observed.
• However, no statistically significant difference in SkR values was found when analyzing all data.
• This lack of statistical significance persisted across gender divisions and when considering referred pain or twitch response.

Conclusions:

• While SkR changes at latent TrPs are possible, the findings were inconsistent with previous research.
• Caution is advised when using SkR for latent TrP identification; clinical application is not yet recommended.
• Further studies, particularly focusing on active TrPs, are required to clarify SkR's role.