A critical overview of the current myofascial pain literature - July 2020

Area of Science:

• Pain Research
• Musculoskeletal Disorders
• Literature Review

Background:

• This issue presents a comprehensive overview of recent literature on myofascial pain and trigger points (TrPs).
• The journal experienced an administrative delay, resulting in a larger collection of reviewed articles in this edition to compensate for the missed January 2020 issue.
• Dr. Li-Wei Chou is departing from his contributions to the literature overview due to increased work responsibilities.

Discussion:

• The growing volume of published research on myofascial pain and TrPs presents a significant challenge for comprehensive coverage.
• The current edition includes a diverse range of studies, encompassing basic research, reviews, dry needling (DN), acupuncture, injections, manual therapies, and other clinical approaches.
• Dr. Chou's expertise in interpreting complex medical studies and including Chinese-language research has been invaluable.

Key Insights:

• The overview features 10 basic research articles, 4 reviews, 14 articles on dry needling, acupuncture, and injections, 3 on manual therapies, and 4 on other clinical approaches.
• The inclusion of varied study types provides a broad perspective on current advancements in myofascial pain and TrP management.
• The journal acknowledges Dr. Chou's contributions and wishes him well in his future endeavors.

Outlook:

• Future literature overviews will continue to navigate the expanding body of research in myofascial pain and trigger point management.
• Efforts will be made to maintain a balanced and comprehensive review of diverse therapeutic modalities.
• The journal team expresses gratitude for Dr. Chou's past contributions and anticipates potential future collaborations.