Positional release therapy and therapeutic massage reduce muscle trigger and tender points

Area of Science:

• Musculoskeletal pain management
• Physical therapy interventions
• Myofascial pain syndrome

Background:

• Upper trapezius trigger points are a common source of pain.
• Therapeutic massage (TM) is a frequent treatment, but positional release therapy (PRT) warrants further investigation.
• Understanding the comparative efficacy of PRT and TM is crucial for clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effectiveness of positional release therapy (PRT) versus therapeutic massage (TM) for treating trigger and tender points in the upper trapezius.
• To evaluate the impact of PRT and TM on pain, pressure sensitivity, muscle thickness, and muscle stiffness.

Main Methods:

• Sixty participants with upper trapezius trigger points were randomized into TM or PRT groups.
• Pain was assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS), and pressure pain threshold (PPT) was measured.
• Muscle stiffness and thickness were evaluated using shear-wave elastography (SWE) and ultrasound, respectively, at baseline, post-treatment, and 48 hours later.

Main Results:

• Both PRT and TM significantly reduced pain and acutely decreased muscle stiffness.
• PRT showed a trend towards greater reductions in pain and pressure sensitivity post-treatment and at 48 hours.
• Neither treatment maintained reduced muscle stiffness in males at the 48-hour follow-up.

Conclusions:

• Both therapeutic massage and positional release therapy effectively alleviate upper trapezius pain and acutely reduce muscle stiffness.
• Clinically, PRT may offer superior benefits for pain and pressure sensitivity, although not statistically significant.
• Long-term effects on muscle stiffness were not consistently observed for either method in males.