Prevalence of Myofascial Pain Syndrome Among Overhead Athletes With Neck and Shoulder Pain: A Cross-Sectional Study

The occurrence of shoulder or neck pain in overhead sports is nontraumatic because of chronic overuse, biomechanical variability, and repetitive impaired techniques adapted during the performance. Myofascial Pain Syndrome (MPS) is of both acute and chronic types and is caused by repetitive movements, microtrauma to muscle fibres, and faulty postures. MPS can cause pain, decrease the Range of Motion (ROM), and influence the Overhead Athletes' (OA) performance. The present study aimed to estimate the prevalence of MPS among OA with neck and shoulder pain.

A prospective, cross-sectional study was conducted on OA. A total of 370 OA aged between 18 and 35 years, students at a recognised college practising 4-5 days a week and participating in at least a university-level competition were screened. Athletes suffering from neck and shoulder pain were included. OA with recent injuries, fractures, surgeries, and other neck and shoulder pathologies were excluded. MPS was diagnosed with Travel and Simon's criteria. Pain and pressure pain threshold (PPT) were evaluated.

Among 345 OA with neck and shoulder pain, 86% of them were diagnosed with MPS. Most people had trigger points (MTrPs) in the Trapezius muscle (73%) and Infraspinatus muscle (42%), followed by Biceps brachii (22%), Deltoid (18%), Pectoralis major (17%), Sternocleidomastoid (16%), and Levator scapulae (14%). The PPT values of the muscles with the MTrPs were significantly lower on the left side compared to the right side.

MPS is highly prevalent (86%) among overhead athletes with neck and shoulder pain.