Changes in the Pressure Threshold of Myofascial Trigger Points of the Shoulder Girdle Muscles Following Stretching Exercise

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of a self-stretching exercise on the pressure threshold of myofascial trigger point. METHOD: We examined the changes of pressure threshold in 66 patients with myofascial trigger points before and after a self-stretching exercise of shoulder girdle and also tested the visual analogue scale (VAS) of the subjective pain intensity. The self-stretching exercise of shoulder girdle includes a stretching exercise of four muscles in shoulder girdle simultaneously, including upper trapezius, levator scapulae, infraspinatus, rhomboideus major and minor, which is followed by 1) a sitting position, relaxed, 2) lateral bending of neck to contralateral side, 3) forward and downward stretching of ipsilateral arm with protrusion of scapula and internal rotation of arm maximally to the contralateral foot. Each stretching motion is maintained for 30 seconds. RESULTS: The results of the patients experiencing unilateral or bilateral myofascial neck and shoulder pain showed that the pressure threshold of trigger point increased in response to the self-stretching exercise as assessed by a pressure algometer. Also visual analogue scale (VAS) decreased in response to the self-stretching exercise. CONCLUSION: We conclude that the self-stretching exercise of shoulder girdle is an effective method for the simultaneous stretching of upper trapezius, levator scapulae, infraspinatus, rhomboideus major and minor.