Treatment of upper trapezius myofascial trigger points does not influence pain in individuals with shoulder pain: A randomized trial

Abstract

Objective

Assess whether manual therapy combined with the ischemic compression (IC) technique on myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) in the upper trapezius has the potential to affect shoulder pain and the quantity of MTrPs in the middle and lower trapezius muscles in individuals experiencing shoulder pain.

Methods

Sixty individuals with shoulder pain were randomly assigned to three groups: Mobilization Group (MG, n = 20), underwent joint mobilizations of the shoulder complex; Compression Group (CG, n = 20), received mobilizations combined with IC on the myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) in the upper trapezius; and Placebo Group (PG, n = 20), underwent mobilizations combined with placebo IC. The interventions were administered twice a week for a duration of six weeks. Assessments were conducted at three time points: pre-treatment (week-0), post-treatment (week-6), and after a 1-month follow-up (week-10). Pain levels were evaluated using the Visual Analogue Scale and the number of MTrPs was counted by manual palpation for each muscle portion.

Results

Assessments in week 6 showed decreased pain for all groups (p < 0.05). Moreover, the number of MTrPs of the upper trapezius decreased in the CG and MG (p = 0.05); for the middle trapezius decreases were observed only in the MG and for the lower trapezius decreases only in the CG. At week 10, all groups maintained the post-intervention effects, without differences between groups.

Conclusion

The addition of the IC technique on the upper trapezius MTrPs was able to influence the number of MTrPs of the three portions of the trapezius muscle. The pain decreased in all individuals.