What is a Trigger Point !?

What is a Trigger Point ?! 

  • Small, irritable, region in the muscle, fascia, skin, periosteum or ligaments that reduces a muscle’s ability to stretch, limiting your ability to move which causes pain 

  • This can produce weakness and a pattern of referred pain which travels to another location nearby 

  • Trigger points have a pattern of referred pain based on where they are located  

  • Trigger points are hypersensitive nodules in the soft tissue which, when left untreated can cause a decrease in circulation and muscle contraction  

  • Muscle Fascia (myofascia) is connective tissue that links every structure in the body together

  • Myofascial restrictions have a huge influence on trigger points and areas of perceived pain

Why you need to see Herrick PT !

  • Dr. Kyle Herrick specializes in Orthopedic injuries and knows how to identify trigger points that cause pain with movement

  • Dr. Kyle Herrick utilizes several different methods to relieve trigger points that will help you heal quickly, reduce pain, and restore movement 

Common Diagnoses with Trigger Points 

  • Arthritis 

  • Injury (chronic/acute) 

  • ***Desk jobs and sedentary lifestyles are the lead cause for trigger points ! 

  • Bad posture - upper and lower crossed pattern, swayback posture, telephone posture, cross-legged sitting

  • Muscle overuse and overtraining (Weightlifting/sports)

  • Chronic stress condition - Anxiety, Depression, Psychological stress/trauma

  • Vitamin deficiencies - Vitamin C, D, B; folic acid; iron

  • Sleep disturbance

  • Joint problems and hypermobility

How we treat it at Herrick PT 

  • Kinesiology Taping: Taping technique often used with professional athletes designed to help facilitate the body’s natural healing process while providing support and stability to muscles and joints

  • Manual lymphatic drainage (Trigger points obstruct lymphatic flow) 

  • Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (Reciprocal inhibition, post-isometric relaxation, contract-relax/hold relax, contract-relax/antagonist contract techniques)

  • Posture training and work modification strategies  

  • Manual Therapy Techniques  (Joint mobilization/stretching/soft tissue mobilization)

  • IASTM: Steel tools which enables clinicians to efficiently locate and treat soft tissue dysfunction and trigger points 

  • Cupping: Uses negative pressure forces on suction cups to create lifting of the underlying tissues. This creates space within the tissue layers for improved gliding and mobility, while increasing blood flow to the area of the cup, where the trigger point is located 

  • Dr. Herrick identifies where trigger points and muscle adhesions occur and destroys them!

Kyle Herrick