P-3-07-07
DECREASE IN PRESSURE PAIN THRESHOLDS OF LATENT MYOFASCIAL TRIGGER POINTS IN THE EXTENSOR DIGITORUM COMMUNIS MUSCLES IMMEDIATELY AFTER PLAYING PIANO
Shu-Min Chen (National Cheng-Kung University Hospital, Tainan, TAIWAN)
Judith Hong, Chang-Zern Hong
PURPOSE: This study investigated tile effects of repetitive muscle contraction on the pressure pain threshold of myofascial trigger points (MTrPs).
METHOD: Subjects involved in this study were 8-19 year-old students who had taken piano lessons for longer than one year. Three consecutive measurements of pressure pain threshold (PPT) were obtained on the latent MTrPs of bilateral extensor digitorum communis muscles 20 minutes before, immediately before, immediately after, and 20 minutes after continuous piano playing for 20 minutes.
RESULT: It was found that mean pain threshold was significantly (P < 0.01) reduced immediately after playing piano, and returned to original value 20 minutes after playing piano. There was no statistically significant difference between the mean value of "20 minutes before playing" and "immediately before playing" (control study). There was also no significant difference between the mean value of "20 minutes after playing" and "immediately before playing" or "20 minutes before playing". There was no significant difference between right and left hands.
CONCLUSION: It appears that the pain threshold of a latent MTrP in a muscle may be reduced after repetitive contraction of that muscle. Therefore, a latent myofascial trigger point in a muscle may become an active one after repetitive use (over loading of that muscle). Normally, this change is a temporary phenomena after an adequate rest period.
P-3-07-08
COLD LASER THERAPY ON MYOFASCIAL TRIGGER POINTS
Shu-Min Chen (National Cheng-Kung University Hospital, Tainan, TAIWAN)
Chun-Pin Lin, Ta-Shen Kuan, Jo-Tong Chen, Chang-Zern Hong
PURPOSE: This study is designed to assess the immediate effectiveness of two different techniques of laser therapy on tile relief of pain and tightness in myofascial trigger points (MTrPs).
METHOD: Patients with MTrPs in one side of upper trapezius muscles were divided into 3 groups. Group A (control group) patients were treated with placebo-Laser application. Group B patients were treated with cold Laser therapy with continuos wave, 18000mJ (total energy), for 20 minutes. Group C patients were treated with cold Laser therapy with 10 Hz pulsed wave, 18000mJ (total energy), for 20 minutes. All patients were assessed for pain intensity (Visual Analog Pain Scale), pain threshold of MTrP (pressure algometer), and range of motion of cervical spine (lateral bending to the opposite side) before and immediately after treatment.
RESULT: It was found that pain intensity and pain threshold were significantly reduced (p<0.05) after therapy in all groups (including placebo). Range of motion was significantly reduced (p<0.05) after laser therapy (either groups), but not in tile placebo group. The improvements after later therapy were significantly greater (p<0.05) than placebo treatment. There was no significant different in changes of all 3 measured parameters between Group B and Group C.
CONCLUSION: It is concluded that laser therapy, either continuous or pulsed, could effectively reduce pain and tightness of MTrPs.
