Myofascial trigger points are focal "knots" located in a taut band of skeletal muscle first described by Dr. Janet Travell in 1942. These points are usually palpable and produce a characteristic referred pain upon palpation, along with pain locally and occasionally a local twitch response. Trigger points may also cause stiffness and decreased range of motion, and can sometimes be associated with chronic disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Trigger points may be formed after acute trauma or by repeated micro-trauma, leading to stress on muscle fibers.
Trigger points are often confused with the term tender points. These are not synonymous, as tender points denote a focal nodule that produced pain directly under the area of palpation, but does not cause a referred pain.
Patients can have one or several trigger points throughout their musculoskeletal system. There are several approaches to the treatment of trigger points including ultrasonography, physical manipulation therapy, Spray and Stretch technique, and injections.
Copyright © 2025, StatPearls Publishing LLC.