Prevalence of Myofascial Trigger Points in Poststroke Patients With Painful Shoulders: A Cross‐Sectional Study

Introduction: The obesity on the myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) was reduced the pain thresholds, leads todecreasing of physical functioning and quality of life. The obese group was more sensitive to pain due to the proinflammatorycondition. This study aimed to examined the relationship between the Body Mass Index (BMI)and the pain threshold in MPS patients.Methods and Materials: This study was a cross-sectional study, conducted in an outpatient clinic of MedicalRehabilitation Department of Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Jakarta. The subjects recruited consecutively.The pain intensity was assessed subjectively by the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score from 0 to 10. Thenumber of the trigger points (TP) were examined palpation manually. The pain threshold was evaluated by thealgometer (Kg) on the upper trapezius muscles.Results: The study has recruited 30 patients, aged 40,5 (20-54). The BMI was 24.97 ± 3.39 Kg/M2. The VASscore was 6 (5-8). The number of the TP was 5.83 ± 1.74. The pain threshold was 2.48 ± 0.52 Kg/ cm2. Most ofthe subjects have overweight (20%) and obesity (47%). There was no correlation between the BMI with the painintensity (r=-0.076, p=0.689), with the number of trigger points (r=0.256, p=0.171) and with the pain threshold(r=0.189, p=0.316).Conclusions: Therefore the BMI was not related to the pain intensity, the number of trigger points as wellas with the threshold of pain in the MPS patients. However, the number of the TP tends to increase, and thethreshold of pain has the tendency to reduced in the obese subjects.Keywords: Obesity; Myofascial Pain Syndrome; VAS; Pain Threshold

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Is Instrumental Compression Equally Effective and Comfortable for Physiotherapists and Physiotherapy Students than Manual Compression? A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph182212121 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (22) ◽

pp. 12121

Author(s):

Sara Pérez-Palomares ◽

Carolina Jiménez-Sánchez ◽

Ignacio Serrano-Herrero ◽

Pablo Herrero ◽

Sandra Calvo

Keyword(s):

Rating Scale ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Manual Compression ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Myofascial Trigger Points ◽

Pressure Release ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Instrumental Technique ◽

Physiotherapy Students

The objective of this work is to compare the homogeneity of instrumental and manual compression during the simulation of a pressure release technique, measured with a dynamometer, as well as to evaluate the comparative degree of comfort by physiotherapists and physiotherapy students when performing this technique. Methods: A comparative cross-sectional study was carried out with physiotherapists (lecturers with clinical experience) and 4th year students of the Physiotherapy Degree at Universidad San Jorge. The amount of pressure performed and how it was maintained during 80 s with both techniques was analysed using a digital dynamometer. The degree of comfort was evaluated using a modified numeric rating scale, with higher values representing a higher degree of discomfort. Results: A total of 30 subjects participated. Significant differences were found between the techniques in terms of maintaining a constant pressure level for 80 s (p = 0.043). A statistically significant difference was found between both techniques in the period from 45 to 80 s. Regarding the degree of discomfort, the value obtained from the students’ responses was 4.67 (1.35) for the manual technique and 1.93 (0.88) for the instrumental technique. In the case of physiotherapists, the comfort was 4.87 (2.13) for the manual technique and 3.33 (1.54) for the instrumental technique. Conclusion: The sustained manual compression necessary in manual pressure release techniques in the treatment of myofascial trigger points can be performed with assistive tools that guarantee a uniform compression maintained throughout the development of the technique and are more comfortable for physiotherapists.

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