Finding a trigger point
With the muscle relaxed you can locate a trigger point by probing the tissue
with your fingers, or a Fenix digit, until you find a spot that under firm pressure
evokes or exacerbates the symptoms you have. You know you are on a
treatment point when moderate pressure creates local tenderness with referral
sensations to other parts of your body or extremities, sensations such as
tingling, aching, sharp pain, and/or numbness. The decrease of this discomfort
with therapeutic pressure will also signal that you are correctly on a
treatment point. At this point you will apply the Fenix digit or digits and
treat the myofascial trigger point as described in the Self Training Program .
Pain-causing trigger point (TP) areas
Using your fingers, or a Fenix digit, probe along the lines indicated in the
pictures and described in the text correlating to your problem area to find
the trigger points causing you pain. You can move to the right or left and up
or down along or off each of these lines to find your exact pain-causing trigger
points.
Lower body pain-causing TPs
Hip/leg pain - follow diagonal line A from the bony bump in back of your
pelvis (left hand pointing) to the bony bump in front of your pelvis (right
hand pointing). Starting at the front right hand, check the iliopsoas, tensor
fasciae latae to the gluteus medius and maximus, piriformis (below middle of
line A) and lumbosacral muscles by the left hand for TPs.
See the Trigger Point pain drawings below and the treatment pictures in the Self Training Program for specific muscle locations.
Low back pain - check the muscles listed above in hip/leg pain for TPs. Then
check line B top to bottom next to bony spinous bumps of low back for TPs
(paraspinal muscles), never apply the digits directly on these boney bumps. Try the paired two-digit paraspinal technique, or the
four-digit spinal traction technique for relief (see Special Techniques for Spinal Pain for details.)
Also check the diagonal line C from the mid-low back across towards top of
pelvis (quadratus lumborum muscle TPs.)
See the Trigger Point pain drawings below and the treatment pictures in the Self Training Program for
Upper body pain-causing TPs
Mid-back pain - check line D next to bony spinous bumps of mid-back for
TPs (paraspinal muscles). Try the paired two-digit paraspinal technique or
the four-digit traction technique for relief (see pages Special Techniques for Spinal Pain for details).
Also check line E along the inside border of your shoulder blade (rhomboid
and mid-trapezius muscle TPs).
See the Trigger Point pain drawings below and the treatment pictures in the Self Training Program for
Shoulder-arm pain - check muscles listed above in mid-back pain for TPs.
Then follow diagonal line F from inside border of shoulder blade across to
front top tip of shoulder to check for TPs in infraspinatus, terres muscles,
posterior and anterior deltoids. Also follow line G, top of shoulder, to check
TPs in supraspinatus and upper trapezius muscles.
See the Trigger Point pain drawings below and the treatment pictures in the Self Training Program for
Neck pain and headaches - check muscles listed above in mid-back pain and
shoulder pain lines D, E, F, and G. Then follow diagonal line G up the neck
to H (upper trapezius and levator scapulae). Also check line H next to bony
spinous bumps of the neck for TPs (cervical paraspinal muscles) to muscles
under the skull bone.
See the Trigger Point pain drawings below and the treatment pictures in the Self Training Program for
Examples of Some Trigger Points and Their Pain Patterns
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| Scaleni |
Levator scapula |
Upper trapezius |
Posterior cervical |
Sternocleidomastoid |
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| Splenius Capitis |
Exterior Carpi Radialis |
Abductor Hallucis |
Biceps Femoris |
Soleus |
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| Gastrocnemius |
Vastus Medialus |
Abductor Longus |
Tensa Fascia Lata |
Gluteus Minimus |
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| Multifidus |
Longissimus |
Lower Trapezius |
Pectorals |
Serratus Anterior |
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| Pectoralis Major |
Anterior Deltoid |
Infraspinatus |
Supraspinatus |
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