Trial reportAmerican journal of physical medicine & rehabilitation2017
Responsiveness of Myofascial Trigger Points to Single and Multiple Trigger Point Release Massages: A Randomized, Placebo Controlled Trial.
Trial report in American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitation, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07045324 (A Comparative Study on the Effect of Vagus Nerve Stimulation and Ischemic Compression on Trapezius Trigger Points), which is not on this map. Cited by 23 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
A Comparative Study on the Effect of Vagus Nerve Stimulation and Ischemic Compression on Trapezius Trigger Points
Who cites it
23 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 71 citations in OpenAlex.
- Massage for neck pain.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2024Pooled it
- Physical Therapy in Tension-Type Headache: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Pooled it
- Effect of ischemic compression on myofascial pain syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Chiropractic & manual therapies · 2022Pooled it
- Pooled it
- The effect of manual therapies on tension-type headache in patients who do not respond to drug therapy: a randomized clinical trial.The Journal of manual & manipulative therapy · 2023Trial
- Instrumented assisted soft tissue mobilizationWorld journal of orthopedics · 2023Trial
- Dry Cupping, Ischemic Compression, or Their Combination for the Treatment of Trigger Points: A Pilot Randomized Trial.Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.) · 2020Trial
- Evaluation of the inter-examiner reliability of myofascial trigger point identification in dogs.Frontiers in veterinary science · 2026Article
- Manipulative Treatment of Myofascial Pain Syndrome: A Network Meta-Analysis Based on Randomized Controlled Trials.Journal of pain research · 2025Review
- Traditional Chinese Rehabilitation Exercise (TCRE) for Myofascial Pain: Current Evidence and Further Challenges.Journal of pain research · 2024Review
- Effect of dry needling and instrumental myofascial release on masticatory, facial, and cervical muscles of patients with temporomandibular disorders of muscular origin.Journal of clinical and experimental dentistry · 2023Article
- Sensory and emotional responses to deep pressure stimulation at myofascial trigger points: a pilot study.Frontiers in neuroscience · 2023Article
- Bibliometric and Visual Analysis in the Field of Dry Needling for Myofascial Pain Syndrome from 2000 to 2022.Journal of pain research · 2023Review
- Pressure Pain Threshold of the Upper Trapezius Trigger Point: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis of Baseline Values and Their Modification after Physical Therapy.Journal of clinical medicine · 2022Review
- Article
- Preliminary evidence of safety and effectiveness of Loxoprofen Sodium Cataplasm combined with physiotherapy for myofascial pain syndrome treatment: A randomized controlled pilot clinical trial.Frontiers in neurology · 2022Article
- Acute Effects of Tecar Therapy on Skin Temperature, Ankle Mobility and Hyperalgesia in Myofascial Pain Syndrome in Professional Basketball Players: A Pilot Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Article
- Effectiveness of Manual Therapy and Acupuncture in Tension-Type Headache: A Systematic Review.Cureus · 2021Review
- Using a Robot to Treat Non-specific Low Back Pain: Results From a Two-Arm, Single-Blinded, Randomized Controlled Trial.Frontiers in neurorobotics · 2021Article
- An electroencephalography (EEG) study of short-term electromyography (EMG) biofeedback training in patients with myofascial pain syndrome in the upper trapezius.Journal of physical therapy science · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
objectiveThis study aimed to assess the effects of single and multiple massage treatments on pressure-pain threshold (PPT) at myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) in people with myofascial pain syndrome expressed as tension-type headache.
designIndividuals (n = 62) with episodic or chronic tension-type headache were randomized to receive 12 twice-weekly 45-min massage or sham ultrasound sessions or wait-list control. Massage focused on trigger point release (ischemic compression) of MTrPs in the bilateral upper trapezius and suboccipital muscles. PPT was measured at MTrPs with a pressure algometer pre and post the first and final (12th) treatments.
resultsPPT increased across the study timeframe in all four muscle sites tested for massage, but not sham ultrasound or wait-list groups (P < 0.0001 for suboccipital; P < 0.004 for upper trapezius). Post hoc analysis within the massage group showed (1) an initial, immediate increase in PPT (all P values < 0.05), (2) a cumulative and sustained increase in PPT over baseline (all P values < 0.05), and (3) an additional immediate increase in PPT at the final (12th) massage treatment (all P values < 0.05, except upper trapezius left, P = 0.17).
conclusionsSingle and multiple massage applications increase PPT at MTrPs. The pain threshold of MTrPs have a great capacity to increase; even after multiple massage treatments additional gain in PPT was observed. TO CLAIM CME CREDITS: Complete the self-assessment activity and evaluation online at http://www.physiatry.org/JournalCME CME
objectivesUpon completion of this article, the reader should be able to: (1) Understand the contribution of myofascial trigger points to myofascial pain; (2) Describe an effective treatment for decreasing tenderness of a myofascial trigger point; and (3) Discuss the relative values of single vs. multiple massage sessions on increasing pressure-pain thresholds at myofascial trigger points. LEVEL: Advanced ACCREDITATION: The Association of Academic Physiatrists is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.The Association of Academic Physiatrists designates this Journal-based CME activity for a maximum of 0.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.