Myofascial Trigger Points
Myofascial trigger points are hyper-irritable spots within taut bands of muscle that produce a characteristic pain referral pattern when they are stressed. Active trigger points are currently producing pain. Latent trigger points are not currently producing pain, but are easily awakened and made active by stress, tension or biomechanical overload.
One of the key characteristics of trigger points is that they commonly produce pain in a location distant from where they are located! In the picture below, the person is experiencing pain in their low back just beside their spine, but the actual trigger point is located in the front of their spine in the hip flexor muscle, the iliopsoas.
Click on the links below to find out more about trigger points.
