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Trigger point massage: tips and tools to help muscles relax
Each of us has trigger points. For many, they cause annoying pain. In this article you will find out which tools you can use to treat the pain points yourself and what you have to pay attention to.
© Christin Klose / Picture Alliance
Trigger points are nasty and painful. But not invincible. Here you can find out what the pain points in our muscles are all about, where they occur most frequently and which tools you can use yourself to lend a hand.
Just guess how many muscles do (at least partially) hard work day in and day out in each of us … There are more than 500. And in almost every one of them, from the shoulder to the calves, so-called trigger points can occur. They’re as superfluous as a goiter, but they can be really painful. Millions of Germans struggle with it every day. As a rule, physiotherapists take care of the pain that often occurs in the shoulder and neck area, but also in the back and the piriformis (muscle on the inside of the pelvis under the gluteal muscle). Do you want to save yourself the trip to the doctor or a physiotherapy practice?
In the following article we provide basic knowledge about trigger points and trigger point massage. An experienced physiotherapist will reveal which trigger points you can treat yourself at home, what you should pay attention to and which tools can help with do-it-yourself pain therapy.
What are trigger points?
Trigger points are painful hardenings in the muscles, in tendons, ligaments, on the periosteum or in the connective tissue that can radiate into other parts of the body. Physiotherapists and doctors refer to the most common trigger points in the muscles as myofascial trigger points or myogelosis. A distinction is made between trigger points, which cause pain during exercise but also at rest, and those that only hurt when pressure is applied to the corresponding area.
In the case of trigger points that have their origin in sport or the often one-sided physical stress, for example in the home office, permanent cramps lead to a reduction in movement and blood flow in a muscle part. The result: the muscle cannot relax on its own. And the pain points are there. Muscle soreness or other muscle injuries can also be the cause of trigger points. Precisely when the connective tissue that envelops muscle strands and muscle fibers (the fasciae) loses its mobility due to structural changes. One more reason to be able to stick to a fascia after training Fascia roll to spoil”.
How are trigger points treated?
The most common therapy for trigger points is trigger point massage. There is a very simple idea behind this. To relieve the muscles causing the pain so that they relax. This is achieved either by pressure on the pain point, by pressure in the longitudinal direction of the muscle or by pressure across the course of the muscle. You don’t necessarily need professional support for this. You can basically treat trigger points yourself, says Kristina Jago, physiotherapist and Master of Science in clinical sports physiology and sports therapy. However, this does not apply to every region of the body. “If the problem lies between the shoulder blades, for example, it will be rather difficult without assistance,” says Jago. And here the question arises directly:
How do you actually find the trigger points?
Kristina Jago: “From my experience as a physiotherapist, I can say that people with a good physical feeling usually know exactly where the tension is on a muscle. Mine Tip for everyone else: Cut out three small dots from colored tape and stick them on the places where you feel the greatest pain. You will find that you think differently about the pain than when you talk about the fact that your shoulder or butt is hurting. Important: This trick only works for painful muscle points, not for other sports injuries. If you can feel a hardening in the muscle at the taped pain points, you have found the pain point. If the pressure on the pain point does not bring relief, you can also feel the muscle lengthways to find the source of the pain. “
Which tools help you relax?
1. Trigger point stick
A tool that has been used for trigger point massages in physiotherapy for many years is the trigger point stick. The device has since been revised and is very suitable for treating trigger points in the area of the shoulder blade, spine or calf itself. The way it works is based on a simple lever principle. The stick is attached to the shoulder blade. Then you build up the pressure in front of your chest with your hand or elbow, which should reach the trigger point. According to the manufacturer, other trigger points, for example on the foot, can also be treated with the massage stick. The tool is equipped with several massage nubs and is intended to simulate a thumb and elbow massage. The massage stick from Sapura including an eBook is available here.
2. Trigger point cap
A tool that Kristina Jago especially recommends for the treatment of trigger points in the back muscles, the shoulder or under the foot. “These cones are particularly efficient if you lie down with your upper back on top and make small nodding movements with your head or move your arm on the same side. This exercise is also pleasant with a cone on each side. Try that to start with first off in bed or put a towel between your hat and your back – this is much more comfortable to get started than starting directly on the exercise mat. Here are the trigger point cones in a double pack
3. Trigger rod
With the simple sticks made of wood or plastic, self-treatment apart from the upper neck muscles and the calf and arm muscles is rather difficult. Jago therefore recommends looking for a partner who treats the trigger points in the back muscles, for example in the upper area between the shoulder blade and the spine. At the same time, the “patient” swings up and down with one arm. “This sets the muscle in motion, is alternately tense and relaxed, and at the same time the pressure of the rod causes a slight transverse stretching of the muscle,” explains the physiotherapist. With the chopsticks you can also stretch the muscle transversely, i.e. out of the course. Iago recommends the wood variant. “Wood is warmer and has a better grip.” It is important that the bars can be disinfected well. Here is a set consisting of a trigger rod and a massage cross
4. Fascia ball
A classic that is mainly known from the area of fascia training. But you can also massage trigger points with the small cork balls, which are available in different sizes. Here, too, the combination of targeted pressure and the rolling movement, which stretches the muscle lengthways and crossways, has a relaxing effect on the painful hardening. Only in the area of the shoulder blades does it get tricky without assistance. The problem: If you stand against the wall with the massage ball in your back, it is difficult to control and maintain the correct position while moving. There’s a cork massage ball here.
Trigger point massage vs. fascia therapy
Trigger point massage and fascia therapy differ significantly from one another in two points. It is crucial that trigger point massages aim solely at relaxing the muscles and dissolving the pain points. Basically, it’s about actively letting go of the muscles. On the other hand, you can and should work up a sweat during fascia training. In the therapy with the rolls and balls you usually have to be active yourself. In addition, you can achieve a significantly better longitudinal stretching of the muscle cords with fascia rollers than with the selective trigger point tools. On the other hand, the transverse stretching of the muscles with the rollers is almost impossible.
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