Within spinal pain , patients with neck pain were found to have the highest prevalence rates of MTrPs .
The trapezius descendens , levator scapulae , and suboccipitales muscles were the most prevalent locations for active MTrPs in patients with neck pain .
Latent MTrPs were present in asymptomatic people , but no significant differences were found in the prevalence rate of latent MTrPs between patients with spinal ( neck ) pain and healthy controls .
The only study investigating prevalence of MTrPs in different localizations of the same muscle reported no significant differences in prevalence between active and latent MTrPs within the trapezius descendens muscle .
Studies examining pathophysiological mechanisms underlying MTrPs demonstrated an acidic environment , high concentration of algogenic/inflammatory substances , stiffer muscle tissue , retro grade diastolic blood flows , spontaneous muscle activity at rest , and loss of muscle contractibility in muscles with MTrPs .
Altered central processing was also found to play a role in the development of MTrPs .
Myofascial trigger points are a prevalent clinical entity , especially in patients with neck pain .
Evidence was not found to support or deny the role of MTrPs in other spinal pain .
Compelling evidence supports local mechanisms underlying MTrPs .
OBJECTIVE A systematic review was performed to evaluate the existing evidence related to the prevalence , incidence , localization , and pathophysiology of myofascial trigger points ( MTrPs ) in patients with spinal ( back and neck ) pain .
Stimulation of myofascial trigger points with ultrasound induces segmental antinociceptive effects: A randomized controlled study
Abstract Musculoskeletal pain affects a significant proportion of the general population . The myofascial trigger point is recognized as a key factor in the pathophysiology of musculoskeletal pain . Ultrasound is commonly employed in the treatment and management of soft tissue pain and , in this study , we set out to investigate the segmental antinociceptive effect of ultrasound .  Subjects ( n = 50 ) with identifiable myofascial trigger points in the supraspinatus , infraspinatus and gluteus medius muscles were selected from an outpatient rehabilitation clinic and r and omly assigned to test or control groups . Test subjects received a therapeutic dose of ultrasound to the right supraspinatus trigger point while control groups received a sham ( null ) exposure .  Baseline pain pressure threshold ( PPT ) readings were recorded at the ipsilateral infraspinatus and gluteus medius trigger‐point sites prior to ultrasound exposure . The infraspinatus point was chosen due to its segmental neurologic link with the supraspinatus point ; the gluteus medius acted as a segmental control point . Following the ultrasound intervention , PPT readings were recorded at 1 , 3 , 5 , 10 and 15 min intervals at both infraspinatus and gluteus medius trigger points ; the difference between infraspinatus and gluteus medius PPT values , PPTseg , represents the segmental influence on the PPT . The ultrasound test group demonstrated statistically significant increases in PPTseg ( decreased infraspinatus sensitivity ) at 1 , 3 and 5 min , when compared with PPTseg in the sham ultrasound group . These results establish that low‐dose ultrasound evokes short‐term segmental antinociceptive effects on trigger points which may have applications in the management of musculoskeletal pain
Within spinal pain , patients with neck pain were found to have the highest prevalence rates of MTrPs .
The trapezius descendens , levator scapulae , and suboccipitales muscles were the most prevalent locations for active MTrPs in patients with neck pain .
Latent MTrPs were present in asymptomatic people , but no significant differences were found in the prevalence rate of latent MTrPs between patients with spinal ( neck ) pain and healthy controls .
The only study investigating prevalence of MTrPs in different localizations of the same muscle reported no significant differences in prevalence between active and latent MTrPs within the trapezius descendens muscle .
Studies examining pathophysiological mechanisms underlying MTrPs demonstrated an acidic environment , high concentration of algogenic/inflammatory substances , stiffer muscle tissue , retro grade diastolic blood flows , spontaneous muscle activity at rest , and loss of muscle contractibility in muscles with MTrPs .
Altered central processing was also found to play a role in the development of MTrPs .
Myofascial trigger points are a prevalent clinical entity , especially in patients with neck pain .
Evidence was not found to support or deny the role of MTrPs in other spinal pain .
Compelling evidence supports local mechanisms underlying MTrPs .
OBJECTIVE A systematic review was performed to evaluate the existing evidence related to the prevalence , incidence , localization , and pathophysiology of myofascial trigger points ( MTrPs ) in patients with spinal ( back and neck ) pain .