The immediate effect of ischemic compression technique and transverse friction massage on tenderness of active and latent myofascial trigger points: a pilot study

SummaryThe aim of this pilot study was to compare the effects of a single treatment of the ischemic compression technique with transverse friction massage for myofascial trigger point (MTrP) tenderness. Forty subjects, 17 men and 23 women, aged 19–38 years old, presenting with mechanical neck pain and diagnosed with MTrPs in the upper trapezius muscle, according to the diagnostic criteria described by Simons and by Gerwin, participated in this pilot study. Subjects were divided randomly into two groups: group A which was treated with the ischemic compression technique, and group B which was treated with a transverse friction massage. The outcome measures were the pressure pain threshold (PPT) in the MTrP, and a visual analogue scale assessing local pain evoked by a second application of 2.5 kg/cm2 of pressure on the MTrP. These outcomes were assessed pre-treatment and 2 min post-treatment by an assessor blinded to the treatment allocation of the subject. The results showed a significant improvement in the PPT (P=0.03P=0.03), and a significant decrease in the visual analogue scores (P=0.04P=0.04) within each group. No differences were found between the improvement in both groups (P=0.4P=0.4). Ischemic compression technique and transverse friction massage were equally effective in reducing tenderness in MTrPs.