The therapeutic effect of collateral meridian therapy is comparable to acupoint pressure therapy in treating myofascial pain syndrome

• Collateral meridian therapy (CMT) is a novel technique developed by Dr. Shan-Chi Ko to treat various kinds of pain, including myofascial pain.
• This study compared the therapeutic effects of CMT with conventional acupoint pressure therapy (APT) on MPS by using pain scales and HRV measures.
• The therapeutic effect of CMT is comparable to that of APT in the treatment of active myofascial trigger points in the upper trapezius muscle.

PurposeThis study compared the therapeutic effects of collateral meridian therapy (CMT) with traditional acupoint pressure therapy (APT) in patients with unilateral upper back pain.Material and methodsForty-nine patients with active myofascial trigger points in upper trapezius muscle were randomly allocated to the control (CTL), APT, or CMT group. Each subject in the CMT and APT groups received 2 sessions of treatment per week over 1 month.ResultsPatients in the APT and CMT groups showed significant improvements 1 month after treatment in visual analogue scale, range of motion, pain pressure threshold, regional superficial blood flow, and physical health, as compared to the CTL group. No significant differences in outcome measures were found between APT and CMT groups 1 month after treatment.ConclusionBoth APT and CMT have comparable therapeutic efficacy in the treatment of unilateral upper back pain with active myofascial trigger points in the upper trapezius muscle.