A trigger point is often described as a “knot” within your soft tissue. It often feels tighter than the muscles around it. The trigger point can be painful on compression, stretch, overload, or contraction of the tissue. It is present in all patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain.

Trigger points usually present with a referred pain that is perceived in another area on the body. They are formed overtime due to overloading or incorrectly loading a muscle.

There are two main classifications of trigger points, active and latent; classified based on their activity status. Both are associated with restricted joint and muscular range of motion.

• Active Trigger Points - associated with spontaneous and continuous pain

• Latent Trigger Points - only painful on compression or stimulation

Trigger points can be managed and treated through the use of both manual therapy and dry needling.