Journal of bodywork and movement therapies
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Changes in masseter muscle trigger points following strain-counterstrain or neuro-muscular technique.
The aim of this study was to compare the immediate effects, on pressure pain sensitivity and active mouth opening, following the application of neuromuscular or strain/counter-strain technique in latent myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) in the masseter muscle. Seventy-one subjects, 34 men and 37 women, aged 20-65 years old, participated in this study. Subjects underwent a screening process to establish the presence of MTrPs in the masseter muscle. ⋯ Within-group effect sizes were large (d>1) for PPT and mouth opening, and moderate for local pain (d<0.7, 0.5) in both intervention groups; but small (d<0.2) for the control group in all outcomes. No significant differences between both intervention groups were found for any outcome (p>0.8). Our results suggest that neuromuscular or strain/counter-strain technique might be employed in the management of latent MTrPs in the masseter muscle.