Long Term Effectiveness of Ischaemic Compression Technique in Combination with Muscle Energy Technique on Managing Upper Trapezius Myofascial Trigger Point Pain: An Experimental Study

To establish the best possible long term effective choice of treatment program for deactivating MTrP's by using the combination of ischaemic compression technique with muscle energy technique.

Pretest-Posest control group design

Ninety (only male) with Myofascial Trigger Points Pain. Subjects were randomly placed into three groups: Experimental group A (n=30), Experimental group B (n=30) and a Control group C (n=30).

The experimental group A received ischaemic compression technique in combination with muscle energy technique and experimental group B received ischaemic compression technique alone whereas control group received conventional treatment only.

Pain pressure threshold was assessed with the pressure threshold meter. Pain and functional status of the patients were measured by a visual analogue scale and neck disability index scores respectively.

Within group analysis revealed significant improvement in pain pressure threshold, functional status and reduction in pain intensity in all groups. Between group analysis revealed significant difference between group A, group B and group C. Further, bonferroni's post hoc analysis revealed significant difference between group A and B, group A and C and group B and C for all variables even after one week of follow up after the termination of intervention.

The combination of ischaemic compression technique in combination with muscle energy technique has been shown to produce greater improvement in pain pressure threshold on pressure threshold meter, functional status on neck disability index scores and reduction in pain intensity on visual analogue scale even after one week of the termination of intervention. This establishes the long term effectiveness of combination of these two manual techniques on managing upper trapezius myofascial trigger point pain.