How to Identify a Latent Trigger Point in Massage
Instructions
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Talk with the patient to determine his major complaint. When working on yourself, choose your most aggravating pain to start with. Latent triggers can erupt anywhere a key trigger point resides. Refer to a trigger point chart to isolate your starting point.
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Warm up the area to be worked on with heating pads or hot towels. Your target area must be in a relaxed state. Muscles shouldn't be flexed or stretched. Support limbs for relaxation. Sit or lie down comfortably to work on your torso or neck.
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Press along the muscle fiber in the target area. Feel for a hard nodule within the belly of the muscle. Latent trigger points are extremely sensitive and respond to pressure with intense pain in the immediate area. They don't refer pain to a distant site.
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Deactivate the trigger point with a firm, but gentle massage. Use short strokes in a single direction. Aim for a pain threshold of six or seven on a scale of one to ten. To completely deactivate the trigger point, continue massaging until it no longer hurts.
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Massage deep lying trigger points with your fist or supported fingers. Employ a tennis ball between your target area and a wall or floor. Specially designed theracanes are useful for hard to reach spots.
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