title: Effect of ischemic compression on trigger points in the neck and shoulder muscles in office workers: a cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to determine the short-term effect of ischemic compression (IC) for trigger points (TPs) on muscle strength, mobility, pain sensitivity, and disability in office workers and the effect on disability and general pain at 6-month follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nineteen office workers with mild neck and shoulder complaints received 8 sessions of IC in which deep pressure was given on the 4 most painful TPs identified during examination. Outcome measures were general neck and shoulder complaints on a Numeric Rating Scale, Neck Disability Index (NDI), neck mobility (inclinometer), muscle strength (dynamometer), and pain sensitivity (Numeric Rating Scale and algometry). Subjects were tested at baseline (precontrol), after a control period of no treatment of 4 weeks (postcontrol), and after a 4-week intervention training (posttreatment). At 6-month follow-up, pain and disability were inquired.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed a statistically significant decrease in general neck/shoulder pain at posttreatment (P = .001) and at 6-month follow-up (P = .003) compared with precontrol and postcontrol. There was no significant main effect for NDI scores. Pressure pain threshold increased at posttreatment in all 4 treated TPs (P < .001). There was a significant increase in mobility and strength from precontrol/postcontrol to posttreatment (P < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study has demonstrated that a 4-week treatment of TPs for IC resulted in a significant improvement in general neck and shoulder complaints, pressure pain sensitivity, mobility, and muscle strength in the short term in a small sample of office workers with mildly severe chronic pain. At 6-month follow-up, there was a further decrease in general pain, but no change in NDI scores.
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: Barbara.cagnie@ugent.be.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Cagnie
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dewitte
authors.forename: Iris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Coppieters
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Van Oosterwijck
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cools
authors.forename: Lieven
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Danneels
mesh_terms: D019050:Acupressure / Q000379:methods*; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D026201:Musculoskeletal Manipulations / Q000379:methods*; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D017288:Pain Threshold; D020069:Shoulder Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D061028:Trigger Points / Q000098:blood supply*
keywords: Muscle Strength; Muscles; Myofascial Pain Syndromes; Range of Motion; Trigger Points