title: Effects of compression at myofascial trigger points in patients with acute low back pain: A randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although there is some evidence that massage therapy, especially compression at myofascial trigger points (MTrPs), is effective for sub-acute and chronic low back pain, the effectiveness of massage therapy with compression at MTrPs for acute low back pain has not been studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  To evaluate the effectiveness of compression at MTrPs for acute low back pain, 63 patients with acute low back pain were randomly assigned to one of three groups: the MTrP group who received compression at MTrPs (N = 23), the non-MTrP group who received compression at non-trigger points (N = 21), and the effleurage massage group who received superficial massage (N = 19). The patients received the assigned treatment 3 times/week for 2 weeks. The subjective pain intensity in static and dynamic conditions and disability caused by low back pain were measured by the visual analogue scale (VAS) and Roland-Morris questionnaire (RMQ), respectively; along with the range of motion (ROM) at the lumbar region and pressure pain threshold (PPT) at trigger points before treatment (baseline), 1 week after the start of treatment, and 1 month after the end of treatment (follow-up).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Static and dynamic VAS score, PPT and ROM were significantly improved in the MTrP group compared with those in the non-MTrP and effleurage groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that compression at MTrPs is effective to treat acute low back pain compared with compression at non-MTrPs and superficial massage. For this article, a commentary is available at the Wiley Online Library.
authors: Judo Neurophysiotherapy, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Japan.
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Takamoto
authors: System Emotional Science, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Japan.
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Bito
authors: Judo Neurophysiotherapy, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Japan.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Urakawa
authors: Judo Neurophysiotherapy, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Japan.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Sakai
authors: Public Health, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Japan.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Kigawa
authors: Judo Neurophysiotherapy, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Japan.
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Ono
authors: System Emotional Science, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Japan.
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Nishijo
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People; D023381:Endpoint Determination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D016139:Martial Arts / Q000293:injuries; D008405:Massage / Q000009:adverse effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017288:Pain Threshold; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D061028:Trigger Points; D055815:Young Adult