TrigGer Point Charts

      
      

Muscles Covered in the Trigger Point Charts

Adductors - Longus, Magnus and Brevis These muscles pull the thigh inwards. Triggers cause pain along the inside of the thigh with radiation up into the pelvis.

Biceps This is a strange pain pattern - triggers refer up into your shoulder and down into your elbow  - not into your biceps at all.

Deltoid - Anterior and Posterior The deltoids are the power muscle of the shoulder. They refer pain locally in the shoulder into the upper arm.

Foot Intrinsics Triggers cause pain within the ankle & foot. Foot flexors triggers cause pain in the toe.

Forearm Extensors Triggers cause pain in the wrist, hand and fingers. There is often weakness and  stiffness in the grip.

Frontalis Causes head tension headaches and pain in the front of your head

Gastrocnemius Triggers cause pain in the calf and under the sole of the foot.

Gluteus Minimus and Medius The gluteus minimus muscle can mimic the pain of sciatica – it can run right down your leg. Gluteus medius refers pain locally.

Gluteus Maximus This the big power muscle of the  buttock. Trigger points are relatively easy to access, and refer pain locally.

Hand Intrinsics Triggers cause pain & stiffness in the fingers and awkwardness in fine movements.

Intraspinatus Triggers refer pain into the neck, arm and into the upper back.

Intercostals Triggers cause sharp localised pain in  between the ribs

Intra Pelvic Muscles Triggers can only be reached by internal examination by a medical  professional, but triggers can be relieved in this way. They refer pain  in the pelvis and groin.

Latissimus dorsi This causes pain up in the shoulder and arm, and locally in the back.

Levator Scapulae This causes pain locally in the shoulder

Longissimus This long back muscle refers pain into the mid back, lower back and buttock.

Masseter This muscle refers pain mainly to your jaw and cheek.

Multifidi These small muscles  stabilise each segment of your spine. Triggers refer pain locally in the back.

Obliques The obliques are important core stabilizers. They refer pain into the abdomen and groin

Occipitals These cause pain to the front and top of your head.

Peroneus Triggers cause pain over the outer ankle or foot

Pectoralis Major and Minor The pectoralis causes pain in the shoulder and down the arm. The  pectoralis minor can contrict the nerve bundle that runs into your arm.  This can cause sharp shooting pains, tingling and numbness into your arm.

Piriformis When this muscles is tight, it can compress the nerves that run down into your leg. This can cause shooting pains running right down into your leg.

Popliteus Triggers  cause a  localised pain over the back of the knee.

Psoas Muscles This is a really deep muscle. Triggers here refer pain into the back, into the abdomen and upper thigh.

Pterygoid - Lateral & Medial Pterygoid Triggers in these complex muscles cause jaw pain. They can also contribute to TMJ, or  Temporomandibular Joint Disorder.

Quadratus Lumborum The quadratus lumborum is a posture muscle that causes lower and mid back pain.

Rectus Abdominus This muscle group is are known as your abdominals, or ‘abs.’ These are  unusual in that they refer pain into your stomach, but can also refer  pain into your lower and mid back.

Rhomboids These refer pain  locally in the back of your shoulders

Scalenes Triggers cause pain in the chest, upper thoracic spine, arm & hand.  They also can cause nerve entrapment in the brachial plexus – causing  pain, numbness and weakness in the arm and hand.

Semitendinosus Triggers cause pain in the back of the thigh and up into the  buttock

Soleus Triggers here cause pain in the heel, calf and very rarely over the lower back.

Sternocleidomastoid This causes pain in the ear, cheek and jaw. The can also mimic the nerve pain of trigeminal  neuralgia

Subocciptals These cause pain deep in your head and tension headaches

Supraspinatus This causes pain in the shoulder and down the arm

Temporalis This muscle refers pain to the teeth. It can be a  confused with toothache.

Thenar Eminence Triggers cause pain in the wrist & thumb with stiffness and interference in fine motor skills of the hand.

Upper Trapezius This is one of the commonest muscles to get triggers. It causes pain  from the side to the front of your head, and in the shoulder.

Vastus Lateralis This muscle is largest portion of the quadriceps and makes the knee  straighten out.  Pain is felt along the outside of the buttock, thigh  & knee.

Vastus Medialis Triggers cause pain in the inner thigh and knee. It can cause the knee to collapse unpredictably.