Effectiveness of a Massage Instrument Compared to Placebo for Upper Trapezius Muscle Pain

Immediate Effectiveness of Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization Compared to Placebo on the Sensitivity of Latent Upper Trapezius Trigger Points: A Randomized Double Blind, Placebo-controlled, Parallel-group Study

The purpose of this study was to determine if using a specialized massage tool was more effective than a placebo treatment in relieving pain in the upper trapezius muscle along the top of the shoulder.

The purpose of the study was to determine if a statistically significant and clinically meaningful difference exits between the FascialEdge tool and placebo in the treatment of latent upper trapezius trigger points.

Inclusion Criteria:

• male or female
• between 18-64 years of age
• a latent trigger point of the upper trapezius muscle

Exclusion Criteria:

• an active trigger point of the upper trapezius muscle
• rash or infection of the skin over the trigger point
• neck pain
• taking anticoagulant drugs
• spontaneous bleeding
• long term corticosteroid use