MSK ultrasound-guided myofascial trigger point injection.

Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is considered as one of the possible etiologies for shoulder pain. However, MPS rarely occurs as a primary origin of pain. Considerable evidences suggest that MPS is caused by or related to a lesion in another soft tissue, such as rotator cuff disease. The brachialis muscle is one of the main elbow flexors. Patients with rotator cuff disease combined with suspected MPS on the brachialis muscle do not respond well to conventional conservative therapy that only targets rotator cuff tendon itself. 

The study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effectiveness of musculoskeletal (MSK) ultrasound guided trigger point injection for active myofascial trigger points in the brachialis muscles for rotator cuff disease patients with upper arm pain.

In patients with rotator cuff disease, MSK ultrasound guided trigger point injection of the brachialis muscle is safe and effective for both diagnosis and treatment when the cause of pain is suspected to be originated from the muscle.

> From: Suh et al., Ann Rehabil Med 38 (2014) 673-681. All rights reserved to Korean Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine.