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Effectiveness of Massage Gun Versus Myofascial Release Technique for Releasing Latent Trigger Points of the Calf Muscle: A Protocol for Randomized Clinical Trial.

Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapy
April 1, 2025
Md Mafrohi Sattar et al. (11 authors)
Journal ArticleClinical Trial ProtocolRandomized Controlled TrialComparative StudyHuman StudyClinical
Study Details

Study Goal

The researchers aimed to compare the effectiveness of a massage gun versus myofascial release technique on subjective pain, pain pressure threshold, and ankle range of motion in individuals with latent trigger points in the calf muscles.

Results Summary

The study has not yet been completed, so no results are available. The abstract describes the planned methodology and objectives but does not report any findings. Limitations include being a single-center study with potential poor external generalization.

Population

60 patients with latent myofascial trigger points in the calf muscles, recruited from the Outpatient Service Unit, Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Jashore University of Science and Technology, Bangladesh.

Effective Dosage

12 sessions of either massage gun or myofascial release, with 20 minutes of ice once a week for 12 weeks.

Duration

12 weeks

Interactions

None mentioned

Extracted Claims (8)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
massage gun
neutral
subjective pain, pain pressure threshold and ankle ROM
people with pain and latent trigger points in the calf muscles
-
effectiveness on
#1
myofascial release technique
neutral
subjective pain, pain pressure threshold and ankle ROM
people with pain and latent trigger points in the calf muscles
-
effectiveness on
#2
massage gun
decrease
subjective pain
patients with pain and latent trigger points at the calf muscle
-
reducing
#3
massage gun
decrease
pressure pain threshold
patients with pain and latent trigger points at the calf muscle
-
reducing
#4
massage gun
increase
ankle ROM
patients with pain and latent trigger points at the calf muscle
-
improving
#5
myofascial release technique
decrease
subjective pain
patients with pain and latent trigger points at the calf muscle
-
reducing
#6
myofascial release technique
decrease
pressure pain threshold
patients with pain and latent trigger points at the calf muscle
-
reducing
#7
myofascial release technique
increase
ankle ROM
patients with pain and latent trigger points at the calf muscle
-
improving
#8
Abstract

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Trigger points can disrupt muscle activity patterns and cause cramping, fatigue, and weakening. Massage guns and myofascial release are widely employed for such circumstances, but their isolated outcomes are unknown. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of a massage gun versus myofascial release technique on subjective pain, pain pressure threshold and ankle ROM for 12 weeks in people with pain and latent trigger points in the calf muscles. METHODS: From December 2024 to November 2025, this assessor-blinded randomized clinical trial will enroll 60 patients with latent myofascial trigger points in the calf and equally (1:1) allocate them randomly to either massage gun (Group A) or myofascial release technique (Group B) at the Outpatient Service Unit, Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Jashore University of Science and Technology (JUST), Jashore, Bangladesh. Both groups will receive 12 sessions of massage gun or myofascial release on latent trigger points, with 20 min of ice once a week for 12 weeks. The primary outcomes are subjective pain severity by the visual analog scale and pain sensitivity by pressure algometry, while the secondary outcome is ankle dorsiflexion range of motion by an inclinometer to be measured at the baseline and 12 weeks post-treatment. The ethical approval and trial registration obtained prospectively, we will adhere to the International committee on harmonization good clinical practice (ICH-GCP) by confirming confidentiality, respect, voluntary participation and withdrawal rights of participants and justice. To ensure trial safety, the manageable and fatal adverse effects will be recorded and reported. RESULTS: Sociodemographic, clinical, and outcome characteristics will be collected at baseline after randomization. A non-experimental assessor will evaluate group treatments afterward. A data monitoring committee-appointed expert data analyst will compare and analyze the independent assessors' baseline and post-treatment outcome values. DISCUSSION: This study will address the research gap on isolated outcomes of newly addressed widely used massage guns and conventional myofascial release techniques on reducing subjective pain, and pressure pain threshold and improving ankle ROM for patients with pain and latent trigger points at the calf muscle. This single-centre study will indicate short-term outcomes with poor external generalization, but the study will help the clinicians in evidence-based practice and guide future multicenter studies with long term evaluations with a follow-up design. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Trial Registry of India (CTRI) (XXXXXXXXXXX) (Prospectively registered).

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
HumansMassageFemaleTrigger PointsMaleAdultMuscle, SkeletalRange of Motion, ArticularPain MeasurementRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicMyofascial Pain SyndromesMiddle AgedLegTreatment OutcomePain Threshold
Study Links
Quality Scores
SafetyNot Assessed
Quality80/10
Citation Metrics
Total Citations1
Citations/Year1.0
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.50
Weight Score2.78
Normalized Score0.56
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