Effectiveness of Massage Gun Versus Myofascial Release Technique for Releasing Latent Trigger Points of the Calf Muscle: A Protocol for Randomized Clinical Trial.
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
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 |
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).