• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.49-61
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• 2005

Summary of Background Data: Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is a common painful muscle disorder caused by trigger points occurring in myofascial. MPS is a major cause of chronical pain and is the subject of further clinical examination. Purpose: To uncover effective intramuscular stimulation therapy (IMS), the patients' actively participation stretching exercise and stabilizing around shoulder girdle where trigger point provoking myofascial pain syndrome in usually occurred. Methods: 45 myofascial pain syndrome patients were randomly chosen and divided into 3 groups. The first group (G1) received only IMS therapy, The second group (G2) had both IMS and active stretching exercises administered and the final group (G3) was given IMS therapy and stabilizing exercises. Therapy intervention was given for 3 weeks, 3 times a week and then only stretching exercise for the second group and stabilizing exercise for the third group was given for another 3 weeks. The visual analogue scale was dine before the experiment, 3 weeks after the experiment and 6weeks after the experiment to measure subjective degrees of pain and pressure pain threshold to measure sensitivity improvement of trigger point and functional ability questionnaire to measure daily life performance. Results: There were no significant changes after 3 weeks but after 6 weeks, between GI and G2 and between G1 and G3 showed significant change of pain, pressure pain threshold and daily life performance. There were significant improvement of the measurement of degrees of pain, pressure pain threshold and improvement of daily life performance at different times for G1 showed change 3 weeks after the experiment, but there were no changes 6 weeks after the experiment. There were significant improvement of the measurement at different times for G2 and G3 showed change 3 weeks after the experiment and 6 weeks after the experiment. Conclusions: IMS therapy proved to be effective in inactivation of trigger points of the myofascial pain syndrome patients and stretching and stabilizing exercises beside it keep remedial value longer by improvement of pain and dysfunction that occurred by the trigger point.