Upper Trapezius Myofascial Trigger Point in Overhead Athletes After Upper Trapezius Muscle Fatigue

Scapular Kinematic and Shoulder Muscle Activity Alterations in Overhead Athletes With/Without Upper Trapezius Myofascial Trigger Point After Muscle Fatigue

The healthy overhead athletes with and without upper trapezius myofascial trigger point will be asked to perform a scapular elevation task until the upper trapezius muscle fatigue. The first hypothesis is that the subjects with upper trapezius myofascial trigger point will show significant difference in scapular kinematics and muscles activities when compared to subjects without upper trapezius myofascial trigger point. Besides, the investigators suggest that subjects with/without upper trapezius myofascial trigger point will show significant difference in scapular kinematics and muscles activities after upper trapezius muscle fatigue, especially in subjects with upper trapezius myofascial trigger point.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Fatigue; Myofascial Trigger Point Pain
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Upper trapezius muscle fatigue

Detailed Description

The investigators will recruit healthy overhead athletes with and without upper trapezius myofascial trigger point. Participants will be asked to perform a sustained scapular elevation task at their peak force until the force decrease 50 %, which indicates upper trapezius muscle fatigue. There are two purposes in the current study: (1) to compare the differences between overhead athletes with/without upper trapezius myofascial trigger point during arm elevation in scapular kinematics and muscles activities (2) to investigate the effects of upper trapezius muscle fatigue on scapular kinematics and muscles activities in overhead athletes with/without upper trapezius myofascial trigger point. The first hypothesis is that the subjects with upper trapezius myofascial trigger point will show significant difference in scapular kinematics and muscles activities when compared to subjects without upper trapezius myofascial trigger point. Besides, the investigators suggest that subjects with/without upper trapezius myofascial trigger point will show significant difference in scapular kinematics and muscles activities after upper trapezius muscle fatigue, especially in subjects with upper trapezius myofascial trigger point. The outcome measurements includes scapular kinematics (upward/downward rotation, external/internal rotation, posterior/anterior tilting) and muscles activities (upper trapezius, serratus anterior, lower trapezius).

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 60
• Phase: Phase 3

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Taiwan
  • Taipei, Taiwan
    • National Taiwan University Hospital

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 50 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• 18-50 years old active overhead athletes
• No symptoms in the shoulder of dominant side in the past 6 months
• Regularly perform overhead sports activity ≥ 3 hr/wk for more than 6 months

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of major shoulder/cervical injury or surgery in the past 6 months
• Experiencing shoulder pain, or participating in rehabilitation for shoulder pain in the past 6 months before the study

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Triple

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: MTrP group; Healthy overhead athletes with upper trapezius myofascial trigger point	Behavioral: Upper trapezius muscle fatigue; Isometric contraction of scapular elevation
Sham Comparator: Control group; Healthy overhead athletes without upper trapezius myofascial trigger point	Behavioral: Upper trapezius muscle fatigue; Isometric contraction of scapular elevation

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Scapular kinematics	Change of scapular kinematics immediately after fatigue task	10 minutes
Scapular muscles electromyography	Change of scapular muscles electromyography immediately after fatigue task	10 minutes

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: National Taiwan University Hospital

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): June 17, 2019
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 31, 2021
• Study Completion (Actual): February 28, 2022

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 12, 2019
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 19, 2019
• First Posted (Actual): June 20, 2019

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 2, 2022
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 28, 2022
• Last Verified: February 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Muscle fatigue; Myofascial Trigger Point; Upper trapezius; Overhead athlete
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Musculoskeletal Diseases; Muscular Diseases; Fatigue; Myofascial Pain Syndromes
• Other Study ID Numbers: 201904021RIND

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No