Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy for Myofascial Pain Syndrome of the Trapezius
Authors: Qing Zhang, Chenying Fu, Liyi Huang, Feng Xiong, Lihong Peng, Zejun Liang, Li Chen, Chengqi He, Quan Wei
This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) on pain and function in myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) of the trapezius muscle. The study reviewed 10 randomized controlled trials with a total of 477 patients. Results showed that ESWT was effective in reducing pain compared to sham ESWT or ultrasound treatment. However, ESWT did not have a significant effect when compared to conventional treatments such as dry needling, trigger point injection, and laser therapy. The study concluded that ESWT could be used as an adjunct therapeutic method to conventional treatments but may not be ideal as a replacement.
Myofascial pain syndrome is a common condition characterized by pain and discomfort in the muscles and soft tissues. ESWT is a non-invasive treatment that uses high-energy sound waves to stimulate healing and reduce pain. This study suggests that ESWT can be effective in reducing pain for patients with MPS of the trapezius muscle. Overall, ESWT can serve as an alternative or complementary treatment to help alleviate pain and improve function for patients with MPS of the trapezius muscle.