Identification of myofascial taut bands

NewsBot · Nov 30, 2007

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Identification and quantification of myofascial taut bands with magnetic resonance elastography.
Chen Q, Bensamoun S, Basford JR, Thompson JM, An K-N.
Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Volume 88, Issue 12, December 2007, Pages 1658-1661

Objective
To explore the feasibility of using a new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique—magnetic resonance elastography (MRE)—to identify and quantitate the nature of myofascial taut bands.

Design
This investigation consisted of 3 steps. The first involved proof of concept on gel phantoms, the second involved numeric modeling, and the third involved a pilot trial on 2 subjects. Imaging was performed with a 1.5T MRI machine. Shear waves were produced with a custom-developed acoustically driven pneumatic transducer with gradient-echo image collection gated to the transducer’s motion. Shear wave propagation were imaged by MRE.

Setting
An MRI research laboratory.

Participants
Two women, one with a 3-year history of myofascial pain and the other serving as the control.

Interventions
Not applicable.

Main Outcome Measures
MRE images, finite element analysis calculations, and tissue and phantom stiffness determinations.

Results
Results of the phantom measurements, finite element calculations, and study patients were all consistent with the concept that taut bands are detectable and quantifiable with MRE imaging. The findings in the subjects suggest that the stiffness of the taut bands (9.0±0.9KPa) in patients with myofascial pain may be 50% greater than that of the surrounding muscle tissue.

Conclusions
Our findings suggest that MRE can quantitate asymmetries in muscle tone that could previously only be identified subjectively by examination.
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Admin2 · Nov 30, 2007

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Trigger points & Podiatry

Shane Toohey · Dec 2, 2007

For anyone interested in myofascial trigger points:

It's great that a taut band can be identified within a muscle using MRI. This supports the work that has been going on for decades in the US and possibly a more than a thousand years in Asia.

These irritable bands may also be found by palpation and released by a number of techniques.

Perhaps with some funding some taut bands could be located, imaged and then treated before a follow up image!

Cheers
Shane

NewsBot · Jan 25, 2008

Ability of magnetic resonance elastography to assess taut bands
Qingshan Chen, Jeffrey Basford, Kai-Nan An
Clinical Biomechanics (in press)

Background
Myofascial taut bands are central to diagnosis of myofascial pain. Despite their importance, we still lack either a laboratory test or imaging technique capable of objectively confirming either their nature or location. This study explores the ability of magnetic resonance elastography to localize and investigate the mechanical properties of myofascial taut bands on the basis of their effects on shear wave propagation.

Methods
This study was conducted in three phases. The first involved the imaging of taut bands in gel phantoms, the second a finite element modeling of the phantom experiment, and the third a preliminary evaluation involving eight human subjects-four of whom had, and four of whom did not have myofascial pain. Experiments were performed with a 1.5T magnetic resonance imaging scanner. Shear wave propagation was imaged and shear stiffness was reconstructed using matched filtering stiffness inversion algorithms.

Findings
The gel phantom imaging and finite element calculation experiments supported our hypothesis that taut bands can be imaged based on its outstanding shear stiffness. The preliminary human study showed a statistically significant 50–100% (P=0.01) increase of shear stiffness in the taut band regions of the involved subjects relative to that of the controls or in nearby uninvolved muscle.

Interpretation
This study suggests that magnetic resonance elastography may have a potential for objectively characterizing myofascial taut bands that have been up to now detectable only by the clinician’s fingers.
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NewsBot · Jan 31, 2020

An Anatomical Basis for the Myofascial Trigger Points of the Abductor Hallucis Muscle
Juliano T. Wada et al
Source

Myofascial pain syndrome is characterized by pain and a limited range of joint motion caused by muscle contracture related to motor-end-plate dysfunction and the presence of myofascial trigger points (MTrPs). It is the most frequent cause of musculoskeletal pain, with a worldwide prevalence varying between 13.7% and 47%. Of the patients with myofascial pain syndrome, approximately 17% have pain in the medial hindfoot area. The abductor hallucis muscle is located in the medial, posterior region of the foot and is related to painful plantar syndromes. The objective of this study was to describe the distribution of the medial plantar nerve and their anatomical relationship with MTrPs found in the literature. Thirty abductor hallucis muscles were dissected from 15 human cadavers (8 males and 7 females). The muscles were measured, and the distribution data of the medial plantar nerve branches in each quadrant were recorded. For statistical analysis, we used generalized estimation equations with a Poisson distribution and a log logarithm function followed by Bonferroni multiple comparisons of the means. The data are expressed as the mean ± standard deviation. The level of significance was adjusted to 5% (). A high concentration of nerve branches was observed in the first quadrant (Q1) of the abductor hallucis muscle, which is the same area in which the MTrPs are described. The topography of the entry points of the branches of the medial plantar nerve to the abductor hallucis muscle correlates with the topography of the muscular trigger points. The anatomical structure of the MTrPs may be useful for a better understanding of the pathophysiology of myofascial disorders and provide a basis for surgical and clinical treatments.
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Shane Toohey Active Member

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