What Are Trigger Points?

Hyperirritable and hypersensitive areas in the muscles of your thighs and around the knee are called trigger points. Muscles with trigger points can suffer from decreased circulation, increased contraction and spasm, and a build up of toxins and waste. Lack of circulation creates a high level of toxins and increased nerve sensitivity that can range from low ache to sharp pain.

Trigger points in the thigh muscles can cause pain in the upper leg and knee. The femur is the longest and strongest bone in the body. The muscles that move the femur, the quadriceps femoris, the hamstrings, and the iliopsoas are the largest and most powerful muscles of the body as well. These thigh muscles connect the femur to the lower leg bones, the tibia and fibula, at the knee joint. Trigger points in the quadriceps femoris muscles of the thighs are the most common source of trigger point knee pain.

Healthy muscle fiber is neither contracted nor stretched when at rest. When contracted the muscle fibers are closer together and when stretched, further apart. In a muscle that is causing trigger point pain, the fiber develops a knot and is in a constant state of contraction. The fiber around these knots is stretched by the excess tension and the muscle fibers become tighter. With the continuous contraction, blood flow is slowed to a stop in the trigger point area and essential oxygen and nutrients are prevented from reaching the muscle tissue. Toxins and waste build up in the muscle and you will experience pain, tension, irritation, and spasm.

Now, just because the trigger point causes pain does not mean that the location of the knot is painful itself. When the pain is located at the tense muscle spot it is called a primary trigger point. However, pain can also appear in areas away from the active trigger point - such pain is called referred pain. It is important to treat the spot that causes the referred pain and not the location of the pain itself.

Tigger points cause pain more often than any other condition and are drastically under-diagnosed due to lack of information. Trigger point pain is usually a factor in most injuries although treating the trigger points is often overlooked. A common condition related to triggers points is known as myofascial pain.

Symptoms of Trigger Point Pain

The trigger point spot will usually become more tender or sting when you push on the spot and the referred pain will increase in intensity. Other symptoms include:

• pain when straightening the knee
• pain and tightness at the front, back and/or along the side of the thigh
• a deep ache or pain at the front and inside of the knee
• walking up or down stairs can be uncomfortable or difficult
• pain may become worse at night when the muscles are at rest
• you will feel a knot or hard lump at the spot
• the muscle may twitch when the spot is pushed

Causes of Trigger Point Pain

Tender trigger points typically develop from lack of stretching or improper stretching and can also be caused from stress/trauma, overexertion, poor conditioning, or overuse of a muscle. Trigger point pain in the knee and upper thigh is commonly caused by:

• a twisted knee affecting the upper leg muscles
• demanding sports that put excess stress on the upper leg and muscles around the knee (i.e. dance, climbing, gymnastics, martial arts)
• starting up a seasonal activity (i.e.skiing, gardening) too quickly without keeping the muscles active throughout the year
• tight hamstrings causing overstress on the quads and knee
• one leg shorter than the other
• sitting for long periods of time
• repetitive forceful hip flexion (i.e. soccer kicks, jogging, hurdling)
• a direct hit to the quadriceps
• repeated bending and straightening (i.e. squats, deep knee bends, jumping)
• training on a steep slope

Reduced circulation in trigger points will eventually lead to muscle shortening and restricted movement which further accentuates the pain, thus completing a cycle of decreased mobility and further pain. This commonly becomes the underlying cause of chronic knee and thigh pain, and the patient will continue to suffer from these until the problem trigger points are treated directly.

Mild Trigger Points can be addressed sometimes through massage and some sufferers maintain that acupuncture treats these problems as well, though it is not accepted by many medical institutions.

Treating Trigger Point Knee Pain!

If you have knee and thigh pain caused by tense, constricted muscles ultrasound therapy is the most effective treatment. Trigger point pain is caused by constricted muscle fibers, forming knots, and eventually building toxins in the area. The trick to getting rid of this pain is loosening the knots to release the constricted muscle fibers. This will allow blood to flow through the fibers once again, bringing the vital oxygen and nutrients required for healthy tissue. The most effective and painfree way to loosen the knots is with ultrasound therapy.

In addition, you want to get your muscle tissue back in the best possible condition you can. To do this, it is important to treat the scar tissue that forms in the muscle when the damaged tissue begins to heal - something ultrasound therapy is also great at! Even with optimum healing, there is always less elasticity in previously injured muscles fibers. However, if you heal your trigger point pain properly with ultrasound therapy and treat scar tissue build up, your chance of chronic trigger point pain and knee conditions later on is much lower than average.

There are healing tools that can help treat your thigh muscle trigger point pain and speed up the healing process so you can get back to life. Therapeutic Ultrasound and Blood Flow Stimulation Therapy (BFST^®) will loosen the knots at the trigger points, treat scar tissue, and promote blood flow to loosen your constricted muscles and heal the fibers faster and more completely than any other methods available.

Ultrasound Therapy

Ultrasound therapy is a great therapeutic option to decrease inflammation, pain and soft tissue damage experienced with trigger point knots. Therapeutic ultrasonic waves reach deep into the tissue and create micro vibrations in the tissue cells of the muscle. This releases the knots, cleans the trigger point area, and reduces the tension while opening up the blood vessels to begin healing.

In addition, scar tissue can also bind the muscle fibers together. The inflexible scar tissue limits the movement of your muscles that were once elastic leaving your tissue weaker than a healthy muscle and at greater risk of deterioration and possible tearing.

Fortunately, you can treat your pain and trigger points with MendMeShop Ultrasound release the knots, soften scar tissue, relax tense muscles, relieve muscle spasm, and improve the motion and flexibility of your upper leg.

Phonophoresis Enhances Ultrasound Therapy

Ultrasound can also be used to administer therapeutic medicines into the body. This is a process known as phonophoresis. Ultrasound with phonophoresis is rapidly becoming more popular than ultrasound therapy alone.

MendMeShop^® ultrasound therapy with phonophoresis is safe, convenient, and easy and generally requires between 10-15 minutes per treatment. It is based on a form of deep tissue therapy, which is generated through high frequency sound waves (that we can not hear). These waves send micro vibrations into your body and carry medicated molecules within the ultrasound gel deep into your soft tissue to enhance the ultrasound therapy, resulting in even healthier tissue. Ultrasound waves penetrate deep to relax your muscles, open blood vessels, and reduce your pain, so you can return to your daily activities as soon as possible.

Using MendMeShop^® Lavender Infusion Ultrasound Gel during your ultrasound therapy gives you 2 therapies in 1. You get the benefit of the regenerating sound waves from the ultrasound device itself AND the added bonus of the therapeutic ingredients inside the gel being delivered into the tissue where it is most effective. 1 FREE bottle of MendMeShop^® Lavender Infusion Ultrasound Gel comes with every MendMeShop^® Ultrasound Therapy System and it contains the therapeutic essential oils of natural Bulgarian lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus, and menthol.

Click here to learn more about Ultrasound Therapy

Once the inflammation of your trigger points has been reduced, nourishing and strengthening the tendon tissue and surrounding area is recommended. Using Blood Flow Stimulation Therapy will speed your recovery and heal your muscle more completely preparing it for strengthening exercises. Talk to your doctor or physical therapist to find out which exercises are appropriate for your situation.

Inferno Wrap^® Blood Flow Stimulation Therapy

After severe inflammation and swelling is reduced you can begin to treat your tendons and muscles with Blood Flow Stimulation Therapy (BFST^®). BFST^® increases the amount of blood that flows naturally to your muscles to nourish your soft tissue to speed healing.

Your muscles naturally receive a limited blood supply and when you stop moving your leg and knee because of pain the blood flow is reduced even further, limiting your body's natural ability to heal itself.

By treating your leg with BFST^® you can increase your body's blood supply to the muscles and increase your body's natural healing power.

An Inferno Wrap^® is the tool you need to treat your sore knee and trigger points because it and relaxes the muscles and carries the toxins from the affected area. With BFST^®, tissues are safely and gently stimulated. Your body responds with a rapid increase in blood flow to the area, increasing the supply of oxygen and nutrients to injured tissue cells to promote healing. Our Leg/Arm Inferno Wrap^® provides effective, non-invasive, non-addictive pain relief and healing with no side effects. The Leg/Arm Inferno Wrap^® is so versatile you can use it to treat your thigh muscles, knee, and practically anywhere else you are experiencing pain and soft tissue damage.

In addition, the improved blood flow whisks away dead cells and toxins that have built up from your trigger point pain. When you stop moving your sore leg and knee, your muscles and other tissue can become weaker and dead cells and toxins in the area can cause further tissue deterioration - this can lead to atrophy (muscle weakness and/or deterioration). By clearing the area of toxins and increasing the amount of oxygen and nutrients to your muscle and other tissue, the risk of atrophy is greatly reduced. Keeping your thigh and knee tissue as healthy as possible throughout the healing process will allow you to improve leg and joint strength again once your pain has gone and your trigger point pain has healed.

Click here to learn more about how BFST^® and Inferno Wraps^® work.

With these 3 easy therapies, cold compression, ultrasound and BFST^®, you will notice significantly reduced pain and an incredible improvement in your range of motion. The more diligent you are with your treatment and rehabilitation, the faster you will see successful results!

If you suffer from trigger points, we guarantee this solution for you - or your money back!

Please be aware that this information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider before starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Or email us at service@MendMyKnee.com