Trigger Point Release Theory

There are a number of different theories associated with the formation of trigger points such as Rubins theory in 1981 in which he believed the primary causes were trauma, overuse and overstress, where as McNulty et al (1994) belived it was due to psychological stree aand Kuan et Research Question:
Q1.What effect will Massage have on Hamstring flexibility.
Q2. What effect will Trigger point release have on hamstring flexibility.
Q3 Which technique will result in greater hamstring flexibility, Massage or Trigger Point Release

Methodology:
Subjects:
Twenty male GAA players participated in this study. All subjects were students of I.T Carlow. Ethical approval was sought and granted prior to testing. Each participant was fully informed of

As well as Crossmans study mentioned above there are other studies to support his findings. Hopper et al (2005) investigated the effect of two different massage techniques on hamstring length. The techniques used were classical massage and dynamic soft tissue mobilisation. The study concluded that both treatments immediately improved hamstring length. Barlow et al (2004) carried out a study which examining the effect of massage of the hamstring muscle group on the performance of the sit and reach test. Eleven healthy males participated in this study. The results show that on completion of a fifteen minute massage consisting of effleurage and petrissage,there was no significant increase in the sit and reach test. The study concluded that a single massage has very little effect on people who already have good joint flexibility however they proposed that massage may be of benefit at increasing flexibility in those with poor hip joint flexibility. Edson and Smith (1999) carried out a study examining the effects of massage on the gastrocnemius-soleus muscle group to investigate if ankle ROM could be increased with the use of a single massage treatment. The results show a significant difference between pre and post

The sacromeres contain a spring like molecule called Titin. This molecule is responsible for holding myosin molecules in place which in turn results in the contracted sarcomere remaining stuck in a shortened position. In relation to the energy crisis when the muscle spindle does not have enough energy to expose of the influx of calcium the muscle is forced to sustain a contraction and cannot relax this results in the muscle becoming inflexible. Simons (2004) states that trigger point therapy helps to increase blood flow to the affected areas and this can reduce hypoxic levels in the surrounding tissues. Simons states that if a contractile lknow in a taut band osn compressed with a gentle and persistant pressure the height of the sarcomere will in turn be reduced and the sacromere will return to its optimal length. However he found that if the compression is only held for a short period of time and relases then the lengthened position will quickly return to its shortened state therefore he stated that the gentle compression must be sustained until the clinician and patient feels a release in tension indicating that the tension has been released and the sarcomere has returned to its optimal length thus resulting in improvd range of motion, improved