Performance Therapy

What is the gastrocnemius? The gastrocnemius is part of the composite muscle known as the triceps surae, which forms the prominent contour of the calf. The triceps surae comprises the gastrocnemius, soleus, and plantaris. The popliteal fossa at the back of the knee is formed inferiorly by the bellies of the gastrocnemius and plantaris, laterally by the tendon of the biceps femoris, and medially by the tendons of the semimembranosus and semitendinosus. Trigger points in the gastrocnemius are typically associated with calf pain/stiffness, nocturnal cramps, foot pain (instep), and pain in the back of the knee on mechanical activity.  ...

Myofascial Trigger Points (MTPs) are ubiquitous, and myofascial pain affects as much as 85% of the population at some time in their life. The impact of myofascial pain on health can be severe as patients not only suffer from pain and loss of function, but also from impaired mood and decreased quality of life. Elbow and wrist pain are common, and may often be associated with trigger points in the muscles of the upper arm, lower arm, and shoulder. Stretching alone is unlikely to dissipate trigger points, but it may help accelerate the process as part of a broader treatment...

Common daily activities such as gardening can lead to active trigger points in latissimus dorsi which in turn can lead to painful and debilitating symptoms. Trigger points in this large muscle can be associated with a number of common conditions including: “Thoracic” back pain that is constant in nature and unrelated to activity Frozen shoulder Thoracic outlet syndrome Back pain turning in bed Dull ache under shoulder blade Sharp pain in the back of shoulder when resting on elbows Pain reported when lifting the arms (eg. reaching up to a shelf or changing a light bulb). These trigger points are...

The more time spent with a forward head posture, the more likely it is that one will develop neck and shoulder problems. Most neck pain that is not caused by whiplash or other trauma has a postural component as part of the underlying problem. Sitting atop the body, the health of the neck is subject to the curvature of the spine and the position of the head above. Neck pain is often associated with trigger points, and these may develop as a result of postural issues or by way of over-compensation for an injury or trigger points elsewhere in the body...

Because the hamstrings have their origin at the sitting bones - Long periods of sitting may affect their function We rely on our hamstring muscles for walking, jogging, running and jumping. These are the workhorse muscles that enable us to flex our knees and extend our hips at the beginning of each step that we take. When we are walking, jogging or running, our hamstrings are antagonists to the quadriceps muscles in the action of deceleration of knee extension. Anatomy The hamstrings consist of three muscles. From medial to lateral they are the semimembranosus, semitendinosus, and biceps femoris. Origin Ischial...