Trigger Point Basics – Certification Course

Note: this course covers manual compression only.

It does NOT include dry needling nor injection techniques.

 

‘Basics’ is an ideal adjunct to massage therapy, bodywork, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, osteopathy, sports medicine and other health professionals who typically employ hands-on techniques and could benefit from basic skills in comprehensive Trigger Point theory, protocol, and applied palpation/treatment techniques.

 

Attendees discover that there’s so much more to Trigger Point Therapy than simply following an illustration to inactivate a specific TrP.

 

This course is presented by William Huhn, to professional groups, by arrangement.

 

  • It is presented live, in-class only. Thirty-five hours, over 5 consecutive days.
  • There is pre-reading required (perpetuating factors)
  • A Certificate of Achievement is issued upon full attendance and successfully passing a written test.

 

Sorry, this course is NOT open to the general public.

 

Contact us for specific details and/or to arrange this course for your group.

 

Note: this course covers manual compression only.

It does NOT include dry needling nor injection techniques.

 

Here’s What’s Covered

Day 1:

 

Trigger Point theory; 4.0 hours

  • Myofascial Trigger Points are real
  • Causes of trigger point formation
  • Active trigger points refer pain in predictable patterns
  • Trigger points affect muscle, fascia, tendons and ligaments
  • Other symptoms that trigger points produce (e.g. autonomic/proprioceptive phenomena)
  • Susceptibility to trigger points
  • Vitamins and minerals; their relationship to muscle health
  • How to carry out basic “trigger points” assessment of your client
  • How to physically train/rehab the client when trigger points are suspected
  • The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook: by Clair Davies, N.C.T.M.B.
  • Travell and Simons, M.D. and their contributions to Trigger Point

Lunch 1.0 hour

 

Intake/Assessment; 2.5 hours

  • Patient/client Intake interview
  • Assessment techniques

Questions 0.5 hour

 

Day 2:

 

Hands-on; 1.0 hour

TMJD and related issues.

  • Practicing location/palpation techniques on sternocleidomastoid, levator scapula, masseter, temporalis, lateral pterygoid, medial pterygoid, digastric, pectoralis and trapezius muscles.

 

 

Hands-on; 2.0 hours
Treating headaches, neck pain, vertigo, migraine.

  • detailed palpation techniques of muscles for trigger points, treatment techniques, post-treatment protocol, latent/active TrPs, contraindications.
  • explain how TrPs play a major role in vertigo, neck pain, headache issues and migraine.
  • discuss the muscles that play a causal role in these issues – and how to deactivate their trigger points.

Some muscles we will treat are: sternocleidomastoid, suboccipital, trapezius, temporalis, and others.

  • demonstrate how exercise affects trigger points in these muscles.
  • protocol for rehabilitating the TrP affected muscle

 

Lunch 1.0 hour

 

Hands-on; 3.0 hours
Shoulder issues, including Frozen Shoulder.

  • detailed palpation techniques of muscles for trigger points, treatment techniques, post-treatment protocol, latent/active TrPs, contraindications.
  • explain how TrPs play a major role in Frozen Shoulder, shoulder pain, stiffness, rotator cuff injuries, and range of motion issues.
  • discuss the muscles that play a causal role in these issues – and how to deactivate their trigger points.

Some muscles we will treat are: trapezius, rhomboid, infraspinatus, supraspinatus, teres minor, subscapularis, and others.

  • protocol for rehabilitating the TrP affected muscle.
  • how TrPs always affect muscle strength and performance and why muscle performance always improves when trigger points are removed.

 

Questions 0.5 hour

 

Day 3:

 

Review Day 2. 1.0 hour

 

Hands-on; 2.5 hours
Arm pain, CTS, tennis/golfer’s elbow, hand pain/numbness.

  • detailed palpation techniques of muscles for trigger points, treatment techniques, post-treatment protocol, latent/active TrPs, contraindications.
  • explain how TrPs play a major role in arm pain, CTS, tennis/golfer’s elbow, hand pain/numbness.
  • discuss the muscles that play a causal role in these issues – and how to deactivate their trigger points.
  • Some muscles we will treat are: triceps, scalenes, biceps, hand extensors/flexors and others.
  • demonstrate how exercise affects trigger points in these muscles.
  •  protocol for rehabilitating the TrP affected muscle.
  • how stress, medications, over-use, trauma and skeletal abnormalities affect TrPs.

Lunch 1.0 hour

 

Hands-on; 3.0 hours
Chest pain, breast pain, and upper back pain.

  • detailed palpation techniques of muscles for trigger points, treatment techniques, post-treatment protocol, latent/active TrPs, contraindications.
  • explain how TrPs play a major role in chest pain, breast pain, and upper back pain.
  • discuss the muscles that play a causal role in these issues – and how to deactivate their trigger points.

Some muscles we will treat are: pectoralis major/minor, serratus anterior, serratus posterior superior, scalenes, rhomboids, and others.

  • demonstrate how exercise affects trigger points in these muscles.
  • protocol for rehabilitating the TrP affected muscle.
  • how stress, medications, over-use, trauma and skeletal abnormalities affect TrPs.

Questions 0.5 hour

 

Day 4:

 

Hand-in written tests

 

Review Day 3. 1.0 hour

 

Hands-on; 3.0 hours
Lumbar, hips, buttocks and groin issues.

  • detailed palpation techniques of muscles for trigger points, treatment techniques, post-treatment protocol, latent/active TrPs, contraindications.
  • explain how TrPs play a major role in lumbar pain, hips, buttocks, and groin issues.
  • discuss the muscles that play a causal role in these issues – and how to deactivate their trigger points.

 

Some muscles we will treat are: gluteus maximus/medius/minimus, quadratus lumborum, erector spinae, piriformis, iliopsoas, rectus abdominis and others.

 

  • demonstrate how exercise affects trigger points in these muscles.
  • protocol for rehabilitating the TrP affected muscle.
  • how stress, medications, over-use, trauma and skeletal abnormalities affect TrPs.

 

Lunch 1.0 hour

 

Hands-on; 2.5 hours.
Bladder, IBS, genital pain, dysmenorrhea, abdominal, and autonomic/proprioceptive phenomena issues.

  • detailed palpation techniques of muscles for trigger points, treatment techniques, post-treatment protocol, latent/active TrPs, contraindications.
  • explain how TrPs play a major role in bladder, IBS, genital pain, dysmenorrhea, and abdominal and autonomic phenomena issues.
  • discuss the muscles that play a causal role in these issues – and discuss how to deactivate their trigger points.

 

Some muscles we will treat are: abdominal obliques, rectus abdominis, adductor magnus/ longus/ brevis, pectoralis major and sternocleidomastoid.

  • demonstrate how exercise affects trigger points in these muscles.
  • protocol for rehabilitating the TrP involved muscle.
  • how stress, over-use, trauma and skeletal abnormalities affect TrPs.

 

Questions 0.5 hour

 

Day 5:

 

Return Tests and Review Day 4. 1.0 hour

 

Hands-on; 2.5 hours

Thigh, (includes hamstring issues) knees, legs and feet. This will include sciatic pain, plantar fasciitis, heel spurs, and shin splints.

  • detailed palpation techniques of muscles for trigger points, treatment techniques, post-treatment protocol, latent/active TrPs, contraindications.
  • explain how TrPs play a major role in thigh, knees, legs and feet; this will include sciatic pain, plantar fasciitis, heel spurs, and shin splints.
  • discuss the muscles that play a causal role in these issues – and how to deactivate their trigger points.

Some muscles we will treat are: biceps femoris, semitendinosis, semimembranosus, hip adductors, quadriceps, extrinsic/intrinsic foot muscles.

  • demonstrate how exercise affects trigger points in these muscles.
  • protocol for rehabilitating the TrP affected muscle.
  • how stress, over-use, trauma and skeletal abnormalities affect TrPs.

Lunch 1.0 hour

 

Hands-on; 2.5 hours

Morton Foot and Intrinsic/Extrinsic Foot Muscles.

  • identifying Morton Foot Structure (MFS),
  • demonstrate simple and effective corrective orthotic use for MFS
  • TrPs that may be causal to chronic foot or toe pain

Review – Intake/assessment and applied treatment techniques

 

Questions/Summary/Certificates/Evaluations 1.0 hour

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