Gluteus Medius Latent Trigger Point and Muscle Strength in Healthy Subjects

Latent myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) do not cause spontaneous pain; however, they may lead to a limited range of motion and muscle weakness. We hypothesized that latent MTrPs might decrease gluteus medius muscle strength in healthy individuals. Forty-eight healthy men will be included in the study. Trigger point examination for the gluteus medius will be performed bilaterally. Subjects with one or more trigger points on the dominant side and those without any trigger points will be assigned to two groups. Muscle strength for gluteus medius will be assessed with a manual muscle tester using the "break test" technique on both sides. The subjects and the examiners will be blinded. For statistical analysis, the independent sample t-test was used to compare the intergroup differences.

Inclusion criteria

• Patient age: 18-40 years.
• Absence of musculoskeletal complaints related to the lumbar, sacroiliac, and hip area.
• Absence of bilateral latent MTrP in the gluteus medius muscle.
• Latent trigger point in the gluteus medius muscle on the dominant side with palpation.

Exclusion criteria

• A history of medical treatment, physical therapy, injection therapy, or surgical treatment related to the lumbar, sacroiliac, and hip area.
• History of trauma, or malignancy or being pregnant, or if the patient is in the lactation period.
• Bilateral latent MTrP in the gluteus medius muscle.
• Presence of latent MTrP on the non-dominant side.