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Evidence-Based Education

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174 articles on conditions, therapies, and self-care. Start with the fundamentals or jump straight to what you're treating.

174174 Articles · 9 Topics

Start Here

4 steps · in this order
  1. Trigger Points 101The essential primer: what trigger points are, why they form, and how they create distant referred pain.Foundation
  2. Getting Started GuideFive things to read first if you are new to trigger-point therapy. A structured on-ramp built for patients.Onboarding
  3. Frequently Asked QuestionsQuick answers to the most common questions about myofascial pain, self-treatment, and when to see a clinician.Common Questions
  4. Where Do I Start?Not sure what to read first? Answer a few questions and get a personalized reading path.Decision Support

Featured Articles

4 articles
AnatomyUpper Trapezius Trigger PointsThe most commonly implicated muscle in head, neck, and shoulder pain — anatomy, referral patterns, and treatment.Trapezius12 TrPsNeck · Upper Back · ShoulderRead →TrapeziusFoundationTrigger Points 101A complete introduction to myofascial trigger points: mechanisms, diagnosis, and the science of referred pain.Taut bandTrigger pointReferralInfraspinatusPain ScienceShoulder Pain PatternsMapping shoulder pain to its likely muscular sources — a visual guide to referred-pain recognition.TreatmentDry NeedlingEvidence, mechanism, safety, and what to expect — a balanced look at one of the most effective interventions.

Browse by Topic

6 topics
  1. Conditions & DiagnosisDiagnosisDifferential diagnosis pathways across the most common myofascial pain presentations.
  2. TherapiesTreatmentManual therapy, dry needling, injections and other treatments, with what the evidence does and does not show.
  3. Self-CareAt HomeStrategies you can start today — heat, compression, mobility, and more.
  4. MedicationsPharmacologyWhat the evidence does and does not support — NSAIDs, muscle relaxants, topicals, and beyond.
  5. Research LibraryResearchPeer-reviewed studies summarized and graded by evidence strength. Curated for clinicians and curious patients.
  6. Exercise LibraryMovementA filterable catalog of therapeutic exercises organized by region, muscle, and condition.

All articles

174 articles

  1. Where Do I Start?Start HereAnswer 3 simple questions and get a personalized path to exactly what you need — whether you're in pain, newly diagnosed, or helping a loved one.Getting Started
  2. Newly Diagnosed? Start Here.Your first 5 essential reads, a week-one plan, and reassurance that this IS real, treatable, and you're not alone.Getting Started
  3. Glossary of TermsPlain-language definitions for 100+ terms — from "taut band" to "central sensitization." Searchable and filterable.Getting Started
  4. The Grief Cycle of Chronic PainLosing the life you had and finding a way forward — the 5 stages of grief adapted for chronic pain, validation, and practical coping at each stage.Getting Started
  5. Tension HeadacheHow cervical and cranial trigger points create band-like headache patterns — and how to break the cycle.Common Pain Patterns
  6. Low Back PainThe hidden muscular causes behind the world's most common pain complaint — QL, multifidus, psoas, and more.Common Pain Patterns
  7. Neck PainCervical trigger points, text neck epidemic, and the headache connection — anatomy, self-tests, and treatment.Common Pain Patterns
  8. Shoulder PainRotator cuff and scapular trigger points that mimic tears, impingement, and frozen shoulder.Common Pain Patterns
  9. Piriformis SyndromeWhen a small deep hip muscle creates big sciatic-like pain — anatomy, FAIR test, and treatment pathways.Common Pain Patterns
  10. TMJ & Jaw PainHow jaw, face, and neck trigger points create temporomandibular dysfunction — bruxism, referral patterns, and relief.Common Pain Patterns
  11. Bruxism & Orofacial PainTeeth grinding and clenching drive masseter, pterygoid, and temporalis trigger points — mimicking dental pain, ear pain, and chronic headache.Common Pain Patterns
  12. Chronic Pelvic PainHow pelvic floor, obturator internus, and lower abdominal trigger points mimic prostatitis, endometriosis, or chronic UTIs — and the specialized approach to treating them.Common Pain Patterns
  13. Hip & Lateral Thigh PainWhy the gluteus medius and minimus are the true culprits behind most "hip bursitis" or "pseudo-sciatica" diagnoses — referral zones, sleep disruption, and targeted relief.Common Pain Patterns
  14. Knee & Patellofemoral PainHow trigger points in the vastus medialis, rectus femoris, and IT band refer deep, aching pain directly into the knee joint — mimicking meniscus tears and arthritis.Common Pain Patterns
  15. Heel Pain & Plantar Fasciitis MimicsWhen stubborn bottom-of-foot pain isn't the fascia at all — how the gastrocnemius, soleus, and quadratus plantae refer pain straight to the heel.Common Pain Patterns
  16. Tennis Elbow & Forearm PainHow the supinator, brachioradialis, and wrist extensors create devastating elbow pain and grip weakness — saving patients from unnecessary steroid injections.Common Pain Patterns
  17. Carpal Tunnel & Hand Numbness MimicsThe "crush syndrome" effect: How scalene and pectoralis minor trigger points entrap nerves and refer aching pain, tingling, and numbness to the fingers.Common Pain Patterns
  18. Non-Cardiac Chest Pain & CostochondritisThe terrifying trigger points of the pectoralis major, sternalis, and intercostals that mimic heart attacks or rib dysfunction.Common Pain Patterns
  19. Fibromyalgia vs. Myofascial Pain SyndromeUntangling the confusion between regional trigger point pain and central sensitization — how they overlap, how to diagnose correctly, and why the treatment pathways differ.Common Pain Patterns
  20. Quadratus Lumborum — Low Back, Hip & Pelvic-Rim PainDeep DiveAnatomy, palpation and movement assessment for a deep trunk muscle whose pain patterns can overlap with lumbar, hip, sacroiliac and visceral conditions.Muscle Deep Dives
  21. Iliopsoas — Deep Hip Flexor & Groin PainDeep DiveA guide to iliacus and psoas anatomy, cautious deep-region assessment, lumbar and hip differentials, and mobility and strengthening options.Muscle Deep Dives
  22. Scalenes — Neck, Arm & Chest SymptomsDeep DiveExamine scalene tenderness, breathing and neck function while distinguishing muscular referral from cervical nerve and true neurovascular compression findings.Muscle Deep Dives
  23. Trapezius — Neck, Shoulder & Headache PatternsDeep DiveUpper, middle and lower fiber anatomy, familiar-pain reproduction, scapular control assessment, and management within a broader neck and headache evaluation.Muscle Deep Dives
  24. Masseter — Jaw, Facial & Dental-Like PainDeep DiveAssess familiar jaw or facial pain alongside opening, joint and dental findings, with options for habit change, self-management and clinician-guided care.Muscle Deep Dives