Trigger Point Release | Knee Pain | Popliteus

This video is suitable only for certified practitioners or students of dry needling. Do not ever use needles in any way unless you are certified and licensed to do so.

Trigger points can form in the popliteus for a number of reasons but are especially prevalent in hikers, and runners who do hill training.

These trigger points can exist for extended periods without causing any symptoms, but if left untreated, they will make the host muscle less efficient, and increase the risk of other related injuries.

We also generally find trigger points in popliteus when treating clients who have had, or who are currently suffering from other common knee injuries such as arthritis, torn meniscus, ligament damage, and in clients who have undergone various forms of knee surgery.

Any form of knee instability may lead to the development of trigger points in popliteus, so taking care to strengthen your knees through regular targeted exercises is the best way to avoid this happening, especially for those "weekend warriors" who can sometimes ask a lot of their knees on a Saturday morning after a long week of sitting!

If you are suffering "unexplained" pain at the back of the knee (sometimes radiating to the big toe), ask your therapist about trigger points in the popliteus.

[sanketjain]

Hi, if both the therapist and doctor can find it difficult to feel the twitch in the muscle, how would the therapist know that it has successfully happened?