Effectiveness of Massage Gun Versus Myofascial Release Technique for Releasing Latent Trigger Points of the Calf Muscle: A Protocol for Randomized Clinical Trial
Md. Mafrohi Sattar, Abid Hasan Khan, Md. Feroz Kabir, K. M. Amran Hossain, Sharmila Jahan, Ehsanur Rahman, Farzana Sharmin, Md. Saruar Hossain Bhuiyan, Azharul Islam, Md. Kabir Hossain, Md. Zahid HossainABSTRACT
Background and Purpose
Trigger points can disrupt muscle activity patterns and cause cramping, fatigue, and weakening. Massage guns and myofascial release are widely employed for such circumstances, but their isolated outcomes are unknown. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of a massage gun versus myofascial release technique on subjective pain, pain pressure threshold and ankle ROM for 12 weeks in people with pain and latent trigger points in the calf muscles.
Methods
From December 2024 to November 2025, this assessor‐blinded randomized clinical trial will enroll 60 patients with latent myofascial trigger points in the calf and equally (1:1) allocate them randomly to either massage gun (Group A) or myofascial release technique (Group B) at the Outpatient Service Unit, Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Jashore University of Science and Technology (JUST), Jashore, Bangladesh. Both groups will receive 12 sessions of massage gun or myofascial release on latent trigger points, with 20 min of ice once a week for 12 weeks. The primary outcomes are subjective pain severity by the visual analog scale and pain sensitivity by pressure algometry, while the secondary outcome is ankle dorsiflexion range of motion by an inclinometer to be measured at the baseline and 12 weeks post‐treatment. The ethical approval and trial registration obtained prospectively, we will adhere to the International committee on harmonization good clinical practice (ICH‐GCP) by confirming confidentiality, respect, voluntary participation and withdrawal rights of participants and justice. To ensure trial safety, the manageable and fatal adverse effects will be recorded and reported.
Results
Sociodemographic, clinical, and outcome characteristics will be collected at baseline after randomization. A non‐experimental assessor will evaluate group treatments afterward. A data monitoring committee‐appointed expert data analyst will compare and analyze the independent assessors' baseline and post‐treatment outcome values.
Discussion
This study will address the research gap on isolated outcomes of newly addressed widely used massage guns and conventional myofascial release techniques on reducing subjective pain, and pressure pain threshold and improving ankle ROM for patients with pain and latent trigger points at the calf muscle. This single‐centre study will indicate short‐term outcomes with poor external generalization, but the study will help the clinicians in evidence‐based practice and guide future multicenter studies with long term evaluations with a follow‐up design.
Trial Registration
Clinical Trial Registry of India (CTRI) (XXXXXXXXXXX) (Prospectively registered)