Trigger Points: Local activity, global Effects
On the previous page we discovered that trigger points are very anaerobically active,
and that they therefore produce lactic acid. The next case history brings home the significance of this
finding.
Case History (3): Lactic Acid Measurements in a national Cross country
Ski Team
The author was recently having breakfast at a Cross Country Ski Lodge, and noticed
that members of a certain national ski team (not named for reasons of
confidentiality) were undergoing blood tests for glucose, dehydration (hematocrit),
and blood lactic acid. The reply to my question regarding the need for a blood
lactic acid test went thus: "Blood lactate buildup gives us an idea of muscle
strain and tiredness. If the blood lactate is high, the athlete knows to do a
longer warm up and stretching program before getting into serious training".
The team medico seemed unaware of the precise trigger point based pathology
behind increased blood lactate in his athletes, but nevertheless was aware of the
need for an more thorough pre-workout stretch and warm-up program to
down-regulate the trigger points
that were responsible for those increased blood lactate levels.
From the above case history, it is easy to understand that the body will have a build
up of lactic acid which may be severe enough to reduce an athlete's stamina.
There is often also a build up of blood borne inflammatory products which may
be severe enough to reduce appetite and cause a fever (see following discussion
re: trigger point induced inflammation). But it is the referred pain that is the
most noticeable aspect of trigger points....
Biology of Trigger Points: Local Activity, Global Effects
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Biology of trigger points:
© Bruce Thomson, EasyVigour Project
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