The intra-rater reliability of locating and measuring the severity of latent trigger points in the quadriceps.

BACKGROUND: Trigger points (TrPs) in the lower-limb are under-investigated and may be a contributory factor in knee pathologies.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to establish the intra-rater reliability of assessing the location and severity of latent TrPs in the quadriceps.

METHODS: Twenty-nine asymptomatic subjects were palpated for TrPs in the middle and quadriceps. The location and severity was then measured using the anatomical landmark system (ALS) and pain pressure threshold (PPT). The subject was re-tested the next day.

RESULTS: The intra-class coefficient [ICC(3,1) ] for the ALSs and PPTs were found to be reliable. Gender appears to be a factor in the severity of TrPs in the quadriceps. Females reported some of the features of TrPs more often than males (jump sign, twitch response, referred pain).

CONCLUSION: Further investigation is needed to understand the relationship between TrPs around the knee and knee pathologies, particularly in females.