What is a taut band?
A taut band is a line of tightness within the belly of the muscle. It forms when the muscle suffers too much work over a period of time or after an acute injury. It can be thought of as a type of fuse box mechanism. When the power coming into your house surges, the fuse breaks first to protect your electrical appliances. When a muscle is asked to do too much work, a taut band develops to restrict further use. A myofascial practitioner can feel these taut bands by palpating your muscle. They can be very fine, like pieces of string in small muscles or large and thick in big muscles. • What is a trigger point? This is the tightest segment along a taut band. It can be felt as a nodule or a longer part of the taut band. It is the most sensitive part of the taut band and when it is pressed it often refers pain into another area. A trigger point exists where the nerves attach to the muscle at the motor end plate. The injury to the muscle causes continual irritation at this point. The muscle f
