Glossary Term
Taut Band
Taut bands are localized areas of muscle tension that can cause pain, stiffness, and reduced range of motion. Unlike muscle spasms, taut bands do not involve the motor endplate and can be identified through palpation techniques. Treatment options for taut bands include trigger point therapy, stretching, and massage. Taut bands can develop due to a variety of factors, including overuse, trauma, and poor posture, and can be a contributing factor to conditions such as fibromyalgia and chronic pain.
Taut Band: an endogenous localized contracture within the muscle without activation of the motor endplate (1). Palpation can be used to highlight the difference in tissue tension between a taut band and the surrounding fibers, by slowly "strumming" a muscle perpendicular to the fiber direction. Taut bands are often described as feeling like a "guitar string wound too tight".
- Mense, S. (1997). Pathophysiologic basis of muscle pain syndromes: an update. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics, 8(1), 23-53.
Image: By Davidparmenter - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3121745
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Synonyms
- Hypertonic fascicle
- Over-active fascicle
- Trigger point