Association of Trapezius Trigger Points with Stress Among Allied Health Sciences Students

Background: Myofascial trigger points are a common source of musculoskeletal pain, especially in the trapezius muscle, which is sensitive to both physical strain and psychological stress. Allied health sciences students frequently experience high stress due to academic and clinical demands, increasing their risk of developing trigger points. Stress enhances muscle tension and pain perception, promoting trigger point development and persistence. Objective: To estimate the association of trapezius trigger points with stress among allied health sciences students. Methodology: A cross-sectional quantitative study design was adopted for this research. The study was conducted from universities and colleges in Sialkot. Both male and female allied health sciences students aged 18 to 25 years were included, while individuals with a history of cervical spine surgery, traumatic brain or whiplash injuries were excluded. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire comprising demographic details, perceived stress assessment, and evaluation of trapezius trigger points. The individuals were also informed about the study and then gave written consent. Data collection procedure included two dimensions; it involved the measurement of stress levels and the detection of myofascial trigger points. Pincer grasp method was applied for the identification of myofascial trigger points, while the Perceived Stress Scale was used to assess the stress perception level. The data were analyzed with the help of descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, and the chi-square tests. Results: The average age of the respondents was 21.1 years, and females were 73.5 percent. Pprevalence of trigger points was the upper trapezius (mean=0.51, SD=0.52), especially on the right side. The reliability analysis displayed a Cronbach alpha of 0.622 medium for the Perceived Stress Scale, but a negative alpha for the trapezius muscle features, which indicates variance in the occurrence of the trapezius muscles. The chi-square test showed that the level of stress is significantly related to trapezius trigger points (chi-square=146.87, df=52, p<0.001) with a contingency coefficient =0.529, which is moderate to strong. Conclusion: This indicates the strong correlation between psychological stress and trapezius muscle trigger points in the subjects of Allied Health Sciences students, which signifies the psychological aspect of pain based on the biopsychosocial model of pain.