Muscles
Browse muscles with trigger-point locations, referred pain patterns and clinical notes.
111 results
Torso
Abdominal Obliques
Rotates the trunk to the same side; assists trunk flexion.
Leg, Ankle and Foot
Abductor Digiti Minimi (Foot)
Small lateral-sole muscle whose trigger points cause pain along the outer edge of the foot and under the fifth metatarsal head.
Forearm and Hand
Abductor Digiti Minimi (Hand)
Hypothenar muscle that abducts the little finger; trigger points give pain along the ulnar border of the hand and into the fifth finger.
Leg, Ankle and Foot
Abductor Hallucis
Abducts and flexes the big toe; supports the medial arch.
Leg, Ankle and Foot
Adductor Longus and Brevis
Adducts and flexes the hip.
Leg, Ankle and Foot
Adductor Magnus
Adducts and extends the hip.
Forearm and Hand
Adductor Pollicis
Adducts the thumb toward the index finger.
Forearm and Hand
Anconeus
Small elbow extensor at the lateral elbow; a frequently missed contributor to lateral elbow pain and 'tennis elbow' complaints.
Upper Back, Shoulder and Arm
Biceps Brachii
Flexes the elbow and supinates the forearm; assists shoulder flexion.
Leg, Ankle and Foot
Biceps Femoris
Hamstring extending the hip and flexing the knee.
Forearm and Hand
Brachialis
Primary elbow flexor regardless of forearm rotation.
Forearm and Hand
Brachioradialis
Flexes the elbow with the forearm in neutral.
Head and Neck
Buccinator
Deep cheek muscle used in chewing and blowing; trigger points cause cheek pain and discomfort under a denture or during eating.
Lower Torso
Coccygeus
Posterior pelvic floor muscle; trigger points produce coccyx and low sacral pain, often worse when sitting.
Upper Back, Shoulder and Arm
Coracobrachialis
Flexes and adducts the shoulder.
Upper Back, Shoulder and Arm
Deltoid
Flexes and internally rotates the shoulder.
Head and Neck
Digastric
Two-bellied suprahyoid that opens the jaw and elevates the hyoid during swallowing.
Forearm and Hand
Extensor Carpi Radialis Brevis
Main wrist extensor of the radial side and a central player in lateral epicondylalgia (tennis elbow).
Forearm and Hand
Extensor Carpi Radialis Longus
Extends and radially deviates the wrist.
Forearm and Hand
Extensor Carpi Ulnaris
Ulnar-side wrist extensor; trigger points produce pain on the ulnar aspect of the wrist and back of the hand.
Forearm and Hand
Extensor Digitorum
Extends the fingers and assists wrist extension.
Leg, Ankle and Foot
Extensor Digitorum Brevis
Extends the medial four toes.
Leg, Ankle and Foot
Extensor Digitorum Longus
Extends toes 2–5; dorsiflexes the ankle.
Leg, Ankle and Foot
Extensor Hallucis Brevis
Short extensor of the big toe on the dorsum of the foot; trigger points cause pain over the dorsal midfoot near the great toe.
Leg, Ankle and Foot
Extensor Hallucis Longus
Extends the big toe; dorsiflexes the ankle.
Forearm and Hand
Extensor Indicis
Small forearm muscle extending the index finger; trigger points cause pain at the back of the wrist and into the index finger.
Forearm and Hand
First Dorsal Interosseus
Muscle of the thumb-index web; a very common source of hand pain that spreads into the index and little finger.
Forearm and Hand
Flexor Carpi Radialis
Flexes and radially deviates the wrist.
Forearm and Hand
Flexor Carpi Ulnaris
Ulnar wrist flexor; trigger points cause pain at the ulnar side of the palmar wrist, sometimes mimicking ulnar nerve symptoms.
Leg, Ankle and Foot
Flexor Digitorum Brevis (Foot)
Flexes the proximal IP joints of toes 2–5.
Leg, Ankle and Foot
Flexor Digitorum Longus
Flexes toes 2–5; assists plantarflexion and inversion.
Forearm and Hand
Flexor Digitorum Profundus
Deep finger flexor; trigger points produce finger pain and a sense of grip weakness or stiffness.
Forearm and Hand
Flexor Digitorum Superficialis
Flexes the proximal interphalangeal joints of fingers 2–5.
Leg, Ankle and Foot
Flexor Hallucis Brevis
Short flexor of the big toe; trigger points cause pain under the first metatarsal head and the ball of the foot.
Leg, Ankle and Foot
Flexor Hallucis Longus
Flexes the big toe; supports push-off.
Forearm and Hand
Flexor Pollicis Longus
Flexes the thumb's interphalangeal joint.
Head and Neck
Frontalis
Anterior belly of the occipitofrontalis; raises the eyebrows and wrinkles the forehead.
Leg, Ankle and Foot
Gastrocnemius
Plantarflexes the ankle; flexes the knee.
Hip, Thigh and Knee
Gluteus Maximus
Powerful hip extensor and external rotator; the largest muscle in the body.
Lower Torso
Gluteus Medius
A leading cause of lateral hip pain and 'low back' pain that doesn't respond to spinal treatment.
Hip, Thigh and Knee
Gluteus Minimus
Hip abductor and stabilizer; deepest of the gluteal group.
Leg, Ankle and Foot
Gracilis
Adducts the hip and flexes the knee.
Lower Torso
Iliocostalis Lumborum
Erector spinae extending the lumbar spine; assists side bending.
Upper Back, Shoulder and Arm
Iliocostalis Thoracis
Lateral paraspinal column of the thoracic spine; trigger points refer pain around the chest wall and down toward the low back.
Lower Torso
Iliopsoas
Primary hip flexor; psoas major also influences lumbar lordosis.
Upper Back, Shoulder and Arm
Infraspinatus
The most common rotator cuff source of deep anterior shoulder pain — pain felt at the front but coming from the back of the scapula.
Torso
Intercostals
Move ribs during breathing and stabilize the rib cage.
Leg, Ankle and Foot
Interossei of Foot
Spread and stabilize the toes during push-off.
Head and Neck
Lateral Pterygoid
Protrudes and opens the jaw; the only muscle that meaningfully depresses the mandible.
Torso
Latissimus Dorsi
Extends, adducts and internally rotates the shoulder; pulls the trunk to a fixed arm.
Lower Torso
Levator Ani
Main pelvic floor sheet; trigger points cause deep pelvic, rectal and tailbone pain that is often worse when sitting.
Head and Neck
Levator Scapulae
Classic cause of the 'stiff neck' that won't rotate — sharp pain at the angle of the neck and shoulder.
Lower Torso
Longissimus Thoracis
Erector spinae extending the thoracic and lumbar spine.
Head and Neck
Masseter
Primary cause of jaw pain, ear pain and bruxism-related headache — the strongest muscle of mastication per gram.
Head and Neck
Medial Pterygoid
Inner jaw elevator; protrudes and laterally shifts the mandible.
Upper Back, Shoulder and Arm
Multifidi
Deep spinal stabilizer at every segmental level; key for low back resilience.
Torso
Obliquus Externus Abdominis
Side-bends and rotates the trunk; flexes the trunk.
Lower Torso
Obturator Internus
Deep hip external rotator; influences pelvic floor.
Head and Neck
Occipitalis
Posterior belly of the occipitofrontalis; tenses the scalp and refers pain into the head.
Forearm and Hand
Opponens Pollicis
Thenar muscle; abducts the thumb.
Head and Neck
Orbicularis Oculi
Sphincter muscle around the eye; trigger points cause pain above and below the eye, and can contribute to eyelid twitching.
Forearm and Hand
Palmaris Longus
Superficial forearm flexor (absent in some people); trigger points cause a distinctive prickling or burning pain in the palm.
Leg, Ankle and Foot
Pectineus
Adducts and flexes the hip.
Torso
Pectoralis Major
Adducts, flexes and internally rotates the shoulder.
Torso
Pectoralis Minimus
Tilts the scapula anteriorly and depresses it; contributes to thoracic outlet symptoms.
Lower Torso
Pelvic Floor
Group term for the muscular floor of the pelvis; trigger points produce deep pelvic, perineal and tailbone pain.
Leg, Ankle and Foot
Peroneus Brevis
Everts and plantarflexes the foot.
Leg, Ankle and Foot
Peroneus Longus
Plantarflexes and everts the ankle.
Leg, Ankle and Foot
Peroneus Tertius
Small dorsiflexor and evertor on the front of the lower leg; trigger points cause pain at the front and outer ankle.
Lower Torso
Piriformis
A common mimic of true sciatica — buttock pain radiating down the leg, sometimes with neural symptoms.
Leg, Ankle and Foot
Plantaris
Small muscle behind the knee with a long tendon; trigger points cause pain at the back of the knee and upper calf.
Leg, Ankle and Foot
Platysma
Broad superficial neck muscle; trigger points produce a prickling, hot skin sensation over the front of the neck and jaw.
Leg, Ankle and Foot
Popliteus
'Unlocks' the knee from full extension; rotates the tibia internally.
Forearm and Hand
Pronator Teres
Pronates the forearm; weak elbow flexor.
Torso
Pyramidalis
Small triangular muscle above the pubic bone; trigger points give sharply localised suprapubic pain.
Lower Torso
Quadratus Lumborum
One of the most common muscular sources of low back pain — deep, hard-to-localize pain that worsens with standing.
Leg, Ankle and Foot
Quadratus Plantae
Assists FDL in flexing the toes.
Torso
Rectus Abdominis
Flexes the trunk; stabilizes the pelvis.
Lower Torso
Rectus Femoris
Two-joint quadriceps: flexes the hip and extends the knee.
Torso
Rhomboid
Retracts and downwardly rotates the scapula.
Leg, Ankle and Foot
Sartorius
Flexes, abducts and externally rotates the hip; flexes the knee.
Upper Back, Shoulder and Arm
Scalene
Three deep neck muscles that refer pain into the chest, upper back, shoulder and down the arm — frequent mimics of cervical radiculopathy.
Hip, Thigh and Knee
Semimembranosus
Deepest hamstring extending hip, flexing and internally rotating the knee.
Head and Neck
Semispinalis Capitis
Strong head extensor; rotates the head slightly.
Leg, Ankle and Foot
Semitendinosus
Hamstring extending the hip and flexing the knee; rotates tibia internally.
Torso
Serratus Anterior
Protracts and upwardly rotates the scapula; critical for overhead reach.
Torso
Serratus Posterior Inferior
Depresses the lower ribs during expiration.
Upper Back, Shoulder and Arm
Serratus Posterior Superior
Elevates the upper ribs during inspiration.
Leg, Ankle and Foot
Soleus
Plantarflexes the ankle independent of knee position; key for running endurance.
Torso
Sphincter Ani
Anal sphincter muscle; trigger points cause local anal and perineal pain, often described as a deep cramping ache.
Head and Neck
Splenius Capitis
Extends and rotates the head to the same side.
Head and Neck
Splenius Cervicis
Extends and rotates the neck to the same side.
Torso
Sternalis
Variant muscle over the sternum; its trigger points cause deep mid-chest pain that can mimic cardiac pain.
Head and Neck
Sternocleidomastoid
The SCM refers pain to the forehead, eye, cheek and ear — a frequent and overlooked source of facial pain, headache and dizziness.
Upper Back, Shoulder and Arm
Subclavius
Depresses the clavicle and stabilizes the sternoclavicular joint.
Head and Neck
Suboccipital Group
Four small muscles between the occiput and upper cervical spine; fine-tune head position and proprioception.
Upper Back, Shoulder and Arm
Subscapularis
Largest rotator cuff muscle; powerful internal rotator and anterior glenohumeral stabilizer.
Forearm and Hand
Supinator
Supinates the forearm; primary mover when the elbow is extended.
Upper Back, Shoulder and Arm
Supraspinatus
Source of deep shoulder pain that intensifies with abduction — often misread as pure rotator cuff tendinopathy.
Head and Neck
Temporalis
Fan-shaped jaw elevator over the temporal bone; closes and retracts the mandible.
Leg, Ankle and Foot
Tensor Fasciae Latae
Flexes, abducts and internally rotates the hip; tensions the IT band.
Upper Back, Shoulder and Arm
Teres Major
Adducts and internally rotates the shoulder; co-active with latissimus.
Upper Back, Shoulder and Arm
Teres Minor
External rotator of the shoulder; member of the rotator cuff.
Leg, Ankle and Foot
Tibialis Anterior
Dorsiflexes and inverts the ankle.
Leg, Ankle and Foot
Tibialis Posterior
Plantarflexes and inverts the ankle; supports the medial arch.
Head and Neck
Trapezius
The upper fibers of the trapezius are one of the most common sources of tension headaches, neck stiffness and referred temple pain.
Leg, Ankle and Foot
Triceps Brachii
Extends the elbow; long head extends the shoulder.
Leg, Ankle and Foot
Vastus Intermedius
Extends the knee; lies deep to rectus femoris.
Hip, Thigh and Knee
Vastus Lateralis
Extends the knee; largest of the quadriceps.
Hip, Thigh and Knee
Vastus Medialis
Extends the knee; oblique fibers (VMO) stabilize the patella medially.
Head and Neck
Zygomaticus
Cheek muscle of smiling; trigger points refer pain up the side of the nose to the forehead.