Muscles
Abductor pollicis
Thenar muscle; abducts the thumb.
Overview
Thenar muscle; abducts the thumb. Trigger points here are common in everyday and athletic populations and frequently contribute to the referred pain patterns described below.
Trigger point locations
Thenar eminence at the base of the thumb.
Referred pain pattern
Local thumb base pain, often felt as 'arthritic' CMC pain.
Palpation & testing
Palpate the muscle belly along its accessible course. Reproduction of the patient's familiar pain on palpation supports involvement.
Common causes
Repeated pinching, texting, manual labor.
Self-care & clinical treatment
Thumb mobility drills, ergonomic correction. Clinically: needling and joint mobilization.
Symptoms commonly linked
References
- • Travell & Simons — Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction