Muscles
Brachioradialis Trigger Points
Symptom Area: Forearm and Hand
Brachioradialis Trigger Points are explored here through their location and referred pain pattern. Muscle knots is an everyday term used for tender muscular spots; myofascial pain describes pain involving muscle and its surrounding connective tissue. Flexes the elbow with the forearm in neutral.
Where you feel it
When the Brachioradialis holds active trigger points, you usually notice it as elbow pain, lateral epicondylar pain, painful weak grip and thumb & radial hand pain. Where the pain spreads: Lateral epicondyle, dorsum of the hand and the web space of the thumb. What often sets it off: Repeated hammer use, mouse use, manual labor.
Overview
Flexes the elbow with the forearm in neutral. Trigger points here are common in everyday and athletic populations and frequently contribute to the referred pain patterns described below.
Trigger point locations
Lateral forearm just distal to the lateral epicondyle.
Referred pain pattern
Lateral epicondyle, dorsum of the hand and the web space of the thumb.
Palpation & testing
Palpate the muscle belly along its accessible course. Reproduction of the patient's familiar pain on palpation supports involvement.
Common causes
Repeated hammer use, mouse use, manual labor.
Self-care & clinical treatment
Eccentric work, soft-tissue release. Clinically: needling and address grip mechanics.
Treatment protocol
For Brachioradialis, the general protocol applies: sustained pressure release on the taut band, then stretch and active movement in the newly gained range.
Position and palpation: Palpate the muscle belly along its accessible course.
Regional precaution for clinicians: In the forearm and hand the median nerve at the pronator teres, the ulnar nerve at the cubital tunnel and Guyon's canal, the radial nerve in the supinator arcade and the radial artery at the wrist are all superficial and must be avoided; needles are short and angled away from the neurovascular bundles.
Primary Symptoms
Secondary Symptoms
Often confused with
These muscles cause the same primary symptoms, so they are checked together:
Related muscles in this region
Related articles
- A grip that hurts and gives way: forearm trigger points
- Tennis elbow that will not heal: the trigger points behind outer elbow pain
- Lateral Epicondylar Pain: which trigger points cause it and how to treat them
- Thumb & Radial Hand Pain: which trigger points cause it and how to treat them
- Painful Weak Grip: which trigger points cause it and how to treat them
References
- • Travell & Simons — Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction
Medically reviewed by: Marco Aruffo — physiotherapist since 2006, specialised in myofascial pain · Last reviewed:
