Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: Assessment and Therapy - A and B part

Lecturer: Lukaš Kasala (Charles university, 2nd medical faculty, Czech Republic department of rehabilitation and Sport Medicine, “RehaThink” lecturer in Baltics, Slovakia, Czech Republic)

Course venue: Atmodas iela 19, Jelgava, LV-3007, 2.floor, room 245

Price: 560 EUR for both parts (one part 280 EUR). The price includes printed prepared scripts - presentation and individual positions with descriptions, coffee, tea, refreshments, certificate. Payment can be divided into 2 parts.

Credits:  in total 32 TIPS  ( LĀPPOS, Nr.TIP2024/400 TIP16, Nr.TIP2023/126 TIP16)

Language: English

Number of days of the course: 4 (2 days - lower quadrant, 2 days - upper quadrant)

6 - 7 September, 2025 - A course - lower quadrant

21 - 22 November, 2025 - B course - upper quadrant

Maximum number of participants: 14

About course

The comprehensive course Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: Assessment and Therapy which focusing on myofascial chains, their function and dysfunction in various musculoskeletal pathologies. Myofascial pain, its treatment options - muscle and trigger point inhibition and relaxation techniques based on the principles of neurophysiology and development kineziology from Prague Rehabilitation school.

The practical part includes muscles and trigger point treatment techniques based on neurophysiology principles - Reciprocal Inhibition, Post Isometric Relaxation, priniciples of Vojta Reflex locomotion. These neurophysiological techniques works with myofascials chains, its dysfunctions. The techniques used to release hypertonic muscles and muscle trigger points use positions from developmental kinesiology and the principle of reciprocal inhibition.

Course description

The myofascial chain is essentially a line of connective tissue that runs through the body. Myofascial chains provide movement and force transmission and help the body move as a single unit. Dysfunction of myofascial chanins in one of the muscles or the entire chain as a whole can cause pain and structural weakness. Understanding myofascial chains allows for a better understanding of injuries and movement limitations.

Dysfunction of myofascial chains includes muscle trigger points.

Why muscle's Trigger points are important?

Do You know that Trigger point is THE MOST COMMON SOURCE OF PATIENT PAIN? Myofascial pain is caused by Trigger points. A trigger point is not just a point in a muscle, but a very important informant for the therapist about changes in the movement system. It has a very strong neurophysiological component and connection to the brain. To effectively release an active trigger point, we must find the pathological muscle chain, activate the antagonist and use reciprocal inhibition to release the active trigger point. This course and concept were created for this.

Since a trigger point is a neurophysiologically complex and pathophysiologically significant source of nociception, it is important to understand it and work with TrP comprehensively, You will need to understand myofascial chains! And that is exactly what our course is about.

You will learn to understand and work with up to 25 muscles!!

What I will learn in this course?

The theoretical part of the A part (as an online webinar) is focused on explaining what is a Trigger point from pathophysiological and neurophysiological perspective; clinical picture and radiating pain from a trigger point, how TrP presents typically and atypically, what are the causes of a trigger point and what can activate it, the chaining of trigger points. You will also learn about myofascial chains and trigger points - how to evaluate myofascial chains and TrP in the muscle chain. As well You will learn differential diagnosis of severe pathological conditions - inflammation, tumor, neurological disease, immune-related disease.

Will I learn to work with muscles and Trigger points?

Yes, absolutely! You will learn understand myofascial chains, work with muscles and TrP  based on neurophysiology principles ands development kinesiology. according to Prague Rehab School.

The practical part is focused mainly on practical training of muscle andTrigger point therapy, but also theoretical additions about each muscle (in total You will learn how to work with up to 25 muscle!). For each muscle, you will learn how it is involved in muscle chains, how dysfunction manifests, how it affects distant parts of the body, pain radiation and typical patient complaints. You will learn which joint blockages, visceral disorders, structural disorders and other dysfunctions are typically associated with Trps in a given muscle. For techniques You will learn positions of development kinesiology (according to Vojta) and reciprocal inhibition. We will explain why we use a given position, how to position the patient correctly and what we want to feel under our hands.

More palpation, training, muscle chaining, explanation of the myofascial connection. In order to have more time for practical work, you will receive theoretical background for specific trigger points and specific muscles printed and described (of course, the presentation as well).

This will save time and we will focus more on practical demonstrations - work with a 25 different muscles and TrP in global model using reciprocal inbibition and positions of development kinesiology!

Programme

A COURSE - 6 - 7 SEPTEMBER, 2025

Part A theoretical part - online webinar - will be sent before practical part.

Myofascial pain - etiology, mechanism of formation, neurophysiology, pathophysiology

Myofascial pain - definition of trigger points, etiology, neurophysiological changes of trigger points

Myofacial chains - function and dysfunction of human motion system

Trigger point muscle "chains", their formation mechanism

Trigger point referred pain, and related blockades in proximal and peripheral joints

Differential diagnostics

PRACTICAL PART A (2 DAYS - LOWER QUADRANT) - 6 - 7 September, 2025

• Correct palpation, assessment of the trigger point - inducing the "jump sign"

• Finding a dysfunctional muscle chain and another trigger point - interpreting the jump sign

• Involvement of the muscle in the muscle chain, its kinesiology and postural manifestations of dysfunction

  
  

  Practical part - muscles and TrP inhibition techniques for specific muscles based neurophysiology principles and development kinesiology according to Prague Rehab School.

  
  

Muscles:

• Iliopsoas

• Hamstrings

• Gluteus medius et minimus

• Traction of the hip joint in developmental positions

• Quadratus lumborum

• Rectus abdominis

• Obturatorius internus et externus

• Adductor longus, brevis, magnus

• Piriformis

• Iliocostalis

• Tensor fasciae latae

• Muscles of the pelvic floor

B COURSE - 21 - 22 NOVEMBER, 2025

In the theoretical part of the B part of the course goes deeper in myofascial connectivity and TrP - perspective of neurophysiology and its impact on the brain. The topics covered in this part are:

• How trigger points contribute to the development of chronic pain

• How they affect peripheral and central sensitization

• How chronic pain changes the function of the CNS and what impact they have on individual centers in the brain

  
  

• Division of the tonic and phasic muscle system, which muscles belong to which system

• The relationship between somatovisceral and viscerosomatic

• Syndromes - upper crossed, lower crossed, hourglass, upper thoracic aperture

• We will take a comprehensive look at how to work with trigger points within posture with an explanation from the perspective of neurophysiology and developmental kinesiology.

• The course is interwoven with information from neurology, internal medicine, orthopedics and other fields.

PRACTICAL PART (2 DAYS - UPPER QUADRANT) -

Practical part - muscles and TrP inhibition techniques for specific muscles based neurophysiology principles ands development kinesiology. according to Prague Rehab School.

Muscles:

Sternocleidomastoideus

Suboccipital group, short extensors of the neck

Trapezius pars descendens

Trapezius pars ascendens

Levator scapulae

Infraspinatus

Subscapularis

Pectoral muscles

Diaphragm

Semispinalis cervicis et capitis

Ocular muscles

Scalenii