Abstract: This study was designed to compare the effects of Transcutaneus Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) and Electrical Muscle Stimulation (EMS) on myofascial trigger point (MTrP) of the upper trapezius muscle. A total of 40 patients were randomly divided into three groups. All patients had active MTrP in one side of the upper trapezius muscles. Group I was treated with TENS and trapezius-stretching exercises; Group II was treated with EMS and trapezius-stretching exercises and Group III, the control group, had only trapezius-stretching exercises. Subjective pain intensity with VAS, range of motion (ROM), and pain threshold (PT) were assessed before, immediately after two week treatment and 3 months after treatment. Group I had a statistically significant reduction in VAS (P<0.01), increase in PT and ROM (p<0.05) at end of the treatment when compared with the control group. Only VAS was significantly improved (p<0.05) in the Group II patients. At the end of the third month, both groups showed highly significant improvement (p<0.01) in VAS and PT (but not ROM). There was no statistical difference in none of parameters between EMS and TENS groups in any time (p>0.05). In conclusion, TENS seem to be more effective immediately after treatment but in long term evaluation there is no significant superiority of two electrotherapy techniques on each other.
