If you’ve ever felt a sudden sharp pain while lifting, sitting at your desk, or even turning your head, there’s a good chance a trigger point was behind it. Trigger points—often called muscle knots—are small, hyper-irritable spots within muscle fibers. But not all trigger points behave the same. Some stay silent for months until a movement “switches them on,” while others constantly cause discomfort. 

Understanding the difference between latent and active trigger points is the key to better treatment, pain management, and long-term muscle health. Let’s break it down.

What Are Trigger Points?

Trigger points are sensitive nodules or tight bands that form inside skeletal muscle. They develop due to trauma, repetitive stress, poor posture, nutritional issues, or emotional tension. These knots interfere with normal muscle function, reducing flexibility and causing pain locally or in distant (referred) areas. Trigger points fall into two major categories:

• Latent Trigger Points: Quiet knots that don’t hurt unless pressed.
• Active Trigger Points: Painful knots that cause spontaneous discomfort.

Latent Trigger Points: The Silent Troublemakers

Latent trigger points are sneaky. They can exist for months—even years—without causing noticeable pain. However, they still restrict movement, weaken muscles, and create subtle discomfort during everyday tasks. Key characteristics of latent trigger points:

• No spontaneous pain unless the knot is palpated
• Muscle stiffness or decreased flexibility
• Weakness during movement
• Can become active if irritated or overloaded

Poor posture, stress, long hours of sitting, and minor injuries often contribute to their formation. Why latent trigger points matter Ignoring latent trigger points can lead to:

• Muscle imbalance
• Increased risk of injury
• Compensation patterns
• Reduced performance during workouts

Active Trigger Points: The Pain Producers

Active trigger points are much easier to identify because they hurt without being touched. These are the classic painful knots that cause:

• Sharp or dull aching pain
• Radiating pain to other regions
• Stiffness and mobility restrictions
• Pain that worsens with movement

• Sudden injury
• Overuse or repetitive strain
• Emotional stress
• Poor ergonomics
• Muscle overload during workouts

Latent vs Active Trigger Points: The Core Differences

Understanding how these two types differ helps guide treatment, training, and prevention strategies. 

1. Pain Response

• Latent: Silent until pressed
• Active: Constant pain even at rest

• Latent: Reduced flexibility and stiffness
• Active: Severe restriction, weakness, and movement avoidance

• Latent: Subtle discomfort
• Active: Noticeable pain affecting daily activities

• Latent: Can turn active if ignored
• Active: Requires immediate treatment

• Latent: Little to none
• Active: Common (e.g., shoulder trigger points causing headaches)

Why Do Latent Trigger Points Become Active?

Latent trigger points can become active when:

• You suddenly increase training intensity
• You maintain poor posture for long periods
• You undergo physical or emotional stress
• You experience dehydration, nutritional deficiencies, or poor sleep

How to Identify Trigger Points Yourself

You can identify trigger points by:

• Feeling for tight, rope-like muscle bands
• Noticing tender spots that hurt when pressed
• Checking for referred pain patterns
• Observing stiffness or reduced range of motion

How Physiotherapists Treat Latent and Active Trigger Points

A combination of manual therapy and corrective exercises works best. 

1. Dry Needling 
Dry needling is one of the most effective techniques for releasing both latent and active trigger points. A fine sterile needle is inserted directly into the knot, causing:

• Muscle relaxation
• Improved blood flow
• Pain reduction
• Faster recovery

3. Stretching and Mobility Work
Regular stretching helps lengthen tight muscle fibers and prevent trigger point formation. 

4. Strengthening Weak Muscles
Trigger points often form due to weak stabilizers. Strength training restores balance and prevents recurrence. 

5. Ergonomic Corrections
Optimizing posture during work and daily activities reduces strain and prevents latent points from becoming active.

Prevention: How to Keep Trigger Points Away

• Maintain good posture
• Take regular breaks from sitting
• Warm up before workouts
• Stay hydrated
• Manage stress
• Use foam rollers and massage balls regularly

FAQs

1. What is the difference between latent and active trigger points? 
Latent trigger points don’t cause pain unless pressed, while active trigger points create spontaneous pain and often refer pain to other body regions. 

2. Can latent trigger points become active?
Yes. Poor posture, stress, overuse, or sudden muscle strain can “activate” a latent trigger point, causing noticeable pain. 

3. How do physiotherapists treat trigger points?
Treatments include dry needling, manual trigger point release, stretching, corrective exercises, and ergonomic adjustments. 

4. Do trigger points cause referred pain?
Active trigger points often cause referred pain, meaning discomfort is felt in areas away from the actual trigger point location. 

5. How can I prevent trigger points?
Regular stretching, hydration, proper posture, strengthening weak muscles, and reducing stress help prevent muscle knots.