Table 3.

Characteristics of included studies

Study	Study design	Disorder(s)	Healthy Controls Group	Diagnostic Criteria Active MTrPs	Diagnostic Criteria Latent MTrPs	Assessed Muscles	Country, Setting
Alonso-Blanco et al., 2011	Cross-sectional	CTTH	No	1) Presence of a palpable taut band in a skeletal muscle. 2) Presence of a hyperirritable sensitive spot within the taut band. 3) Local twitch response elicited by the snapping palpation of the taut band. 4) Presence of referred pain in response to MTrP compression.	Not assessed	Upper Trapezius Sternocleidomastoid Temporalis Suboccipital	Spain, hospital
Bron et al., 2011	Cross-sectional	SP	No	1) A nodule in a taut band of skeletal muscle. 2) Painful on compression 3) May produce referred pain or sensations 4) Pain recognised by patient as “familiar”	1) A nodule in a taut band of skeletal muscle. 2) Painful on compression 3) May produce referred pain or sensations 4) Pain not recognizable to patient	Upper/middle/lower trapezius Infraspinatus Supraspinatus Subscapularis Teres minor and major Anterior/middle/posterior deltoids Pectoralis major and minor Biceps brachii Triceps brachii Scalene Subclavius	Spain, primary care practice.
Fernandez-Perez et al., 2012	Cross-sectional cohort	Acute WAD	Yes	1) Palpable taut band within a skeletal muscle 2) Presence of a hypersensitive spot in the taut band 3) Local twitch re-sponse elicited by the snapping palpation of the taut band 4) Production of referred pain in response to MTrP manual compression. 5) If referred pain of symptoms reported by the patient is recognized as familiar	1) Palpable taut band within a skeletal muscle 2) Presence of a hypersensitive spot in the taut band 3) Local twitch re-sponse elicited by the snapping palpation of the taut band 4) Production of referred pain in response to MTrP manual compression. 5) Symptoms produced are not familiar to the patient	Temporalis Masseter Upper trapezius Levator scapulae Sternocleidomastoid Scalene	Spain, primary care
Fernández-De-Las-Peñas, 2012	Cross-sectional	Non-specific pain	No	1) Presence of a palpable taut band within a skeletal muscle. 2) Presence of a hyperirritable spot in the taut band. 3) Local twitch response elicited by the snapping palpation of the taut band (when possible). 4) Presence of referred pain in response to compression. MTrPs were considered active when the local and referred pains evoked by compression reproduced clinical pain symptoms and also the participant recognized the pain as familiar.	MTrPs were considered latent when the local and the referred pain elicited by digital compression did not reproduce symptoms familiar to the participant.	Temporalis Masseter Upper trapezius Sternocleidomastoid Splenius capitis Oblique capitis inferior Levator scapulae Scalene Pectoralis major Deltoid Infraspinatus Extensor carpi radialis brevis Extensor carpi radialis longus Eetensor digitorum communis Supinator	Spain, Department of PT, OT, rehab and physical medicine.
Hidalgo-Lozano et al., 2010	Case-control	Unilateral shoulder impingement	Yes	1) Presence of a palpable taut band in a skeletal muscle 2) Presence of a hyperirritable tender spot within the taut band 3) Local twitch response elicited by the snapping palpation of the taut band 4) Presence of referred pain in response to MTrP compression. 5) Local and the referred pain evoked by digital compression reproduced the pain symptoms (both in location and pain sensation) and the subject recognized the pain as familiar pain	1) Presence of a palpable taut band in a skeletal muscle 2) Presence of a hyperirritable tender spot within the taut band 3) Local twitch response elicited by the snapping palpation of the taut band 4) Presence of referred pain in response to MTrP compression. 5) Local and referred pain elicited by digital compression did not reproduce symptoms familiar to the subjects	Levator scapulae Supraspinatus Infraspinatus Subscapularis Pectoralis major Biceps brachii	Spain, setting unclear
Sari et al., 2012	Case-control	Cervical Radiculopathy	Yes	1) Presence of a palpable taut band in a skeletal muscle 2) Presence of hypersensible tender spot in the taut band 3) Local twitch response elicited by the snapping palpation of the taut band 4) Reproduction of the typical referred pain pattern of the MTrP in response to compression; and 5) Spontaneous presence of the typical referred pain pattern and/or patient recognition of the referred pain as familiar. If all of the aforementioned criteria were present the MTrP was considered active	1) Presence of a palpable taut band in a skeletal muscle 2) Presence of hypersensible tender spot in the taut band 3) Local twitch response elicited by the snapping palpation of the taut band 4) Reproduction of the typical referred pain pattern of the MTrP in response to compression	Trapezius, multifidus, splenius capitis, levator scapulae, rhomboid major, and rhomboid minor	Turkey, Outpatient clinic
Tali et al., 2014	Case-control	Episodic migraines	Yes	1) Palpable taut band within a skeletal muscle 2) Presence of a hypersensitive spot in the taut band 3) Local twitch response elicited by the snapping palpation of the taut band 4) Production of referred pain in response to MTrP manual compression. 5) If the MTrP were palpated and produced a headache, familiar or not, it was referred to as an “active MTrP”.	1) Palpable taut band within a skeletal muscle 2) Presence of a hypersensitive spot in the taut band 3) Local twitch response elicited by the snapping palpation of the taut band 4) Production of referred pain in response to MTrP manual compression. 5) If the MTrP were palpated and produced local or radiated pain it was referred to as a “latent MTrP”.	Sternocleidomastoid Upper trapezius	Israel, Physiotherapy Department

Abbreviations: CTTH Chronic tension type headache, SP Shoulder pain, WAD Whiplash associated disorder, MTrP Myofascial trigger point