Relationship between Alexithymia and Latent Trigger Points in Upper Trapezius among Female Health Sciences Students: An Analytical Study

Abstract

Background: Alexithymia is a personality trait characterized by difficulty identifying and describing emotions and may contribute to increased muscle tension and psychosomatic manifestations. Latent myofascial trigger points in the upper trapezius are common among university students due to prolonged static postures, academic stress, and sustained use of electronic devices. Objective: To determine the association between alexithymia and latent trigger points in the upper trapezius among female health sciences students. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 245 female health sciences students aged 18–25 years from universities in Lahore. Alexithymia was assessed using the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 (TAS-20), while latent trigger points of the bilateral upper trapezius were identified using standardized manual palpation based on Delphi consensus criteria. Descriptive statistics were used for demographic and clinical variables, and Chi-square analysis was performed to determine the association between alexithymia categories and upper trapezius pain-related variables. Results: The participants had a mean age of 21.65 ± 1.86 years. Based on TAS-20 scores, 152 participants (62.0%) were classified as alexithymic and 61 (24.9%) as having possible alexithymia. Significant associations were observed between alexithymia category and shoulder pain/discomfort experience (p = 0.000), frequency of upper trapezius pain (p = 0.026), and pain interference with daily activities (p = 0.018). Conclusion: Alexithymia was significantly associated with upper trapezius latent trigger point-related symptoms among female health sciences students. This research shows that including psychosocial screening within the physiotherapy assessment can help in early detection and management of patients at risk of having musculoskeletal dysfunction.