Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual

"Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual" offers a valuable blend of traditional anatomy, motion, and hands-on therapy.

Written by

Willem Kramer

Published on

December 4, 2025

Why I have it in my library

The early editions of Travell and Simons' Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual offer a valuable blend of traditional anatomy, motion, and hands-on therapy. I purchased a copy shortly after graduating and starting my own clinic.

In "Anatomy by Planes," I organize skin, muscles, and joints by motion; in "Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction," Travell and Simons organize muscles by the location of referred pain.

Each chapter discusses a single muscle or several related ones. It describes anatomy, function, action, functional myotatic unit (i.e., synergists and antagonists), relevant EMG research, referred pain, trigger points, and more.

Illustrations show the muscle's known trigger points and their associated referred pain.

EMG research is a significant part of Travell and Simons' theory of how trigger points develop. Each chapter contains several paragraphs discussing applicable findings. It's probably also the reason Basmajian - a pioneering anatomist and electromyographer - wrote the foreword.

I am not sure about the newer editions - I do not own them - but the first and second editions of Travell and Simons' Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction are fun and useful during treatment.

—Willem

Specifics

Full titleMyofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual. Volume 1. Upper Half of Body.
AuthorsSimons, D.G.
Travell, J.G.
Simons, L.S.
ISBN0683083635
Edition2nd
PublisherWilliams & Wilkins
Year of Publication1998
LanguageEnglish
Weight4 pounds
Number of Pages1038

Full TileMyofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual. Volume 2. The Lower Extremities.
AuthorsTravell, J.G.
Simons, D.G
ISBN0683083678
Edition1st
PublisherWilliams & Wilkins
Year of Publication1983
Language English
Weight3 pounds
Number of Pages626

Where to purchase

There are several different editions of "Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction" available. Since I only own one edition, I am not sure if the different editions have ....

Store*PriceCondition
World of Books$46.28Used (well read)
Amazon$294.76New
Alibris$46 - $106.37Used - New

Store†PriceCondition
eBay$96.79Used (good)
Alibris$28.65 - $130.72Used - New
Amazon$56.98Used (good)

* Volume 1. Upper half of body.
† Volume 2. The Lower Extremities.

Most recent edition

I do not own the most recent edition and have no idea if it is still worth buying. Does any of you own it? If so, please share your perspective in the comments below.

The description below is copied from the publisher's website.

"This new edition of Travell, Simons & Simons' groundbreaking work reflects the latest research and best practices associated with trigger points and updates the iconic pain point images that set the standard in the field. New lead editor Joseph M. Donnelly draws on his experience as both educator and physical therapy practitioner to integrate an evidence-based approach into this critical text. In addition, the new edition consolidates information to create a more intuitive user experience and features a completely new full color design to bring concepts to life."

StorePriceCondition
Amazon$141.22New
Wolters Kluwer$182.99New

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Author

Willem is a Netherlands-educated physiotherapist and a US-licensed massage therapist with over thirty years of experience working with professional athletes, entertainers, and executives. He presents a movement-based approach that extends dissection anatomy for the specific needs of soft-tissue therapists. Willem advocates for a holistic understanding of the body, emphasizing that all organ systems are interconnected and interdependent. His insights offer both practitioners and enthusiasts a fresh perspective on musculoskeletal health.

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