Perpetuating Factors: The Janet Travell Foundation Newsletter, Issue #7 June 17, 2025
Hi Travellians,
While the Gelman Library is closed for the summer, we’re switching gears and focusing on various projects, including applying for grants to digitize The Janet G. Travell Papers in the fall. Here’s an overview of several exciting projects we’re working on this summer!
Upcoming projects in progress
A new trigger points wall chart, which will be available as a PDF download and print format.
An online self-guided study of the Travell & Simons Trigger Point Manuals.
The original 1982 First Edition Volume 1 of the Travell & Simons Trigger Point Manual, Upper Extremities, digitized and available in PDF format.
A redesigned, custom website with Janet Travell’s published papers, articles, unpublished research and lecture notes, in a searchable format.
A series of articles and preview chapters of a new book, “Myofascial Trigger Point Therapy, What’s next?: The Travell Protocol” by Nancy Shaw.
A blog featuring guest posts by the top experts in myofascial trigger point therapy.
Thanks to Ben Daitz, M.D., I’m pleased to present this video of Janet Travell’s 90th birthday celebration and interview, which aired on ABC Television in December 1991. In this brief interview, Travell doesn’t miss a chance to share some trigger point therapy insights.
Note: There’s an error in the video: Robert Gerwin, M.D. is a neurologist, not a dermatologist! Robert Gerwin, MD, FAAN is a co-founder of Myopain Seminars. He is a Board Certified Neurologist and a Fellow of the American Academy of Neurology. He is also a Diplomate of the American Board of Pain Medicine and a member of the American Academy of Pain Medicine. Dr. Gerwin graduated from the University of Chicago School of Medicine. He had a two-year special fellowship at NIH in neurology and immunology. He has been in private practice in the Washington DC area, and has been working in the area of Myofascial Pain and Fibromyalgia for many years. Dr. Janet G. Travell was his mentor while she lived in Washington DC. https://www.myopainseminars.com/team/robert-gerwin/
Featured article
“Janet G. Travell, MD on Myofascial Pain,” written by Larry W. White, DDS, MSD, and published in the Journal of Clinical Orthodontics, July 1989
This article presents an in-depth interview with Dr. Janet Travell in 1989. The discussion centers on her groundbreaking work with trigger points, (specific areas of muscle tenderness that cause pain to spread to other body parts), a concept previously misunderstood in medicine. Dr. Travell explains her diagnostic methods, including the critical role of physical examination and patient-reported pain maps, contrasting them with traditional reliance on X-rays or nerve tests. She also touches upon treatment approaches like procaine injections and spray-and-stretch techniques, while highlighting the importance of addressing perpetuating factors like poor posture, nutritional deficiencies, and even certain dental issues for lasting relief. The interview concludes with insights into her personal journey and influences, showcasing her dedication to patient care and the often-overlooked muscular origins of widespread pain.
Read the entire interview on the Journal of Clinical Orthodontics website:
https://www.jco-online.com/archive/1989/07/468-jco-interviews-janet-g-travell-md-on-myofascial-pain/
Are you looking for The Trigger Point Manuals in digital format? Here are links to the PDF versions in Google Drive, see below.
2nd_Ed_Vol_1_Upper_Body.pdf
https://drive.google.com/file/d/129rIn54IqRj87Z2ymSqxmsv-D_n2skiY/view?usp=sharing
1st_Ed_Vol_2_Lower_Body.pdf
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s5dZtBzXq_EmGjiWNveusdNiZBQz2n1B/view?usp=sharing
Visit our Vimeo Channel to stream our video series, “Myofascial Pain Syndromes: The Travell Trigger Point Tapes. Janet Travell, M.D., shares her knowledge of myofascial trigger point therapy, from head to toe.
Click here to go to our Vimeo Channel: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/481264/
Visit our website at JanetTravell.org
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In peace,
Janet Street