Motor points of face for electrical stimulation of bell’s palsy

Knowing facial muscle motor points is essential in treating Bell’s and facial palsy. Over 20 groups of facial muscles control facial expression, and we must understand their motor points to stimulate them individually and adequately. Research also suggests that accurate motor point identification has the potential to minimize the amount of current injected into the muscle and thus minimize the sensation of discomfort while maximizing spatial recruitment and evoked muscle tension¹.

Facial muscles are flat skeletal muscles that lie just below the skin, and the facial nerve supplies them. There is a group of 20 small and flat muscles that easily get tired. This is why we use galvanic stimulation to stimulate this type of muscle.

However, to stimulate them properly using galvanic stimulation, we need to learn about their motor points. In this article, we will discuss the motor points of important facial muscles with a clear diagram. So, let’s get started.

Indications for Facial Muscle Stimulation

The only indication of face muscle stimulation is paralysis/paresis of facial muscle. Few known conditions cause paresis of face muscle due to partial or complete injury to the facial nerve.

Facial nerve injury occurs in the following conditions:

• Bell’s palsy
• Facial palsy
• Hemiplegia
• Quadriplegia.

But the commonest is Bell’s palsy/ facial palsy. In our clinical setup, we often see Bell’s palsy. We give galvanic stimulation to each muscle using a pen electrode.

We call it a pen electrode because it looks like a pen with a small spherical electrode at the end. However, stimulation of face muscles is not sufficient for full recovery, so we prescribe only a few facial exercises.

Motor points of the face

We have chosen 11 motor points of the prominent facial muscles. Below is a diagram of the motor points of the muscles supplied by the facial nerve.

This chart can be used as a reference for treating Bell’s/ facial palsy cases. Facial palsy is often associated with hemiplegia, and we must also know the electrode placement for stroke patients with different groups of weak muscles.

Keep Reading: Bell’s palsy causes, treatment & exercises

Sunit. S. Ekka

Dr Sunit Sanjay Ekka is a physiotherapist in practice for the last 15 years. He has done his BPT from one of the premium Central Government physiotherapy colleges, ie, SVNIRTAR. The patient is his best teacher and whatever he gets to learn he loves to share it on his Youtube channel and blog.