ABMP has received comments and concerns from members regarding a solicitation received from the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) about a petition they have created. We wanted to clarify discussions surrounding the possible trademarking of the term “triggerpoint.”
On March 17, 2015, an application was filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) using the term “triggerpoint.” Specifically, a company that manufactures items such as foam rollers and massage balls is trying to trademark the term “triggerpoint” to refer to its products. The concern is that if this trademark application is approved by the USPTO, the designation could bleed over such that no one else could use the term “triggerpoint.”
There are a number of parties in opposition that have retained legal counsel to fight this application. ABMP has monitored and will continue to monitor the proceedings.
Because this is a trademark action in the USPTO, specific rules of procedure apply. The submission of a public opinion petition is not a typical procedure before the USPTO. Please beware of any organization attempting to gather your personal information under the guise of having an impact on this application process.