Electrical DN as an Adjunct to Eccentric Exercise, Stretching + MT for Achilles Tendinopathy

May 14, 2025 updated by: James Dunning, DPT, MSc, FAAOMPT, Alabama Physical Therapy & Acupuncture

Electrical Dry Needling as an Adjunct to Eccentric Exercise, Stretching and Manual Therapy for Mid-portion Achilles Tendinopathy: a Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial

The purpose of this research is to compare two different approaches for treating patients with achilles tendinopathy: eccentric exercise, stretching and manual therapy VS Electric dry needling, eccentric exercise, stretching and manual therapy. Physical therapists commonly use all of these techniques to treat achilles tendinopathy. This study is attempting to find out if one treatment strategy is more effective than the other.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Patients with achilles tendinopathy will be randomized to receive 8-10 treatments (1-2 treatments per week) over 6 weeks (10 treatments max) of either: (1)Eccentric exercise, stretching, manual therapy and electrical dry needling or 2. eccentric exercise, stretching and manual therapy

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
110

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • United States
    • South Carolina
      • Columbia, South Carolina, United States, 29201

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

14 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Adult >18 years old that is able to speak English.
  2. Report of at least 3 months of Achilles pain clinically diagnosed as Achilles tendonitis or Achilles tendinopathy
  3. Patient has not had physical therapy, massage therapy, chiropractic treatment or injections for Achilles pain in the last 6 months:

  4. Diagnosis of noninsertional tendinopathy, defined as the following

    • Subjective report of pain located 2-6 cm proximal to the insertion of Achilles tendon to the calcaneus, particularly with running or jumping
    • Tenderness to palpation of the Achilles tendon while the clinician gently squeezes the tendon between the thumb and index finger in a proximal to distal direction
    • Positive Arc Sign - Intratendinous swelling moves relative to the malleoli with the tendon during active dorsi/plantar Flexion
    • Royal London Test - Tenderness to palpation decreases significantly or disappears with max dorsiflexion

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Report of red flags to manual physical therapy to include: hypertension infection, diabetes, peripheral neuropathy, heart disease, stroke, chronic ischemia, edema, severe vascular disease, malignancy, etc.
  2. History of previous Achilles tendon surgery, ankle arthrodesis, hind foot fracture, or leg length discrepancy of more than one half inch.
  3. History of arthrosis or arthritis of the ankle and/or foot.
  4. History of significant ankle and/or foot instability

  5. Two or more positive neurologic signs consistent with nerve root compression, including any two of the following:

    1. Muscle weakness involving a major lower extremity muscle group
    2. Diminished lower extremity patella or Achilles tendon reflexes
    3. Diminished / absent sensation in any lower extremity dermatome
  6. Involvement in litigation or worker's compensation regarding foot pain
  7. Any condition that might contraindicate the use of electro-needling
  8. The patient is pregnant.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Electrical Dry Needling and conventional PT
Electrical Dry Needling, Eccentric Exercise, Stretching and Manual Therapy
Other: Electric dry needling and conventional PT
Electrical Dry Needling, Eccentric Exercise, Stretching and Manual Therapy
Active Comparator: Conventional PT
Eccentric Exercise, Stretching and Manual Therapy
Other: Conventional PT
Eccentric Exercise, Stretching and Manual Therapy

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in VISA-A Questionnaire
Time Frame: baseline, 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months
Index of severity of Achilles tendinopathy. Lower score means greater severity of condition.
baseline, 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in achilles pain (NPRS) (Rating Score)
Time Frame: baseline, 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months
Higher scores mean greater pain
baseline, 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months
Change in Foot and Ankle Ability Measure - ADL
Time Frame: baseline, 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months
activities of daily living (0-84 points) 21 Item 84-point ADL Subscale
baseline, 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months
Change in Foot and Ankle Ability Measure - Sports
Time Frame: baseline, 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months
Sports (0-32 points) 8 Item 32-point sports subscale
baseline, 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months
GROC (ranges from -7 to +7). Global Rating of Change score.
Time Frame: 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months
2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Alabama Physical Therapy & Acupuncture

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Universidad Rey Juan Carlos

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: James Dunning, DPT, American Academy of Manipulative Therapy

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
June 10, 2019

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
May 1, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
May 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
May 28, 2019

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 28, 2019

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
May 30, 2019

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
May 18, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 14, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
May 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • AAMT30

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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