Treatment Time-frame Guideline for Dry Needling in the Lower Limb

Treatment Time-frame Guidelines for Myofascial Dry Needling of Latent Myofascial Trigger Points in the Muscles of the Lower Limb Kinetic Chain.

This study evaluates the impact of treating myofascial trigger points with a single session of dry needling on maximal isometric strength in the short term. Two groups will receive dry needling in separate muscle groups and a third group will receive no dry needling.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Trigger Points
• Intervention / Treatment: Procedure: Dry needling

Detailed Description

Dry needling is a effective treatment for myofascial trigger points. It is very common in a sporting environment. Strength is a key aspect of athletic performance. Despite the prevalence of dry needling within a sporting environment, the effects of dry needling on strength remains unknown.

This study will investigate the effects of dry needling on maximal isometric strength with a view to informing clinical practice amongst clinicians working in the elite sport setting.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 28
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Ireland
  • Leinster
    • Carlow, Leinster, Ireland
      • Institute of Technology Carlow

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 30 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: Male

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Must have latent trigger points in their rectus femoris and gluteus maximus

Exclusion Criteria:

• Active trigger points in rectus femoris or gluteus maximus
• Participants with current injuries
• History of fibromyalgia or myofascial pain syndrome
• History of blood disorder which prevents dry needling
• Needle phobia
• History of surgery in the last 6 months

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Rectus femoris dry needling group; The rectus femoris dry needling group will have their strength assessed. They will then receive one treatment of dry needling to a trigger point in their rectus femoris muscle. They will have their strength re-assessed 24, 48 & 72 hours after dry needling.	Procedure: Dry needling; Dry needling is an invasive procedure involving inserting acupuncture needles directly into trigger points within muscles. The needle is partially withdrawn and re-inserted repeatedly to maximally stimulate the muscle and it's fibers.; Other Names: Myofascial dry needling
Experimental: Gluteus maximus dry needling group; The gluteus maximus dry needling group will have their strength assessed. They will then receive one treatment of dry needling to trigger points in their gluteus maximus muscle only. They will have their strength re-assessed 24, 48 & 72 hours after dry needling.	Procedure: Dry needling; Dry needling is an invasive procedure involving inserting acupuncture needles directly into trigger points within muscles. The needle is partially withdrawn and re-inserted repeatedly to maximally stimulate the muscle and it's fibers.; Other Names: Myofascial dry needling
No Intervention: Control; This group will receive no intervention. They will have their strength assessed at baseline and 24, 48 & 72 hour follow-up

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Isometric peak force during the isometric mid-thigh pull	Measured in newtons. It is the amount of force exerted by pulling against an immovable bar. Peak force is measured as vertical ground reaction by force platforms beneath the participants feet.	Baseline, 24 hours post intervention, 48 hours post intervention, 72 hours post intervention.
Isometric peak rate of force development during the isometric mid-thigh pull	Measured in newtons per second squared. It is the amount of force exerted by pulling against an immovable bar divided by the amount of time it takes to generate the force. It is measured as vertical ground reaction by force platforms beneath the participants feet.	Baseline, 24 hours post intervention, 48 hours post intervention, 72 hours post intervention.
Relative isometric peak force during the isometric mid-thigh pull	Measured in newtons per kg body weight. It is the amount of force exerted by pulling against an immovable bar divided by two thirds the participants body weight. Peak force is measured as vertical ground reaction by force platforms beneath the participants feet.	Baseline, 24 hours post intervention, 48 hours post intervention, 72 hours post intervention.
Relative isometric peak rate of force development during the isometric mid-thigh pull	Measured in newtons per second squared per kg. It is the amount of force exerted by pulling against an immovable bar divided by the amount of time it takes to generate the force divided by two thirds the participants body weight. It is measured as vertical ground reaction by force platforms beneath the participants feet.	Baseline, 24 hours post intervention, 48 hours post intervention, 72 hours post intervention.
Normalised isometric peak rate of force development during the isometric mid-thigh pull	Measured in newtons per second squared and expressed relative to each participant peak force. It is the amount of force exerted by pulling against an immovable bar divided by the amount of time it takes to generate the force divided by the peak vertical ground reaction force produced during the trial. It is measured as vertical ground reaction by force platforms beneath the participants feet.	Baseline, 24 hours post intervention, 48 hours post intervention, 72 hours post intervention.
Isometric time interval rate of force development during the isometric mid-thigh pull	Measured in newtons per second squared. It is the amount of force exerted by pulling against an immovable bar divided by the amount of time it takes to generate the force. With values expressed in specific time interval windows (0ms to 50ms, 0-100ms, 0-150ms, 0-200ms, 0-250ms) It is measured as vertical ground reaction by force platforms beneath the participants feet.	Baseline, 24 hours post intervention, 48 hours post intervention, 72 hours post intervention.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Institute of Technology, Carlow
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Darragh O' Meara, BSc, Institute of Technology, Carlow

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 16, 2019
• Primary Completion (Actual): November 29, 2019
• Study Completion (Actual): November 29, 2019

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 11, 2019
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 11, 2019
• First Posted (Actual): November 13, 2019

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): February 17, 2020
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 13, 2020
• Last Verified: February 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Dry needling; Strength; Latent trigger points
• Other Study ID Numbers: DomMSc

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