Efficacy of High and Low Intensity Percutaneous Electrolysis for the Treatment of Myofascial Pain Syndrome

Efficacy of High and Low Intensity Percutaneous Electrolysis for the Treatment of Myofascial Pain Syndrome: A Pilot Study

Muscle pain is frequently attributed to myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) in which myofascial trigger points (MTrP) are a characteristic feature. Dry needling is a frequent clinical practice to manage MPS but few evidence is published about percutaneous electrolysis effects for the treatment of MPS.

This is a randomized clinical trial with 3 parallel groups: 1) High intensity-short time percutaneous electrolysis; 2) Low intensity-long time percutaneous electrolysis; 3) dry needling control group.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Muscle Pain; Knee Pain Chronic
• Intervention / Treatment: Procedure: Percutaneous Electrolysis; Procedure: Dry needling

Detailed Description

The current study aimed to evaluate changes in rectus femurs active trigger points and patellar tendon pain pressure thresholds and subjective anterior knee pain perception after application of two percutaneous electrolysis methods using a same charge (high intensity and low intensity) compared to a dry needling group in patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS)

Fifteen patients diagnosed with unilateral PFPS were divided in two experimental groups (high intensity percutaneous electrolysis and low intensity percutaneous electrolysis) and one active control group (dry needling. The duration of the study was 7 days with only one intervention. Pain pressure thresholds were assessed using an algometer before the intervention, immediately after the intervention and after 7 days and a Visual Analogue Scale was used before the treatment and after 7 days to rate the subjective anterior knee pain perception. Also a VAS was used to rate the pain perception during the intervention

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 15
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Spain
  • Madrid
    • Villanueva de la Cañada, Madrid, Spain, 28692
      • Camilo Jose Cela University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 45 years (ADULT)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Athletes with knee pain
• Presence of at least one active Trigger point

Exclusion Criteria:

• Farmacologic treatment
• Surgery or traumas
• Skin alterations or infections
• Prior 6 weeks DN nor PT treatment

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: TREATMENT
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Interventional Model: PARALLEL
• Masking: TRIPLE

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
EXPERIMENTAL: High-Intensity short time percutaneous electrolysis; Application of a 0,66uA galvanic current in the active TrP through a needle during 10 seconds. During the 20 seconds left necessary to blind the patient and the examiner, the needle was inside but with no electrical current	Procedure: Percutaneous Electrolysis; Needle emplacement with a galvanic electrical current
EXPERIMENTAL: Low-Intensity long time percutaneous electrolysis; Application of a 0,22uA galvanic current in the active TrP through a needle during 30 seconds	Procedure: Percutaneous Electrolysis; Needle emplacement with a galvanic electrical current
ACTIVE_COMPARATOR: Dry needling; One acupuncture needle was placed in the active TrP to produce a local twitch response during 30 seconds	Procedure: Dry needling; Needle emplacement without electrical current nor substance

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Pressure Pain Threshold (Trigger Point)	Algometry (Wagner analogical algometer)	7 days
Pressure Pain Threshold (Patellar Tendon)	Algometry (Wagner analogical algometer)	7 days

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Subjective pain perception	Visual Analogue Scale	7 days

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Universidad Francisco de Vitoria
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Juan Antonio Valera-Calero, PT, Msc, Camilo Jose Cela University; Study Director: Alberto Sanchez-Mayoral-Martín, PT, Free professional practice

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (ACTUAL): February 17, 2020
• Primary Completion (ACTUAL): March 30, 2020
• Study Completion (ACTUAL): April 27, 2020

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 30, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 13, 2020
• First Posted (ACTUAL): May 15, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (ACTUAL): May 15, 2020
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 13, 2020
• Last Verified: April 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Acupuncture; Myofascial Pain Syndromes; Electrolysis; Patellofemoral pain syndrome
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Nervous System Diseases; Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Disease; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Rheumatic Diseases; Muscular Diseases; Neuromuscular Diseases; Musculoskeletal Pain; Syndrome; Myalgia; Fibromyalgia; Myofascial Pain Syndromes
• Other Study ID Numbers: 50997093

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