Immediate Decrease of Muscle Biomechanical Stiffness Following Dry Needling in Asymptomatic Participants

60 healthy participants were randomized into infraspinatus, erector spinae, or gastrocnemius groups. One session of dry needling DN was applied to the muscle in standardized location. Stiffness was assessed using a MyotonPRO at baseline, immediately post DN, and 24 hours later. The presence of a localized twitch response (LTR) during DN was used to subgroup participants.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Healthy
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: dry needling

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 60
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Illinois
    • Peoria, Illinois, United States, 61625
      • Bradley University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• men and women ages 18 to 65 years
• reported good general health
• tenderness or palpable trigger point in the muscle (infraspinatus, gastrocnemius, or erector spinae)

Exclusion Criteria:

• BMI > 30kg/m2
• surgery in the prior 12 months
• current pain in the shoulder, low back, and lower leg
• precautions to dry needling treatment (anticoagulant medications, bleeding disorders, known pregnancy)

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Infraspinatus; Subjects infraspinatus stiffness was measured and observed	Other: dry needling; Physical therapy
Active Comparator: Erector spinae; Subjects erector spinae stiffness was measured and observed	Other: dry needling; Physical therapy
Active Comparator: Gastrocnemius; Subjects gastrocnemius stiffness was measured and observed	Other: dry needling; Physical therapy

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Stiffness	Biomechanical stiffness of the muscle measured, non-invasively using a MyotonPRO. Stiffness (N/m)	Change from baseline and immediately post intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Bradley University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 30, 2014
• Primary Completion (Actual): January 30, 2015
• Study Completion (Actual): January 30, 2015

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 20, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 25, 2021
• First Posted (Actual): April 29, 2021

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 29, 2021
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 25, 2021
• Last Verified: April 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: BradleyU

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: No
• IPD Plan Description: Data will not be shared

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No