Changes in the Quadriceps Muscle After Dry Needling Treatment

Determination of Biomechanical Changes in the Quadriceps Muscle After Dry Needling Treatment

The present study aims to examine the mechanical changes following dry needling of the quadriceps muscle.

To this end, structural and mechanical changes in quadriceps muscle activity will be measured using M-mode ultrasound.

The quadriceps muscle strength will also be assessed with dynamometry. In addition, the knee joint range will be checked by means of a goniometry procedure.

The subjects will be assessed before and after the application of a dry needling technique on the quadriceps muscle to determine possible changes in the measured variables.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Muscle Tightness; Muscle Strain
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: The quadriceps muscle will be punctured with ultrasound control

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 46
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Spain
  • Madrid
    • Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain, 28805
      • Centro Investigación Fisioterapia y Dolor

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Healthy subject.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Low back pain
• Hip pain
• Sciatica
• Belenophobia
• Be medicated with anticoagulants
• Knee surgery
• Knee osteoarthritis
• Fibromyalgia
• Pregnancy

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Quadriceps muscle dry needling; The Quadriceps muscle will be punctured with ultrasound control	Other: The quadriceps muscle will be punctured with ultrasound control; With the subject in the supine position, the quadriceps muscle will be shown by ultrasound. Subsequently, a dry needling technique will be performed at the most hyperalgesic point using ultrasound control.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Muscle thickness	Muscle thickness and echo intensity, an indicator of muscle quality, are related to muscle strength, physical function, and muscle mass measured using echographs ultrasound.It will be measured how muscle thickness changes after applying a dry needling technique	before and after one week. The muscle thinckness will be measurement in centimeters

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Quadriceps muscle strength	The quadriceps muscle strength evaluation will be the measurement of isometric knee extension strength with a hand-held dynamometer (microFET2, Hoggan Scientific, LLC; West Jordan, UT). The maximum voluntary contraction of the quadriceps muscle will be measured. The participants completed three maximal isometric contractions, holding for approximately 3 seconds, with one minute of rest between each contraction.The value of the force will be obtained by calculating the average of the three measurements. The muscle strength wil be measurement in kilograms	before and after one week.
knee range of motion (flexion)	To measure knee flexion, bend the knee as far as you can, by sliding your foot up towards your buttocks, keeping the arms and axis of the goniometer in place, then measure. Passive Knee Flexion ROM: up to 150º, depending on the size of the leg - the limit is the calf pushing onto the back of the thigh. The knee range of motion will be measurement in degrees	before and after one week

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Prof. Dr. Daniel Pecos Martín
• Investigators: Study Chair: Samuel Fernandez-Carnero, PhD, Centro de Investigación Fisioterapia y Dolor

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 1, 2025
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Actual): May 15, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 25, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 29, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): May 2, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 2, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 1, 2026
• Last Verified: June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Wounds and Injuries; Sprains and Strains
• Other Study ID Numbers: CEID/2022/5/092

Drug and device information, study documents

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