Dry Needling and Muscle Stiffness

Not Applicable

Withdrawn

• Conditions: Muscle Tightness
• Interventions: Procedure: Intramuscular Dry Needling

• Registration Number: NCT05538598
• Lead Sponsor: University of British Columbia

Brief Summary

The goal of this study is to investigate the effect of intramuscular dry needling (IMDN) on muscle stiffness and pain. Research has suggested that IMDN can reduce muscle stiffness in needled areas. As well, IMDN may reduce mechanical pain sensitivity experienced by individuals.

IMDN will be performed at several anatomical locations. Muscle stiffness will be measured with a handheld probe, which measures contact force and displacement of soft tissue. Pressure-pain thresholds (PPT) will be discovered at each region of interest. Stiffness and pressure-pain thresholds will be collected before and after IMDN. The data collected from this research is important to understand the mechanism of IMDN and its relationship to pain.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2022-09-07
• Study First Submitted QC: 2022-09-12
• Study First Posted: 2022-09-14
• Status Verified: 2024-12
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-12-09
• Last Update Posted: 2024-12-13
• Study Start: 2024-12-31
• Primary Completion: 2025-09
• Study Completion: 2025-12

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: WITHDRAWN
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 28

Inclusion Criteria

• over the age of 18
• pain-free in your lower back and lower legs

Exclusion Criteria

• unable to communicate in English
• surgery of any kind in the lumbar spine or lower legs.
• participants with a skin condition that does not allow for hypoallergenic tape to be attached to their skin.
• have a BMI>25
• unable to hold your breath for 20 seconds
• contraindications to dry needling, i.e. pregnancy; fever or infection that is in your bloodstream; unstable compromised immune system; unstable bleeding disorders; presence at the site of DN of infection, an open wound , a burn, cellulitis, or an undiagnosed lump; post- mastectomy/lymph node removal in the affected limb; post-major surgery (3-6 month time period); presence of metal or plastic implant; absent sensation in area of planned DN; post-bacterial endocarditis or heart valve conditions/replacement without medical clearance for DN from medical doctor.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: SINGLE_GROUP

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Intramuscular Dry Needling	Intramuscular Dry Needling	IMDN will be performed at the sacral multifidus and fibularis longus muscles.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Effective stiffness of soft tissue	Within 10 minutes of intervention	Force-displacement data is collected while deforming the soft tissue at the skin surface with a non-invasive handheld probe. The effective stiffness is a summary of the deformation behavior of the soft tissue. It is estimated using the force-displacement data as an input to the incompressible isotropic hyperelastic Ogden model. A higher value indicates that the soft tissue is stiffer than a lower value.
Pressure-pain threshold	Within 10 minutes of intervention	The measured pressure at the moment the perception of pressure turns into pain