The Effectiveness of Dry Needling on Reducing Spasticity and Promoting Mobility and Balance in People With Multiple Sclerosis
Trial Snapshot
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Status
- Recruiting
- Enrollment
- 24
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Spasticity
Study Overview
Brief Summary
The investigators are doing this study to see if a treatment called dry needling improves muscle spasticity (muscle tightness) in people who have Multiple Sclerosis. Dry needling involves using tiny needles, like those in acupuncture, to target some muscles, like calf muscles. It differs from traditional acupuncture as it focuses on treating or managing muscle spots, aiming to reduce muscle stiffness and pain. Dry needling may offer a minimally-invasive and medication-free approach to improve muscle spasticity. The investigators hope to see if dry needling also helps enhance balance and walking abilities. This might provide potential improvements inoverall mobility and balance.
Study Design
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Intervention Model
- Parallel
- Primary Purpose
- Treatment
- Masking
- Double (Participant, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility Criteria
- Ages
- 18 Years to 64 Years (Adult)
- Sex
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria
- •Age 18 to 64 years
- •Clinical diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis based on the McDonald Criteria
- •Spasticity in their lower legs
- •Patient Determined Disease Steps (PDDS) score of 5 or below
Exclusion Criteria
- •Inability to communicate effectively with study personnel
- •Needle phobia
- •Severe varicose veins
- •Presence of an active implanted device
- •Pregnancy
- •Any active cancer or history within 1 year
- •known or suspected infection at the site of needling or in the surrounding area
- •Presence of a fixed plantarflexion contracture at the ankle
- •Acute fracture of dislocation in the region (bilateral lower extremity)
- •Deep vein thrombosis or peripheral vascular disease
- •Thrombophlebitis, or active osteomyelitis in the region (bilateral lower extremity)
- •Any medication changes, including antispastic medicines, for the past three months.
Arms & Interventions
Dry needling
Participants will complete three sessions of dry needling through three weeks (one session per each week)
Intervention: Dry needling (Device)
Sham DN
Participants randomized to the control group will be receiving sham needling
Intervention: Sham dry needling (Device)
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Spasticity
Time Frame: 5 weeks
Spasticity will be assessed through the Modified Ashworth scale (Scored between 0 to 4, with higher scores show higher level of spasticity)
Secondary Outcomes
No secondary outcomes reported
Investigators
Jacob J. Sosnoff, Ph.D.
Principal Investigator
University of Kansas Medical Center
