Effects of Two Different Dry-Needling Techniques on Lumbar Multifidus Muscle Activation and Pressure Pain Threshold in Healthy Adults and Patients With Low Back Pain
Trial Snapshot
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Sponsor
- Texas Woman's University
- Enrollment
- 80
- Locations
- 2
- Primary Endpoint
- Change of Muscle activity
Study Overview
Brief Summary
Although dry-needling with or without manipulation has shown to be a useful technique to reduce pain in patients with low back pain (LBP), it is unclear which of these two dry-needling techniques would have a greater effect on the lumboscaral multifidus (LM) muscle activation, which is essential in LBP rehabilitation. Therefore, the purposes of the study are: 1) to investigate whether or not dry-needling would change muscle activity of the LM muscles in asymptomatic healthy adults and in individuals with LBP, respectively, and 2) to compare the effects of two dry-needling techniques on LM muscle activation and pressure pain threshold (PPT) in asymptomatic healthy adults and individuals with LBP, respectively.
Detailed Description
PARTICIPANTS
Participants will be recruited from local communities, including but not limited to Texas Woman's University (TWU) via flyers. The flyers will be posted at the TWU - Dallas campus, and Texas Physical Therapy Specialist - Dallas where one of the principal investigators, Zach Couch, works, and other community centers with approval.
Participants who are interested in taking part in the study will be asked to call the investigators to schedule an appointment. The consent form will be presented at the beginning of the appointment.
Eligible participants are English-speaking adults and are 18 years of age or older. Additional criteria for asymptomatic healthy adults include no existing LBP and no LBP in the past 6 months. Additional criteria for symptomatic participants include existing LBP near the L5-S2 level with an average pain intensity score ≥ 2/10 in the past 24 hours (numeric pain rating scale of 0-10, 0 being no pain, 10 being unbearable pain).
Exclusion criteria for all participants include bleeding disorders (e.g. hemophilia), use of anti-coagulants (e.g. Coumadin), previous low back surgery, systemic joint disease (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis), cancer of the lower quadrant, neurological disorders, allergic reaction to adhesive tape, or inability to obtain the testing position (prone lying).
Study Design
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Intervention Model
- Parallel
- Primary Purpose
- Treatment
- Masking
- None
Eligibility Criteria
- Ages
- 18 Years to — (Adult, Older Adult)
- Sex
- All
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria
- •English-speaking adults and are 18 years of age or older.
- •For asymptomatic healthy adults: no existing low back pain (LBP) and no LBP in the past 6 months.
- •For individuals with LBP: existing LBP near the L5-S1 level with an average pain intensity score ≥ 2/10 in the past 24 hours (numeric pain rating scale of 0-10, 0 being no pain, 10 being unbearable pain)
- •Exclusion Criteria (for both the asymptomatic healthy and patients with low back pain groups) :
- •Bleeding disorders (e.g. hemophilia)
- •Use of anti-coagulants (e.g. Coumadin)
- •Previous low back surgery, systemic joint disease (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis)
- •Cancer of the lower quadrant,
- •Neurological disorders
- •Allergic reaction to adhesive tape
- •Inability to obtain testing positions (prone lying)
Exclusion Criteria
- Not provided
Arms & Interventions
Needle Manipulation
Participant will receive dry needling intervention with manipulation.
Intervention: Dry needling (Procedure)
In Situ
Participant will receive dry needling intervention without manipulation.
Intervention: Dry needling (Procedure)
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Change of Muscle activity
Time Frame: Before intervention, immediately after intervention and one week after intervention
An electroencephalographic (EMG) system with 4 wireless surface electrodes will be used to obtain muscle activities of the right and left lumbar multifidus muscles at the L5 and S2 levels.
Change of Pressure pain threshold
Time Frame: Before intervention, immediately after intervention and one week after intervention
A hand-held computerized pressure algometer will be used to determine the pressure pain threshold on the same 4 sites of EMG recording.
Secondary Outcomes
No secondary outcomes reported
Investigators
Sharon Wang-Price
Professor
Texas Woman's University