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NCT Number: NCT06394310

Dry Needling in Multiple Sclerosis

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.

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Key information

Conditions

Multiple Sclerosis Autoimmune Diseases Autoimmune Diseases of the Nervous System Demyelinating Autoimmune Diseases, CNS Demyelinating Diseases Immune System Diseases Muscle Hypertonia Muscle Spasticity Muscular Diseases Musculoskeletal Diseases Nervous System Diseases Neurologic Manifestations Neuromuscular Manifestations Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms Spasticity

Age range

18 year–64 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Mobility and Falls Lab

Kansas City, Kansas, 66103, United States

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

Amir Tabatabaei Dr Tabatabaei, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

9135885000

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

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.

Treatment and study plan

dry needling

Device

The dry needling technique will employ in the current proposed study follows the standard technique for needling patients with spasticity

Sham Dry needling

Device

In the control group, The investigators will use the methods proposed by Cushman et al. to apply sham dry needling (DN) to our participants

Primary outcomes

  1. 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)

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Abbas TABATABAEI, PhD

CONTACT

[email protected]

913-588-3715

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Kansas Medical Center

Other

Registry information

Official study title

The Effectiveness of Dry Needling on Reducing Spasticity and Promoting Mobility and Balance in People With Multiple Sclerosis

Important dates

Study start
2024
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
May 1, 2024
Registry last updated
Jun 11, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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