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Completed

NCT Number: NCT04968236

Dry Needling Versus Conservative Treatment in the Rectus Femoris Muscle Approach.

In recent years, dry needling techniques have become widespread in the field of musculoskeletal pain treatment. Specifically, the management of myofascial trigger points has been the focus of these techniques.

One of the objectives has been to improve the flexibility of those muscles that, due to the presence of myofascial trigger points, had a decrease in this parameter.

This study aims to determine whether the application of a dry needling technique is more effective than analytical stretching of the muscle.

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Key information

Conditions

Dry Needling Rectus Femoris Muscle Stretch

Age range

18 year–65 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

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

Loading trial locations.

About this study

Hypothesis of the study Deep dry needling of latent trigger points of the rectus femoris produces greater effects on flexibility, strength and pain than superficial dry needling or stretching.

  • Overall objective: To compare the differences that occur in flexibility, strength and pain threshold to pressure after the application of deep dry needling, superficial dry needling and stretching on latent trigger points of the rectus femoris.
  • Specific objectives To determine the changes produced by deep dry needling on flexibility, strength and pain threshold to pressure.

To determine the changes produced by superficial dry needling on flexibility, strength and pain threshold to pressure.

To determine the changes in flexibility, strength and pain threshold to pressure produced by conventional assisted stretching.

To check if the changes remain after 7 days of the application of the techniques.

To assess the inter-rater reliability of the Goniometer APP in the study sample.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Men and women between 18 and 65 years old.
  • To have at least 70º of knee flexion.
  • Be aware of and accept the study criteria (informed consent).
  • Healthy subjects, without previous hip or knee pathology or involved musculature.

Exclusion criteria

  • To have pain.
  • Having pain in the quadriceps or hip at the time of the study.
  • Currently following physiotherapy or analgesic treatment.
  • Belenophobia (fear of needles).
  • Recent surgery or trauma in the area.
  • Pregnancy.

Treatment and study plan

Deep Dry Needling

Other

In-and-out into different directions technique to encounter sensitive spots in an MTrP region.

Superficial Dry Needling

Other

This technique involves inserting a needle at a depth that is into the subcutaneous tissue and may be combined with manipulation of the needle while in situ.

passive stretching

Other

Type of stretching in which you stay in one position for a set time. In this case, hip extension and knee flexion.

Primary outcomes

  1. Knee joint range

    Time frame: Change from baseline at 7 days

    Knee flexion motion assessment by using the Goniometer APP, which is a digital goniometer that has proven its reliability and validity.The overall concordance coefficient has shown very good to excellent with active measurements (range, 0.60-0.97).

  2. Muscle strength

    Time frame: Change from baseline at 7 days

    Force will be measured by a manual dynamometer (microFET®2, Hoggan Scientific LLC). Measurements will be taken in Newtons (N). It will be evaluated in the movements of flexion of knee. Manual dynamometry has proven to be a tool with excellent intra-examiner reliability to assess isometric force in flexion of the knee, with an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.96 (0.93-0.98).

Secondary outcomes

  1. Pressure Pain Threshold (PPT)

    Time frame: Change from baseline at 7 days

    An algometer Wagner FPI 10-WA will be used to determine the PPT in rectus femoris trigger points

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Alcala

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Application of the Deep Versus Superficial Dry Needling and Stretching Technique in the Treatment of the Quadriceps Rectus Femoris Muscle.

Important dates

Study start
2021
Primary completion
2023
Study completion
2024
First posted
Jul 20, 2021
Registry last updated
Feb 6, 2024

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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