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NCT Number: NCT07403448

Effects of 9 Points Electrical Dry Needling in Knee Osteoarthritis

The study will be conducted to compare effects of 9 points electrical dry needling along with standard physical therapy and standard physical therapy alone in knee osteoarthritis patients.

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Key information

Conditions

Knee Arthritis Osteoarthritis Arthritis Joint Diseases Musculoskeletal Diseases

Age range

40 year–60 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Hospital, Quetta

Quetta, Balochistan, 87900, Pakistan

Location contact

Malaika Imran, MS-OMPT

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Umair Baloch, MS-SPT

CONTACT

[email protected]

+923313768279

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

  • participants age group from 40-60 years
  • Both male and female genders
  • Knee osteoarthritis (OA) confirmed by radiographic evidence (Kellgren- Lawrence grade 3).
  • Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) ≥ 4/10.
  • Able to stand and bear weight on affected knee.
  • WOMAC score > 25 moderate level of difficulty performing ADL
  • Participant with restricted range of motion
  • Pain while walking and ascending stairs
  • Patients volunteered to participate in the study and signed informed consent

Exclusion criteria

  • Mild to severe knee osteoarthritis (Kellgren-Lawrence grade 2 or 4).
  • Recent knee surgery or injection (<6 months).
  • Knee instability and ligamentous injury.
  • Pregnancy and breastfeeding.
  • Patient with needle phobia and with history of abnormal reaction to needles.
  • Diagnosed psychological disorders
  • Anticoagulant patient, tumors and hematomas.
  • All acute emergencies and acute systematic fevers.
  • Pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators

Treatment and study plan

9 points electrical dry needling

Other

9 points electrical dry needling, stainless steel dry needles of size 0.25 into 30mm will be used, inserted perpendicularly into popliteus, adductor magnus, tibialis anterior, quad tendon, vastus lateralis, medialis, medial & lateral infrapatellar sulcus, extensor digitorum longus.

Standard physical therapy

Other

Standarized physical therapy: HOT pack for 5 min, hams & quads stretching for 30 sec & 6 reps, quads strengthening straight leg raise & leg press will be performed 15 reps & 3 sets, for hams seated leg curls & gluteal bridges will be performed 15 reps & 3 sets.

MWM in weight bearing position: The glide will be applied in weight bearing, effected knee on stepper, the therapist will be exactly sitting in front of the patient & patient will be asked to place the limb up on the stepper one hand of the therapist has to be on the lateral side of the tibia and other hand on the medial side of the femur & now the patient will be asked to climb, therapist will apply medial & lateral pressure 10 reps & 3 sets.

Primary outcomes

  1. Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS)

    Time frame: from enrollment to the end of 6 week

    Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) measures subjective pain intensity using an 11-point numeric scale (0-10) where 0 = "no pain" and 10 = "worst pain imaginable". Patients verbally or mark on a horizontal line the whole number best reflecting current pain severity, typically assessing "current pain," "worst pain," "least pain," or "average pain" over the prior 24 hours. Mild pain = 1-3, moderate pain = 4-6, severe pain = 7-10 guides clinical decision-making.

    changes in NPRS scale will be measured baseline and at the end of 6 week.

  2. Goniometer measures joint range of motion (ROM)

    Time frame: from enrollment to the end of 6 week

    Goniometer: Precision instrument measuring joint range of motion (ROM) in degrees using protractor body with two arms (stationary and movable) aligned to anatomical bony landmarks spanning the joint axis.

    Primary Use: Quantifies active (AROM) and passive (PROM) joint excursion for objective baseline, progress tracking, and impairment rating. Universal goniometer most common; digital/smartphone apps offer improved reliability (ICC >0.9 vs 0.74-0.91 traditional).

    Reliability: Long-arm > short-arm (MSD 6° vs 10°); inter/intra-rater ICC 0.84-0.99 with standardized technique.

    changes in knee flexion and extension ROM will be measured baseline and at the end of 6 week.

  3. WOMAC (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index)

    Time frame: from enrollment to the end of 6 week

    WOMAC (Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index) is a validated, disease-specific patient-reported outcome measure for hip/knee osteoarthritis assessing pain (5 items, 0-20), stiffness (2 items, 0-8), and physical function (17 items, 0-68) over past 48 hours.

    Scoring: Likert 0-4 scale per item (0=None, 4=Extreme); higher total scores (0-96) indicate worse symptoms. MCID: 12% improvement (~9-12 points) represents clinically meaningful change.

    changes in WOMAC score will be measured baseline and at the end of 6 week.

  4. EQ-5D 3L (QUALITY OF LIFE)

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of 6 week

    EQ-5D-3L is developed by EuroQol groups is standardized instrument for measurement of health-related quality of life. it administers strong test-retest reliability for knee OA which of 0.73 to 0.91.

    Changes in EQ-5D 3L will be measured at baseline and at 6 weeks.

Study contacts

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

Imran Amjad, Ph.D

CONTACT

[email protected]

+923324390125

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Riphah International University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Effects of 9 Points Electrical Dry Needling on Pain, Range of Motion, Function and Quality of Life in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Feb 11, 2026
Registry last updated
Feb 11, 2026

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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