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Acupuncture and Dry Needling in Peripheral Acute Fatigue Reduction

Acupuncture and Dry Needling in Peripheral Acute Fatigue Reduction Induced in Biceps Brachialis: Cross-Sectional Study

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03448120
Enrollment
45
Registered
2018-02-27
Start date
2018-02-26
Completion date
2018-12-21
Last updated
2022-03-02

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Males, Sedentary Lifestyle

Keywords

Muscle fatigue, Thermography, Acupuncture, Dry needling

Brief summary

Introduction: Neuromuscular fatigue is defined when the muscle becomes incapable of generating muscle power or strength after exercise or long repetitive activities. As well as, the inability to maintain optimum performance and generate maximum voluntary contractions during a physical exercise. When performing physical activity, the body's metabolic response increases proportionally to exercise to satisfy the demands of the human physiological. Part of the energy accumulated during exercise is lost to the environment in the form of heat and another part is maintained internally through the physiological control for thermoregulation. In addition, the muscle generates an electric signal important to determine its status regarding power and fatigue. Objective: To investigate the reduction of acute peripheral fatigue induced by isometric contractions from acupuncture and dry needling techniques, compared to absolute rest. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study and experimental study, with descriptive, analytical and quantitative approach. It follows the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) guidelines. The volunteers will be gathered according to the eligibility criteria, and randomly divided in 3 groups: the control group (G1), the volunteers who will remain in prolonged rest; the acupuncture group (G2), in which volunteers will receive six needles in six acupoints in the non-dominant upper limb and the dry needling group (G3), in which the volunteers will receive application of six needles arranged in the non-dominant biceps brachialis.

Interventions

PROCEDUREAcupuncture

Six needled will be inserted in six already defined acupoints along the non-dominant upper limb for a period of 30 minutes.

PROCEDUREDry needling

Six needles will be inserted in six predefined points along the volunteers non-dominant biceps brachialis for 30 minutes.

Sponsors

Universidade Federal de Pernambuco
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
FACTORIAL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Caregiver)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
MALE
Age
18 Years to 40 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Male individuals, aged between 18 and 40 years and who are not practicing regular physical activity (sedentary lifestyle).

Exclusion criteria

* Are using food supplementation; * Have joint or bone lesions on the limb to be studied; * Have problems of metabolic order; * Use of hormone therapy; * Have had caffeine in the two hours before the study; * Have ulceration or wounds in the electrode application region for electromyography; * Show absence of myofascial trigger points in areas of dry needling technique; * Body Mass Index below normal values or higher than overweight.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Perception of muscle fatigue60 minutesFatigue perception measured by Visual Analog Scale for fatigue assessment, graduated from 0,00 to 10,0 centimeters, being 0,00 no fatigue and 10,0 maximum fatigue.
Muscle temperature60 minutesInfrared thermographic Imaging analysis of acute peripheral muscle fatigue.
Muscle fatigue60 minutesElectromyographic activity (in microvolts) of the biceps brachii muscle to assess muscle fatigue through the median frequency (MF).

Other

MeasureTime frameDescription
Contraction time60 minutesThe time of intermittent isometric contractions was delimited by the number of valid contractions during each exercise

Countries

Brazil

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 17, 2026