Immediate Decrease of Muscle Biomechanical Stiffness Following Dry Needling in Asymptomatic Participants

Status

Completed

Phases

Study type

Interventional

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT04864704

Enrollment

Registered

2021-04-29

Start date

2014-01-30

Completion date

2015-01-30

Last updated

2021-04-29

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

Conditions

Healthy

Brief summary

60 healthy participants were randomized into infraspinatus, erector spinae, or gastrocnemius groups. One session of dry needling DN was applied to the muscle in standardized location. Stiffness was assessed using a MyotonPRO at baseline, immediately post DN, and 24 hours later. The presence of a localized twitch response (LTR) during DN was used to subgroup participants.

Interventions

OTHERdry needling

Physical therapy

Study design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Intervention model

PARALLEL

Primary purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

ALL

Age

18 Years to 65 Years

Healthy volunteers

Yes

Inclusion criteria

* men and women ages 18 to 65 years * reported good general health * tenderness or palpable trigger point in the muscle (infraspinatus, gastrocnemius, or erector spinae)

Exclusion criteria

* BMI \> 30kg/m2 * surgery in the prior 12 months * current pain in the shoulder, low back, and lower leg * precautions to dry needling treatment (anticoagulant medications, bleeding disorders, known pregnancy)

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame	Description
Change in Stiffness	Change from baseline and immediately post intervention	Biomechanical stiffness of the muscle measured, non-invasively using a MyotonPRO. Stiffness (N/m)

Countries

United States

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026