Short-Term Effects of Trigger Point Dry Needling on Neuromuscular Control in Individuals Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

Short-Term Effects of Trigger Point Dry Needling on Neuromuscular Control in Individuals Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Single-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial

Status

Completed

Phases

Study type

Interventional

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT07039240

Enrollment

Registered

2025-06-26

Start date

2025-03-03

Completion date

2025-06-11

Last updated

2025-06-26

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

Conditions

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

Keywords

Knee, Anterior cruciate ligament, Neuromuscular control, Electromyography

Brief summary

This single-blind, randomized controlled trial aims to investigate the effects of dry needling on neuromuscular control in individuals with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction during a single-leg vertical drop landing task. Participants in the intervention group will receive dry needling, while those in the control group will not receive any therapeutic intervention. The main research question is: • Can dry needling induce changes in muscle activation, co-contraction magnitude, and biomechanical parameters during landing?

Interventions

PROCEDUREDry needling

The dry needling intervention will follow the fast-in and fast-out technique using disposable stainless-steel needles (0.35 × 40 mm). After insertion with a quick thrust, the needle will be manipulated in multiple directions to elicit at least one local twitch response (LTR). Once the first LTR is obtained, the needle will be moved vertically within a range of 3-5 mm, without rotation, until a total of three LTRs are elicited. The intervention is expected to last approximately 25-30 seconds.

Study design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Intervention model

PARALLEL

Primary purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

DOUBLE (Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

ALL

Age

18 Years to 55 Years

Healthy volunteers

Inclusion criteria

* Individuals who have undergone anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction * Successful return to recreational sports participation * For the experimental group, participants must present at least one active or latent trigger point in the vastus medialis (VM) and/or vastus lateralis (VL) muscles on the side ipsilateral to the ligament reconstruction.

Exclusion criteria

* Peripheral or central neurological disorders * Systemic or degenerative diseases * Fibromyalgia * Iron deficiency * Hypothyroidism * Belonephobia * Contraindications to dry needling * History of dry needling treatment in the lower limbs

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Co-contraction Index	Outcome measures will be assessed at baseline and 10 minutes post-intervention

Countries

Portugal

Outcome results

None listed

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