--- title: Effect of Dry Needling on Muscle Mechanical Properties and Muscle Contractility in Latent Trigger Points nct_id: NCT04466813 overall_status: COMPLETED phase: NA sponsor: University of Castilla-La Mancha study_type: INTERVENTIONAL primary_condition: Trigger Point Pain, Myofascial countries: Spain canonical_url: "https://parkinsonspathways.com/agent/trials/NCT04466813.md" clinicaltrials_gov: "https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04466813" ct_last_update_post_date: 2020-10-23 last_seen_at: "2026-05-12T06:54:47.614Z" source: ClinicalTrials.gov (mirrored, no enrichment) --- # Effect of Dry Needling on Muscle Mechanical Properties and Muscle Contractility in Latent Trigger Points **Official Title:** Effects of Dry Needling on Stiffness in Latent Trigger Points a Randomized Controlled Trial **NCT ID:** [NCT04466813](https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04466813) ## Key Facts - **Status:** COMPLETED - **Phase:** NA - **Study Type:** INTERVENTIONAL - **Target Enrollment:** 50 - **Lead Sponsor:** University of Castilla-La Mancha - **Conditions:** Trigger Point Pain, Myofascial - **Start Date:** 2020-07-20 - **Completion Date:** 2020-10-20 - **CT.gov Last Update:** 2020-10-23 ## Brief Summary The purpose of this study is to determine whether application of Dry Needling (DN) is effective for improved Muscle Mechanical Properties and Muscle Contractility in Latent Trigger Points point (LTrP) of upper trapezius. Randomized controlled trial, in parallel with cross-control design. Two groups with LTrP in upper trapezius, and will be randomly selected to DN group or Sham-Dn group. ## Eligibility - **Minimum age:** 18 Years - **Maximum age:** 30 Years - **Sex:** ALL - **Healthy Volunteers:** Yes ``` Inclusion Criteria: * Age between 18 and 30 years * The presence of LTrP in the middle third of the upper trapezius muscle on the dominant side * Being able to provide written informed consent * Being able to follow instructions and realize clinical tests Exclusion Criteria: * Any pharmacological therapeutic * Any medical treatment or physical therapies at cervical region during the 6-month before this study - Any diagnosed health problem * Any history of head and upper extremity surgery or trauma * Any red flags to DN, (ie: metabolic diseases, pregnancy, kinesiophobia, Infection, cancer) * Absence of recurrent history of neck pain * No neck pain symptomatology the previous 6 months * Cervical disk herniation ``` ## Arms - **Deep Dry Needling** (EXPERIMENTAL) — Intervention-Dry Needling: Deep Dry Needing into the latent trigger point of the upper trapezius muscle - **Sham Dry Needling** (SHAM_COMPARATOR) — Control-Dry Needling: Sham Dry Needling into the latent trigger point of the upper trapezius muscle ## Interventions - **Intervention-Dry Needling** (DEVICE) — Deep Dry Needling into the site of the latent Trigger Point of the upper trapezius muscle. 1 session in upper trapezius muscle moving the needle up and down ten times. - **Control-Dry Needling** (DEVICE) — Sham Dry Needling into the site of the latent Trigger Point of the upper trapezius muscle with non-penetrating needles ## Primary Outcomes - **Change in Stiffness** _(time frame: Baseline, at 30 minutes after treatment, at 24 hours after treatment, at 72 hours after treatment)_ — This outcome measure is obtained by a device named MyotonPro. Stiffness reflects the resistance of the muscle to the force deforming the muscle. - **Change in Maximal Radial Displacement (Dm)** _(time frame: Baseline, at 30 minutes after treatment, at 24 hours after treatment, at 72 hours after treatment)_ — This outcome measure is obtained by a device named Tensiomiography. The variable Dm is given by the radial displacement of the muscular belly in a transverse plane, expressed in millimeters (mm) and depends on muscle tone or stiffness. A low Dm is related to a high muscle tone or an excess of stiffness, while a high Dm value indicates a lack of muscle tone or stiffness defect. ## Secondary Outcomes - **Change in Oscillation Frequency** _(time frame: Baseline, at 30 minutes after treatment, at 24 hours after treatment, at 72 hours after treatment)_ - **Change in Decrement (elasticity)** _(time frame: Baseline, at 30 minutes after treatment, at 24 hours after treatment, at 72 hours after treatment)_ - **Change in Mechanical Stress Relaxation Time [ms]** _(time frame: Baseline, at 30 minutes after treatment, at 24 hours after treatment, at 72 hours after treatment)_ - **Change in Ratio of deformation and Relaxation time, characterising Creep (Deborah number)** _(time frame: Baseline, at 30 minutes after treatment, at 24 hours after treatment, at 72 hours after treatment)_ - **Change in Contraction time (Tc)** _(time frame: Baseline, at 30 minutes after treatment, at 24 hours after treatment, at 72 hours after treatment)_ - **Change in Delay time (Td)** _(time frame: Baseline, at 30 minutes after treatment, at 24 hours after treatment, at 72 hours after treatment)_ - **Change in Sustain time (Ts)** _(time frame: Baseline, at 30 minutes after treatment, at 24 hours after treatment, at 72 hours after treatment)_ - **Change in Relaxation time (Tr)** _(time frame: Baseline, at 30 minutes after treatment, at 24 hours after treatment, at 72 hours after treatment)_ - **Change in Pressure Pain Perception (PPP)** _(time frame: Baseline, at 30 minutes after treatment, at 24 hours after treatment, at 72 hours after treatment)_ ## Locations (1) - Performance and Sport Rehabilitation Laboratory, Toledo, Spain ## Recent Field Changes (last 30 days) - `status.overallStatus` — added _(2026-05-12)_ - `status.primaryCompletionDate` — added _(2026-05-12)_ - `status.completionDate` — added _(2026-05-12)_ - `status.lastUpdatePostDate` — added _(2026-05-12)_ - `design.phases` — added _(2026-05-12)_ - `design.enrollmentCount` — added _(2026-05-12)_ - `eligibility.criteria` — added _(2026-05-12)_ - `eligibility.minAge` — added _(2026-05-12)_ - `eligibility.maxAge` — added _(2026-05-12)_ - `eligibility.sex` — added _(2026-05-12)_ - `outcomes.primary` — added _(2026-05-12)_ - `outcomes.secondary` — added _(2026-05-12)_ - `armsInterventions.arms` — added _(2026-05-12)_ - `armsInterventions.interventions` — added _(2026-05-12)_ - `sponsor.lead` — added _(2026-05-12)_ - `results.hasResults` — added _(2026-05-12)_ - `locations.performance and sport rehabilitation laboratory|toledo||spain` — added _(2026-05-12)_ --- *Canonical: https://parkinsonspathways.com/agent/trials/NCT04466813.md* *Source data (authoritative): https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04466813* *This page is a raw mirror with no AI summary, no editorial enrichment, and no Parkinson's-specific filtering.*