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Low Back Pain, MechanicalNCT02284724

Dry Needling to the Multifidus Muscle in Subjects With Low Back Pain

A study testing Dry Needling in people with Low Back Pain, Mechanical, run by University of Nevada, Las Vegas at 1 site in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

To examine for differences in contraction thickness of the transversus abdominis muscle in symptomatic subjects with mechanical lower back pain following the application of dry needling to the lumbar multifidus muscles. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 75 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Low Back Pain, Mechanical
What is being tested?
Dry Needling
Type of treatment
Surgery or procedure
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
40 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
1 Nov 2014to 30 Jun 2018
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 75 years
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Age, current symptoms of mechanical low back pain or any symptoms experienced within the last 6 months, and ability to perform DCC.
  • Subjects must also report they are comfortable with being 'needled', that is, they should not express a fear of needles and being needled.
  • If subjects express fear of needles or being needled, they will be excluded from the study.

Who cannot join

  • History of: abdominal or spinal surgery, significant scoliosis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, osteopenia, active ankylosing spondylitis, anticoagulant therapy, hemophilia, lymphedema, and cancer.
  • If a subject reports a fear of needles.
  • History of adverse reaction to needling (or injection) in the past.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • University of Nevada Las Vegas - Department of Physical Therapy

    Las Vegas, Nevada, 89154

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: The Effect of Trigger Point Dry Needling to the Multifidus Muscle on Resting and Contracted Thickness of Transversus Abdominis in Subjects With Low Back Pain

To examine for differences in contraction thickness of the transversus abdominis muscle in symptomatic subjects with mechanical lower back pain following the application of dry needling to the lumbar multifidus muscles.

Read the detailed description

Consenting subjects will be pre-screened for contraindications for dry needling and whether or not they meet the criteria for low back pain. Following acceptance and prior to intervention sessions, subjects will complete a pre-participation questionnaire. This will be used to check for any needle phobia or previous adverse reactions to needling in prospective subjects and analyze potential confounding variables within the subjects participating. Once consented and accepted into the study, subjects will be taught the deep corset contraction (DCC), which is the isolated co-contraction of bilateral transversus abdominis and the deep fibers of lumbar multifidus. Following DCC training, the subject will have a real-time ultrasound transducer applied to the lateral abdominal wall in order to image the three abdominal muscle layers external oblique, internal oblique and transversus abdominis. A relaxed state measure will be taken from the ultrasound image. Subjects will then perform the DCC and a second measure of the abdominal muscles will be taken. A percentage thickness change will be calculated. Prior to treatment, subjects will have been randomly assigned to one of 2 intervention ordered groups: 1) Dry needling: subjects will be placed prone and dry needling to the bilateral multifidus muscles will be performed. Subjects will sense light pressure and their skin will be penetrated by the needle. 2) Sham needling: subjects will be placed prone and the plastic tubes which house the needles for dry needling will be pressed into the bilateral multifidus muscles.Subjects will sense light pressure, but their skin will not be penetrated. All needling and sham needling interventions will be performed under "clean needle" conditions using appropriate skin preparation and use of clean protective gloves by the PI. The needles used will be single-use disposable acupuncture-style needles which come in a plastic tube for easy insertion. Dry needling techniques are techniques that many practicing therapists use for various musculoskeletal conditions, and are also taught by the PI as part of the requirements for the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. For this study, all needling and sham needling interventions will be performed by the PI who has over 27 years experience in such interventions. Immediately following the needling or sham needling, the real-time ultrasound will be reapplied to measure thickness of the abdominal muscles in the relaxed state and contracted state using the DCC, and percent changes will be calculated. Measurements will be collected by one of three independent researchers who will be blinded to the intervention. An average of 3 measurements will be used to calculate the percent thickness change after the treatment. In addition, the PI performing the needling will remain blinded to ultrasound measurements. Subjects will then be contacted by phone 48 hours as well as one week after the intervention was given in which they will verbally complete questionnaires regarding their degree of pain and level of disability.

Being tested
Dry Needling, Sham Needling
Medical subject headings
Low Back Pain

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Dry NeedlingProcedure or surgery

  • Sham NeedlingProcedure or surgery

Study groups in NCT02284724
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
NeedlingExperimentalInsertion of solid mono-filament needle into lumbar multifidus muscle at both sides of L4/5 segment
Receives: Procedure: Dry Needling
ShamOtherThe plastic tube containing the mono-filament needle will be pressed into the skin over the lumbar multifidus muscle at both sides of L4/5 segment - without insertion through the skin
Receives: Procedure: Sham Needling

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Resting thickness transversus abdominis Using real-time ultrasound imaging to measure thickness in milimeters

    Using real-time ultrasound imaging to measure thickness in milimeters

    Measured: Immediate

  2. Contracted thickness transversus abdominis Using real-time ultrasound imaging to measure thickness in milimeters

    Using real-time ultrasound imaging to measure thickness in milimeters

    Measured: Immediate

Secondary outcomes (2)
  1. Numeric Pain Rating Scale 10 point pain scale

    10 point pain scale

    Measured: Immediate and 48 hours later

  2. Oswestry Disability Index

    Patient reported outcome measure

    Measured: 48 hours later

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted6 Nov 2014 (estimated)
  2. Study start1 Nov 2014
  3. Primary completion30 May 2018
  4. Study completion30 Jun 2018

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Quadruple blind
Who is masked
Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
40 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT02284724
Sponsor's protocol ID
1202-4059
Status last verified
Oct 2018
First submitted
3 Nov 2014
Last updated
24 Oct 2018
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Dry Needling in people with Low Back Pain, Mechanical, run by University of Nevada, Las Vegas at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 24 Oct 2018. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Resting thickness transversus abdominis Using real-time ultrasound imaging to measure thickness in milimeters (time frame: Immediate). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 24 Oct 2018.

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