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Trigger Point Pain, MyofascialNCT04348097

Comparison of Dry Needling and Activator Trigger Point Therapy on Upper Trapezius Trigger Points.

A study testing Activator instrument and dry needle in people with Trigger Point Pain, Myofascial, run by Riphah International University at 1 site in Pakistan.

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

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of Dry needling and Activator trigger point therapy on upper trapezius trigger points.Randomized controlled trial was conducted on Sixty-eight patients with active upper trapezius trigger points meeting the inclusion criteria i.e Age limit 20-45 both genders, presence… Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 20 to 45 years
Conditions the study is for
Trigger Point Pain, Myofascial
What is being tested?
Activator instrument and dry needle
Type of treatment
Medical device
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
68 participants
Where
1 sitePakistan
Study dates
1 Jul 2019to 20 Feb 2020
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 20 to 45 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult

Who may be able to join

  • Age limit 20-45
  • male and female .
  • Presence of unilateral or bilateral upper trapezius Trigger Points.
  • Patients identified with presence of trigger points.

Who cannot join

  • Specific neck pain,
  • Evidence of spinal cord compression
  • Recent neck surgery or trauma.
  • Long-term use of corticosteroids. Anticoagulant use, e.g. Warfarin. Presence of a blood coagulation disorder. Contraindication for needling such as local infection, pregnancy with threatened abortion

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Pakistan1 site
  • Institute of Medical Rehabilitation

    Islamabad, Punjab Province, 46000

Other trials in Pakistan

About this study

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of Dry needling and Activator trigger point therapy on upper trapezius trigger points.Randomized controlled trial was conducted on Sixty-eight patients with active upper trapezius trigger points meeting the inclusion criteria i.e Age limit 20-45 both genders, presence of unilateral or bilateral upper trapezius Trigger Points. For bilateral presence of trigger points, the more painful side was selected. If more than one trigger points were present on the side to be treated, most painful trigger point was treated. Patients fulfilling essential criteria to identify the trigger points. According to Simon's criteria, which included a palpable taut band that was detected with palpation, the presence of a sensitive nodule in the taut band which was determined with algometry and referral pain. Exclusion criteria was specific neck pain, e.g. radiculopathy, systemic or inflammatory pain., evidence of spinal cord compression, recent neck surgery or trauma, long-term use of corticosteroids, anticoagulant use, e.g. Warfarin, presence of a blood coagulation disorder, contraindication for needling such as local infection, pregnancy with threatened abortion. Participants were selected by purposive sampling, group randomization using lottery method technique. All the participants were assessed using Numeric pain rating scale to measure pain, algometer to measure pain pressure threshold and inclinometer to measure cervical lateral flexion range of motion. A demographic form was used to collect data from patients. Patients were randomly assigned in dry needling and activator therapy group. Treatment was given at a frequency of 2 sessions per week and total 6 sessions were given to both group during a course of 3 weeks. The data was analyzed using SPSS 21.

Read the detailed description

A myofascial trigger point (TrP) has been described as a hyperirritable spot located in a taut band of muscle; or a small pea or rope-like nodular or crepitant (crackling, grating) area within the muscle, which is painful to palpation or compression and refers pain, tenderness, or an autonomic response to a remote area. Some investigators stated that when pressure is applied to a TrP, a -jump sign‖ or -jump response‖ is elicited whereby the patient reacts with facial grimacing or by jumping away from the examiner.Patients with myofascial trigger points are generally characterized by the presence of one or more of the following symptoms: local pain, referred pain according to a typical pattern, pain when exerting compression or stretch on the muscle, local twitch response (LTR) provoked by the snapping palpation of the taut band, reduced force, and decreased range of motion (ROM). A combination of these symptoms can result in less functionality and quality-of-life. As a consequence, pain, ROM, and functionality are frequently used to measure the effect of treatment in patients with myofascial pain syndrome . Myofascial trigger points can be further differentiated as active or latent . Active and latent myofascial trigger points elicit local and referred pain, however active myofascial trigger points also reproduce patient symptoms, whereas latent myofascial trigger points do not .

Dry needling is a minimally invasive procedure in which an acupuncture needle is inserted directly into an myofascial trigger points.The advantages of dry needling are being increasingly documented and include an immediate reduction in local, referred, and widespread pain , and restoration of range of motion and muscle activation patterns.Dry needling is typically used to treat muscles, ligaments, tendons, subcutaneous fascia, scar tissue, peripheral nerves, and neurovascular bundles for the management of a variety of neuromusculoskeletal pain syndromes Chiropractic activator tool is an instrument for assisting with manipulation having cushioned head devices which require the applicator to pre - load or arm the device by pulling a handle against the action of a strong spring force.

A study was conducted in 2015 which concluded that Dry needling can be recommended to relieve myofacial trigger point pain of neck and shoulders in short and medium terms.

A study conducted in 2015 and found that There is moderate evidence that ischemic compression results in pain reduction, whereas there is strong evidence that dry needling has a positive effect on pain reduction. This decrease is greater compared with active range of motion exercises as well as no or placebo intervention A study conducted in 2014 and reported that dry needling is beneficial for decreasing pain immediately after treatment and at a 4-wk follow-up in patients with neck pain.

A research in 2019 showed that both extracorporeal shock wave therapy and dry needling can be employed to treat myofacial trigger point of the upper trapezius muscle in patients with non specific neck pain .

A research conducted in 2018 observed the changes in the ROM and neck disability index with Superficial dry needling and Deep dry needling techniques, but these changes were more significant in patients treated with Deep dry needling, especially in the follow-up periods A research in 2008 suggested that both ischaemic compression and activator trigger point therapy have an equal immediate clinically important effect on upper trapezius trigger point pain A study in 2008 suggested that activator trigger point therapy appeared to be more effective than myofascial band therapy or sham ultrasound in treating patients with non-specific neck pain and upper trapezius trigger points

Being tested
Activator instrument, dry needle
Keywords
Activator therapy, Dry needling,, Myofascial pain, Upper trapezius.
Medical subject headings
Myofascial Pain Syndromes

What participants receive

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

  • Activator instrumentDevice

    activator instrument was placed perpendicular over the identified trigger point and 10 thrusts were delivered, with a rate of one thrust per second

  • dry needleDevice

    By wrist flexion and extension movements, the trigger point was needled in different directions and tried to elicit at least one local twitch response during the procedure and patient's familiar referral pain was tried to obtain . Each dry needling procedure lasted 1-2 minutes

Study groups in NCT04348097
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
activator trigger point therapyExperimentalThe Activator adjusting instrument used had force settings ranging from 1 to 6 . For this study a force setting of 3 was used.
Receives: Device: Activator instrument; Device: dry needle
Trigger point dry needlingActive comparatorFirst, a tight band was held between the index finger and the thumb of the non-dominant hand and the needle (0.25-40 mm - Shen Long) was perpendicularly inserted into the muscle with the dominant hand.
Receives: Device: Activator instrument; Device: dry needle

What is being measured

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

  1. Numeric pain rating scale (NPRS)

    The NPRS was used to measure the pain intensity of myofasial trigger points of the upper trapezius muscle . NPRS is a valid and reliable tool to assess pain. It consists of 10cm long line scale on which patient reports his/her pain from 0 (no pain) to (10 (worst possible pain)

    Measured: for three weeks

  2. Inclinometer

    PAOMPT Bubble inclinometer was used in our study. Patient was educated abot the procedure. Inclinometer was placed on patients head. Cervical lateral flexion was recorded by stabilizing the shoulder of the patient and asking him/her to bring his/her ear towards the shoulder. Reading was recorded by the tilt of fluid inside the inclinometer.

    Measured: for three weeks

  3. Algometer

    The pain pressre threshold was taken by applying vertical pressure over selected trigger point by a sixty pound baseline algometer. Pressure was increased at the rate of 1kg/cm until the patient reported the pain by saying 'yes'. 3 readings were taken at the interval of ten seconds and mean was considered as the selected measurement

    Measured: for three weeks

Timeline

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

  1. First posted15 Apr 2020
  2. Study start1 Jul 2019
  3. Primary completion1 Nov 2019
  4. Study completion20 Feb 2020

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
Single blind
Who is masked
Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
68 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT04348097
Sponsor's protocol ID
REC/00464 Salman Sabir
Status last verified
Apr 2020
First submitted
6 Mar 2020
Last updated
15 Apr 2020
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Ziaeifar M, Arab AM, Karimi N, Nourbakhsh MR. The effect of dry needling on pain, pressure pain threshold and disability in patients with a myofascial trigger point in the upper trapezius muscle. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2014 Apr;18(2):298-305. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2013.11.004. Epub 2013 Nov 9.

    PubMed 24725800
  • Cagnie B, Castelein B, Pollie F, Steelant L, Verhoeyen H, Cools A. Evidence for the Use of Ischemic Compression and Dry Needling in the Management of Trigger Points of the Upper Trapezius in Patients with Neck Pain: A Systematic Review. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2015 Jul;94(7):573-83. doi: 10.1097/PHM.0000000000000266.

    PubMed 25768071
  • Ramsey FE, Tomlanovich MC, Nowak RM. Cricothyrotomy instrumentation. JACEP. 1978 Sep;7(9):345-6. doi: 10.1016/s0361-1124(78)80362-1. No abstract available.

    PubMed 45708
  • Shah JP, Thaker N, Heimur J, Aredo JV, Sikdar S, Gerber L. Myofascial Trigger Points Then and Now: A Historical and Scientific Perspective. PM R. 2015 Jul;7(7):746-761. doi: 10.1016/j.pmrj.2015.01.024. Epub 2015 Feb 24.

    PubMed 25724849
  • Yeganeh Lari A, Okhovatian F, Naimi Ss, Baghban AA. The effect of the combination of dry needling and MET on latent trigger point upper trapezius in females. Man Ther. 2016 Feb;21:204-9. doi: 10.1016/j.math.2015.08.004. Epub 2015 Aug 14.

    PubMed 26304789
  • Dunning J, Butts R, Mourad F, Young I, Flannagan S, Perreault T. Dry needling: a literature review with implications for clinical practice guidelines. Phys Ther Rev. 2014 Aug;19(4):252-265. doi: 10.1179/108331913X13844245102034.

    PubMed 25143704
  • Liu L, Huang QM, Liu QG, Ye G, Bo CZ, Chen MJ, Li P. Effectiveness of dry needling for myofascial trigger points associated with neck and shoulder pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2015 May;96(5):944-55. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2014.12.015. Epub 2015 Jan 7.

    PubMed 25576642
  • Jensen EV, Block GE, Ferguson DJ, DeSombre ER. Estrogen receptors in breast cancer. World J Surg. 1977 May;1(3):341-2. doi: 10.1007/BF01556853. No abstract available.

    PubMed 883334

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Activator instrument and dry needle in people with Trigger Point Pain, Myofascial, run by Riphah International University at 1 site in Pakistan.

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 4 inclusion and 4 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 15 Apr 2020. 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 Pakistan. 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?

Numeric pain rating scale (NPRS) (time frame: for three weeks). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT04348097, which also lists 8 linked publications.

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 15 Apr 2020.

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