Anterior Cruciate Ligament ReconstructionNCT07039240
Short-Term Effects of Trigger Point Dry Needling on Neuromuscular Control in Individuals Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
A study testing Dry needling in people with Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction, run by Universidad Rey Juan Carlos at 1 site in Portugal.
Trial 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. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 55 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
- What is being tested?
- Dry needling
- Type of treatment
- Surgery or procedure
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 30 participants
- Where
- 1 sitePortugal
- Study dates
- 3 Mar 2025to 11 Jun 2025
- 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 55 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- 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.
Who cannot join
- 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
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
Portugal1 site
Center for Rehabilitation Research (CIR), School of Health of Polytechnic of Porto
Porto
About this study
Official title: Short-Term Effects of Trigger Point Dry Needling on Neuromuscular Control in Individuals Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Single-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial
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?
- Being tested
- Dry needling
- Keywords
- Knee, Anterior cruciate ligament, Neuromuscular control, Electromyography
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Dry needlingProcedure or surgery
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 group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Control | No intervention | Not described |
| Dry Needling | Experimental | Not described Receives: Procedure: Dry needling |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Co-contraction Index
Measured: Outcome measures will be assessed at baseline and 10 minutes post-intervention
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted26 Jun 2025
- Study start3 Mar 2025
- Primary completion30 Apr 2025
- Study completion11 Jun 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Anterior Cruciate Ligament ReconstructionStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
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
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Universidad Rey Juan Carlos
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Ricardo Paredes, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07039240
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 1804202211322
- Status last verified
- Jun 2025
- First submitted
- 18 Jun 2025
- Last updated
- 26 Jun 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 26 Jun 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Short-Term Effects of Trigger Point Dry Needling on Neuromuscular Control in Individuals Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Single-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07039240
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 1804202211322
- Keywords
- Knee, Anterior cruciate ligament, Neuromuscular control, Electromyography
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Universidad Rey Juan CarlosUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 3 Mar 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Apr 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 11 Jun 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 26 Jun 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
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?
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Control | No intervention | – |
| Dry Needling | Experimental | Procedure: Dry needling |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 55 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- 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.
Key exclusion criteria (8 listed)
- Peripheral or central neurological disorders
- Systemic or degenerative diseases
- Fibromyalgia
- Iron deficiency
- Hypothyroidism
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Dry needlingThe 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. | Procedure or surgery | Dry Needling |
Primary outcome
Co-contraction Index
Time frame: Outcome measures will be assessed at baseline and 10 minutes post-intervention
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 26 Jun 2025.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Dry needling in people with Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction, run by Universidad Rey Juan Carlos at 1 site in Portugal.
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 8 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 26 Jun 2025. 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 Portugal. 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?
Co-contraction Index (time frame: Outcome measures will be assessed at baseline and 10 minutes post-intervention). 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 26 Jun 2025; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 6 Nov 2026.