Triceps Surae Trigger Point Size and Muscle Extensibility

Duke University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Limited Dorsiflexion; Limited Ankle Range of Motion

Treatments: Procedure: Dry Needling; Procedure: Stretching

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02087969

Pro00052299

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of dry needling in improving ankle range of motion and functional outcomes. There have been an increasing number of studies on dry needling as an intervention for pain but none thus far that have studied functional outcome measures of the ankle. The study will include healthy male subjects between the ages of 18-30 years old randomized in to 3 intervention groups of: dry needling of the triceps surae, triceps surae stretching only, dry needling and stretching. The subjects who receive dry needling as an intervention will have the trigger point identified and dry needling performed while under musculoskeletal ultrasound visualization. The subjects will undergo pre and post intervention testing including Lower Quarter Y-Balance test, passive ankle dorsiflexion, closed chain half kneeling dorsiflexion, standing dorsiflexion, deep squat, multisegmental flexion as well as Marx Activity Level Scale. There will be 3 days between the initial testing/intervention and follow up. These outcomes will be the primary variables of interest. Ultrasound, Y balance testing, self stretching, and range of motion measurements are safe and pose no risk to the subject. Dry Needling has been found to be very safe and effective in the hands of physical therapists with a calculated risk of adverse events to be less than 0.04%.

Enrollment: 30 patients

Sex: Male

Ages: 18 to 30 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Male
• 18-30 Years Old
• No history of ankle surgery
• No current ankle injuries

Exclusion criteria

• hypothyroidism
• fibromyalgia
• connective tissue disorders
• chronic pain
• bleeding disorders including use of anti-coagulants
• vitamin D and B12 deficiencies
• active sites of cancer
• local or systemic infections
• local skin lesions, local lymphedema
• peripheral vascular disease including varicose veins
• compromised immune system
• needle phobia

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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30 participants in 2 patient groups

Dry Needling

Experimental group

Description:

Dry Needling to Triceps Surae

Treatment:

Procedure: Dry Needling

Stretching

Experimental group

Description:

Subjects will be given a home exercise program of stretches which are commonly prescribed to improve ankle dorsiflexion.

Treatment:

Procedure: Stretching