Effects of Electro Dry Needling Versus Dry Needling in Levator Scapulae Syndrome

Neck Syndrome Clinical Trial

Official title:

Effects of Electro Dry Needling Versus Dry Needling on Pain, Muscle Strength, and Range of Motion in Patients With Levator Scapulae Syndrome

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Not yet recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT06459804
• Other study ID #: REC/RCRS/1021 Aqsa
• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: June 2024
• Est. completion date: September 30, 2024

Study information

• Verified date: June 2024
• Source: Riphah International University
• Contact: Samrood Akram, MPhil
• Phone: 923234184526
• Email: samrood.akram[@]riphah.edu.pk
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

Mechanical neck pain is posteriorly occurring non-specific pain that originates from the superior nuchal line and extends to the first thoracic vertebrae. It is exacerbated by sustained neck postures, neck movements or cervical muscle palpation. The aim of study will be to compare the effects of Electro Dry Needling and Dry Needling on pain, muscle strength, disability and range of motion in patients with Levator Scapulae Syndrome.

Description:

A Randomized Clinical Trial will be conducted at Shalamar Hospital, (SIHS Physiotherapy Clinic Lahore) through convenience sampling technique on 30 patients which will be allocated using simple random sampling through sealed opaque enveloped into Group A and Group B. Group A will receive Electro Dry Needling along with conventional physiotherapy in which parameters for Electro dry needling will be needles of 30×0.25 mm, 50×0.25 mm sizes, Frequency 80-100 Hz, Duration 10-20 minutes and intensity as tolerated and Group B will receive Dry Needling along with conventional Physiotherapy in which parameters will be dry needles will be 30×0.25 and 50×0.25 mm sizes. Standard Physiotherapy will include a Hot pack (10 min), Stretching of levator scapulae (3 times with 30 second hold), and Scapular stabilization exercises (10 times with 5 second hold).There will be 3 sessions per week, Needling in both groups will be for performed 2 times per week for total 3rd week of treatment comprising of 6 sessions, 3rd session will comprise of standard physical therapy. Pre and Post treatment measures will be recorded.Outcome measures will be conducted through pain, *muscle strength,* disability and range of motion questionnaire. Data will be analyzed during *SPSS software version 25.After assessing the normality of data by the Shapiro-Wilk test, it will be decided whether a parametric or non-parametric test will be used within a group or between two groups.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Enrollment: 36
• Est. completion date: September 30, 2024
• Est. primary completion date: September 30, 2024
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years to 45 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age ranges of 18-45 years

• Both genders, males and females

• Positive Levator Scapular length Test (7)

• Positive Simon's criteria for Levator scapulae

• Neck pain -NPRS < 7 (8)

• Neck and upper back pain for at least 3months.

• Examination - Increased muscle tone and tenderness at neck and upper back

• Reduced ROM-Side flexion and Rotation of neck

• Non traumatic unilateral mechanical neck pain of three or more months of duration, presenting an latent MTrP in the levator scapulae muscle on the painful side

Exclusion Criteria:

• Neuropathies

• Radiated pain towards the arm

• Vertebral fractures

• Traumatic neck injury

• whiplash injury (9)

• previous surgical procedures in the cervical spine

• Previous cognitive and functional disorders

• psychological disorders (mood and psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia, depression,and anxiety disorders),

• Fibromyalgia

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Neck Syndrome
• Syndrome

Intervention

Procedure:
• Electro Dry Needling
Standard Physiotherapy: It will include Hot pack (10 min), Stretching of levator scapulae (3 times with 30 seconds hold), Scapular stabilization exercises (10 times with 5 seconds hold). Scapular Stabilization exercises will be comprised of four exercise programs. The participants will sit on the knees in 90° flexion position, and a Swiss ball will be propped up between the stomach and chest.
• Dry Needling
Dry Needling

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Pakistan	Aqsa Clinic	Lahore	Punjab

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Riphah International University

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Pakistan, 

References & Publications (6)

ALchlaihawi A, Tajali SB, Malmir K, Mahdi TS (2023) Effects of Dry Needling and Dry Needling Combined with Electrical Stimulation on Pain and Function in Patients with Subacute Musculoskeletal Neck Pain Following Myofascial Trigger Points. History of Medicine 9(1): 1845-1858. https://doi.org/10.17720/24095834.v9.1.2023.237

Garcia-de-Miguel S, Pecos-Martin D, Larroca-Sanz T, Sanz-de-Vicente B, Garcia-Montes L, Fernandez-Matias R, Gallego-Izquierdo T. Short-Term Effects of PENS versus Dry Needling in Subjects with Unilateral Mechanical Neck Pain and Active Myofascial Trigger Points in Levator Scapulae Muscle: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Clin Med. 2020 Jun 1;9(6):1665. doi: 10.3390/jcm9061665. — View Citation

Gattie E, Cleland JA, Snodgrass S. The Effectiveness of Trigger Point Dry Needling for Musculoskeletal Conditions by Physical Therapists: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2017 Mar;47(3):133-149. doi: 10.2519/jospt.2017.7096. Epub 2017 Feb 3. — View Citation

Hernandez-Secorun M, Abenia-Benedi H, Borrella-Andres S, Marques-Garcia I, Lucha-Lopez MO, Herrero P, Iguacel I, Tricas-Moreno JM, Hidalgo-Garcia C. Effectiveness of Dry Needling in Improving Pain and Function in Comparison with Other Techniques in Patients with Chronic Neck Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Pain Res Manag. 2023 Aug 23;2023:1523834. doi: 10.1155/2023/1523834. eCollection 2023. — View Citation

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. — View Citation

Song Young-mun, Weon Jong-hyuck, Jung Do-young. Reliability of a New Test of Levator Scapula Muscle Length. J Musculoskelet Sci Technol 2019;3(1):1-6. https://doi.org/10.29273/jmst.2019.3.1.1

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Numeric pain rate scale (NPRS)	The NPRS is a segmented numeric version in which a respondent selects a whole number (0-10 integers) that best reflects the intensity of his/her pain. The common format is a horizontal bar or line. the NPRS is anchored by terms describing pain severity extremes.; The 11-point numeric scale ranges from '0' representing one pain extreme (e.g. "no pain") to '10' representing the other pain extreme (e.g. "pain as bad as you can imagine" or "worst pain imaginable").	upto 3 weeks
Primary	Neck Disability index (NDI)	The results of this questionnaire have been utilized to evaluate the disability. It consists of 10 items: 7 linked to activities of daily living, 2 to pain, and 1 to concentration. From 0 to 5, each item received a score. Higher scores corresponded to more disability, and the total score was reported as a percentage.	upto 3 weeks
Primary	Universal Goniometer	An instrument called a goniometer is used to measure a joint's range of motion. Physical therapists typically use a goniometer to measure a range of motion. At the initial evaluation, the therapist can determine the possible range of motion using a goniometer .; Range of motion: Side flexion and Rotation of neck measured with Goniometer.	upto 3 weeks