The Effects of Dry Needling on Patients with Knee Pain

Launched by OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY · Aug 31, 2016

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is exploring how effective "dry needling" is for managing knee pain, specifically for those suffering from conditions like Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome and Anterior Knee Pain Syndrome. Dry needling involves using very thin needles inserted into specific areas of the muscle to help relieve pain and improve strength and movement in the legs. Researchers want to see if this technique can help people who have had knee pain for at least three months, especially during activities like climbing stairs, squatting, or running.

To participate in the trial, you need to be between 18 and 40 years old and have been referred for physical therapy due to knee pain. However, you won't be able to join if you've had certain knee problems or surgeries recently, are pregnant, or have other health issues that could interfere with the treatment. If you do qualify, you can expect to receive dry needling treatment and be monitored for improvements in your knee pain and function. This study is currently looking for participants, so it could be a great opportunity to explore a new treatment option for your knee pain.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • 18-40 years-of-age
• • Referred for physical therapy
• • Presence of anterior knee pain around the patella during ascending/descending stairs, squatting, and/or running for at least 3 months.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Unable to provide consent
• • Bilateral patellofemoral pain syndrome
• • Received previous dry needling treatments
• • Pregnancy
• • History of pain less than 3 months
• • Imaging demonstrating the presence of confounding internal abnormality (e.g. chondral defects, ligamentous injury, and/or meniscal pathology),
• • Patellar instability
• • Presence of a neurological condition that would affect movement
• • Contraindications to dry needling techniques (e.g. a history of bleeding disorders, phobia of needles, an active cancer diagnosis, and presence of other systemic illness such as fever or signs of infection)
• • Actively receiving treatment for knee pain outside of the current study protocol while enrolled in the study;
• • received active and supervised PT treatment for knee pain within the last 4 weeks;
• • history of knee surgery less than 6 months ago
• • history of surgical correction of the patellofemoral complex (e.g. MPFL reconstruction, patellar realignment surgery, etc)