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. 2021 Oct 18;11(1):23.
doi: 10.1186/s40945-021-00118-x.

Neurophysiological and psychophysical effects of dry versus sham needling of the infraspinatus muscle in patients with chronic shoulder pain: a randomized feasibility study

Antoine Laramée  1 , Guillaume Léonard  2 , Mélanie Morin  1 , Mélanie Roch  1 , Nathaly Gaudreault  3
Affiliations

Neurophysiological and psychophysical effects of dry versus sham needling of the infraspinatus muscle in patients with chronic shoulder pain: a randomized feasibility study

Antoine Laramée et al. Arch Physiother. .

Abstract

Background: Dry needling (DN) is increasingly used for treating myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) and has shown significant effects on pain and function. This study aimed to assess feasibility of conducting a randomized sham-controlled trial and to collect preliminary data on the effects of infraspinatus DN on corticospinal excitability and mechanical pain sensitivity.

Method: This randomized feasibility study included adults with chronic non-traumatic shoulder pain and a infraspinatus MTrP. Participants were randomized to receive real DN or sham DN in the infraspinatus MTrP. Feasibility outcomes included data pertaining to recruitment, retention of participants, completeness and safety of assessment procedures. Neurophysiological and psychophysical outcomes included corticospinal excitability and mechanical pain sensitivity measured by active motor threshold (aMT) and pressure pain threshold (PPT), respectively. They were assessed at baseline, immediately after and 24 h post-intervention.

Results: Twenty-one participants were recruited over a 6-month period. Nineteen participants completed the treatment and follow-up assessment. Motor evoked potential responses were discernible in all but 1 participant. Only 1 minor adverse event related to transcranial magnetic stimulation (mild headache) affected the measurements. No DN adverse effects were recorded in both groups. An overall completeness rate of 81% was reached, with 70% completeness in the DN group and 91% in the sham group. Data analysis revealed that real DN increased corticospinal excitability (reduced aMT) 24 h post-intervention (Mdn = - 5.96% MSO, IQR = 5.17, p = 0.04) and that sham DN triggered similar responses immediately after the intervention (Mdn = - 1.93% MSO, IQR = 1.11, p = 0.03). Increased mechanical pain sensitivity (reduced PPT) was significant only in the sham group, both immediately (Mdn = - 0.44 kg/cm2, IQR = 0.49, p = 0.01) and 24 h post-intervention (Mdn = - 0.52 kg/cm2, IQR = 1.02, p = 0.02). Changes in corticospinal excitability was positively correlated with changes in mechanical pain sensitivity in the DN group, both immediately (r = 0.77, p = 0.02) and 24 h post-intervention (r = 0.75, p = 0.05).

Conclusion: The present study demonstrates the feasibility of quantifying the neurophysiological and psychophysical effects of DN, and provides recommendations and guidelines for future studies. Moreover, it provides preliminary evidence that DN may increase corticospinal excitability of the infraspinatus muscle in patients with chronic shoulder pain and that the relationship of neurophysiological and psychophysical effects is promising to better understand its mechanisms of action.

Trial registration: NCT04316793 ; retrospectively registered November 3, 2020.

Keywords: Dry needling; Myofascial trigger point; Neurophysiological effect; Pressure pain threshold; Sham needling; Transcranial magnetic stimulation.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flow diagram showing enrollment, group randomization and follow-up DN: Dry needling; TMS: Transcranial magnetic stimulation
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Relationship between neurophysiological and psychophysical outcomes Active motor threshold (aMT) results are expressed as a percentage of the maximum stimulator output (%MSO); Pressure pain threshold (PPT) results are expressed in kg/cm2; ΔT1_T2: Delta score between baseline and immediately post-intervention; ΔT1_T3: Delta score between baseline and 24 h post-intervention
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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