Effects of dry needling on muscle stiffness in latent myofascial trigger points: a randomized controlled trial.

Abstract The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of dry needling (DN) in upper trapezius latent trigger points (LTrPs) on muscle stiffness. A total of 51 recreational physically active subjects with LTrPs in the upper trapezius volunteered to participate and were randomly divided into a DN-group (n=27) and a sham-DN group (n=24). Volunteers received 1-session of DN or placebo treatment. Muscle stiffness, measured with strain and shear-wave elastography, pressure pain threshold (PPT), post-needling soreness, and muscle thickness were evaluated before treatment, and at 30-min, 24-hours, and 72-hours follow-up after treatment. The DN-group showed lower values from baseline for muscle stiffness measured with shear-wave elastrography at 24-hours (from 44.44±15.97 to 35.78±11.65 kpa; p Perspective This study found that one session of DN intervention in latent trigger points of the upper trapezius muscle reduced muscle stiffness and the pressure pain threshold for the dry needling group compared to the sham dry needling group. Clinicaltrials.gov NCT04394741.