Effects of dry needling of latent trigger points on viscoelastic and muscular contractile properties: preliminary results of a randomized within-participant clinical trial

This study aimed to evaluate changes in neuromuscular function and pain perception in latent trigger points (TrPs) in the gastrocnemius muscle after a single session of dry needling. A randomized within-participant clinical trial was conducted. Fifty volunteers with latent TrPs in the gastrocnemius...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Pérez Bellmunt, Albert, Casasayas Cos, Oriol, López de Celis, Carlos, Rodríguez-Sanz, Jacobo, Rodríguez Jiménez, Jorge, Ortiz-Miguel, Sara, Meca Rivera, Toni, Fernández de las Peñas, César
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2021
País:España
Institución:Varias* (Consorci de Biblioteques Universitáries de Catalunya, Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya)
Repositorio:Recercat. Dipósit de la Recerca de Catalunya
OAI Identifier:oai:recercat.cat:20.500.12328/2739
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12328/2739
https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/jcm10173848
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Punció seca
Dolor miofascial
Punts desencadenants
Músculs bessons
Punción seca
Puntos desencadenantes
Músculos gemelos
Dry needling
Myofascial pain
Trigger points
Gastrocnemius
61
Descripción
Sumario:This study aimed to evaluate changes in neuromuscular function and pain perception in latent trigger points (TrPs) in the gastrocnemius muscle after a single session of dry needling. A randomized within-participant clinical trial was conducted. Fifty volunteers with latent TrPs in the gastrocnemius muscles were explored. Each extremity was randomly assigned to a control or experimental (dry needling) group. Viscoelastic parameters and contractile properties were analyzed by tensiomyography. Ankle dorsiflexion range of motion was assessed with the lunge test. Pressure pain thresholds (PPT) and pain perceived were also analyzed. The results observed that three viscoelastic proprieties (myotonometry) showed significant differences in favor of the experimental extremity in the lateral gastrocnemius: stiffness (p = 0.02), relaxation (p = 0.045), and creep (p = 0.03), but not in the medial gastrocnemius. No changes in tensiomyography outcomes were found. The control extremity showed a higher increase in PPTs (i.e., decrease in pressure pain sensitivity) than the experimental extremity (p = 0.03). No significant effects for range of motion or strength were observed. In general, gender did not influence the effects of dry needling over latent TrPs in the gastrocnemius muscle. In conclusion, a single session of dry needling was able to change some parameters of neuromuscular function, such as muscle tone, relaxation, pressure pain sensitivity, and creep in the lateral (but not medial) gastrocnemius but did not improve strength or range of motion.