Effectiveness of Deep Dry Needling on Muscle Tone in Healthy Subjects
Condition: Muscle Tone Abnormalities
MeSH terms: Congenital Abnormalities
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The main objective of this study is to analyze the effect of dry needling of the soleus
      muscle to modulate muscle tone in healthy non-injured subjects. The secondary objective is to
      study if effects occur due to changes in the neural or mechanical component (or both).

      Hypothesis: Deep Dry Needling of the latent medial Myofascial Trigger Point (MTrP) of the
      soleus muscle produces changes in muscle tone varying the passive resistance torque at a rate
      of 180º/ s.
    

Detailed description: 
      Methods:

      It is a double-blinded randomized clinical trial where subjects are healthy volunteers from
      the city of Toledo between 18 and 40 years.

      There will be an intervention group (dry needling into the medial MTrP of soleus muscle) and
      a control group (dry needling distal to the MTrP but into the taut muscle band of soleus
      muscle). The intervention will be a unique session.

      Intervention:

      Dry needling technique will be performed by locating the taut band and the Myofascial Trigger
      Point. After that, a thin needle (0,32x40mm) is introduced directly into a Myofascial Trigger
      Point with the aims to generate a "local twitch response" that are involuntary contractions
      of the muscle fibers. This puncture may reproduce patient's symptoms, and causes muscle
      relaxation to achieve at the same time the relief of muscle tension and pain and also to
      recover the metabolism of the muscle.

      Assessment:

      The mechanical and the neural properties of muscle tone were evaluated using an isokinetic
      dynamometry and H-reflex test measurement, respectively Isokinetic dynamometric technique is
      considered a valid biomechanics method to measure muscle tone in non-injured subjects.

      The H-reflex has been utilized as a probe to study neurophysiological phenomena. This
      measurement can be used to assess the response of the nervous system to various neurologic
      conditions, musculoskeletal injuries, application of therapeutic modalities, pain, exercise
      training, and performance of motor tasks.

      Outcome measures:

      Outcome measures will include passive resistive torque to ankle dorsiflexion, dorsiflexion
      passive range of motion (PROM), maximal isometric voluntary force (MIVF) and H-reflex and
      M-response measurements and they will be evaluated before, at 10 min and 1 week after the
      intervention.
    

Intervention name(s): Intervention-Dry Needling; Control-Dry Needling
Intervention type(s): Device; Device
Intervention description(s): Deep Dry Needling into the site of the latent medial Myofascial Trigger Point of the soleus muscle.
1 session in soleus muscle moving the needle up and down ten times.; Deep Dry Needling distal to Myofascial Trigger Point but into the same taut band.
1 session in soleus muscle moving the needle up and down ten times.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Triple (Participant, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Basic Science
Keywords: Trigger Points; Dry needling; Torque; H-Reflex