Dry Needling Versus Stretching for Muscle Extensibility

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Hip osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most prevalent chronic disease in the world. Currently several authors have shown the presence of active myofascial trigger points (MTrP) in the muscles surrounding the hip joint that reproduce the symptoms of the patients with hip OA. Despite of the beneficial effects that have shown may conservative non-pharmacological treatments, there is a lack of studies evaluating the effects of the conservative treatments on muscle extensibility. According to the new paradigm about the presence of MTrPs, the investigators decided to conduct a randomized clinical trial to compare the effects of DN intervention and stretching protocol on muscle extensibility in patients with hip OA.

Official Title
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Comparing Dry Needling and Stretching for the Management of Muscle Extensibility in Patients With Hip Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Conditions
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Osteoarthritis, Hip

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Dry needling


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: unilateral hip OA diagnosed medically with a X-Ray tess and following the American College of Rheumatology Criteria Exclusion Criteria: Secondary osteoarthritis by a traumatism, Paget disease, inflammatory or metabolic disease, congenital diseases etc. Vascular or neurological disease. Musculoskeletal pathologies in lumbar spine, pelvis or lower limbs DN contraindications or fear of needles

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 50 Years
Maximum Age: 70 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Interventional Model Description: randomized clinical trial
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Dry needling<br>Dry needling of 3 active MTrPs at most. | Other: Dry needling<br>* Dry needling of the active MTrPs following the technique described by Hong et al (1994,1995)<br>|
| Active Comparator: Stretching<br>Stretching of the main hip flexors (rectus femoris, iliopsoas and tensor fasciae latae) | Other: Dry needling<br>* Dry needling of the active MTrPs following the technique described by Hong et al (1994,1995)<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| muscle extensibility | the examiners assess the muscle extensibility using an inclinomenter | Baseline | 
| muscle extensibility | the examiners assess the muscle extensibility using an inclinomenter | up to 3 weeks | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Stiffness | the examiners assess the stiffness using the WOMAC stiffness subscale | Baseline | 
| Stiffness | the examiners assess the stiffness using the WOMAC stiffness subscale | up to 3 weeks | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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physiotherapy, stretching, dry needling