Clinical trial NCT04390438: Efficacy of High and Low Intensity Percutaneous Electrolysis for the Treatment of Myofascial Pain Syndrome
Official title: Efficacy of High and Low Intensity Percutaneous Electrolysis for the Treatment of Myofascial Pain Syndrome: A Pilot Study
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Knee Pain Chronic
Muscle Pain
Keywords: Patellofemoral pain syndrome
Electrolysis
Myofascial Pain Syndromes
Acupuncture
Lead sponsor: Universidad Francisco de Vitoria
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2020-05-15
Enrollment: 15
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 45
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Intervention model description: Randomized Clinical trial with 3 parallel groups; 2 experimental groups and 1 control group
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: Muscle pain is frequently attributed to myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) in which myofascial trigger points (MTrP) are a characteristic feature. Dry needling is a frequent clinical practice to manage MPS but few evidence is published about percutaneous electrolysis effects for the treatment of MPS.

This is a randomized clinical trial with 3 parallel groups: 1) High intensity-short time percutaneous electrolysis; 2) Low intensity-long time percutaneous electrolysis; 3) dry needling control group.

Detailed description: The current study aimed to evaluate changes in rectus femurs active trigger points and patellar tendon pain pressure thresholds and subjective anterior knee pain perception after application of two percutaneous electrolysis methods using a same charge (high intensity and low intensity) compared to a dry needling group in patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS)

Fifteen patients diagnosed with unilateral PFPS were divided in two experimental groups (high intensity percutaneous electrolysis and low intensity percutaneous electrolysis) and one active control group (dry needling. The duration of the study was 7 days with only one intervention. Pain pressure thresholds were assessed using an algometer before the intervention, immediately after the intervention and after 7 days and a Visual Analogue Scale was used before the treatment and after 7 days to rate the subjective anterior knee pain perception. Also a VAS was used to rate the pain perception during the intervention

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Athletes with knee pain
* Presence of at least one active Trigger point

Exclusion Criteria:

* Farmacologic treatment
* Surgery or traumas
* Skin alterations or infections
* Prior 6 weeks DN nor PT treatment

Primary outcomes:
measure: Pressure Pain Threshold (Trigger Point)
timeFrame: 7 days
measure: Pressure Pain Threshold (Patellar Tendon)
timeFrame: 7 days
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Subjective pain perception
timeFrame: 7 days
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Villanueva de la Cañada
country: Spain
facility: Camilo Jose Cela University
state: Madrid
Study officials:
affiliation: Camilo Jose Cela University
name: Juan Antonio Valera-Calero, PT, Msc
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
affiliation: Free professional practice
name: Alberto Sanchez-Mayoral-Martín, PT
role: STUDY_DIRECTOR
References: