Efficacy of dry needling on latent myofascial trigger points in male subjects with neck/shoulders musculoskeletal pain. A case series.

Scand J Pain. 2017 Dec 29;16(1):174

Authors: Heredia-Rizo AM, Navarro-Carmona I, Piña-Pozo F

Abstract
Aims To assess the impact of dry needling on neural mechanosensitivity and grip strength in male subjects with a history of persistent pain in the neck/shoulder area. Methods Case series study. Eight male subjects (mean age 25±6.24 years) with a recurrent history of bilateral neck/shoulder pain for at least 6 months, and with symptoms provoked by neck/shoulder postures or movement were recruited from a University-based clinical research center. Measurements were taken at baseline, immediately after intervention, and fifteen days later, of the pressure pain threshold (PPT) over the median, ulnar, and radial nerves, and the tibialis anterior (TA) muscle. Secondary measures included free-pain grip strength with a hydraulic dynamometer. A therapist assessed the presence of latent (not spontaneously painful, but painful upon palpation) myofascial trigger points (MTrP) over the scalene, subclavius, pectoralis minor, infraspinatus and serratus posterior superior muscles, on the most painful side. Deep dry needling was then performed on the latent MtrP by quickly inserting and partially removing the needle from the MTrP until 2 local twitch responses were provoked. Results PPT over the nerve trunks significantly increased after intervention (p < 0.05 for all locations). These changes remained constant in the second assessment, both in the treated (p < 0.001 for median and ulnar nerves, and p = 0.004 for radial nerve), and the non-treated upper limb (median nerve p 0.05) or for grip strength (p = 0.153 on the treated side, and p = 0.564 on the non-treated upper limb). Conclusions Dry needling on the cervicothoracic and shoulder areas may help to improve peripheral neural features over the brachial plexus nerve trunks in subjects with recurrent neck/shoulder pain. No effect was observed for grip strength.

PMID: 29864971 [PubMed – in process]