STUDY DESIGN: Multicenter, parallel randomized clinical trial. BACKGROUND: Myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) are implicated in shoulder pain and functional limitations. An intervention intended to treat MTrPs is dry needling. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effectiveness of dry needling in addition to evidence-based personalized physical therapy treatment in the treatment of shoulder pain. METHODS: One hundred twenty patients with nonspecific shoulder pain were randomly allocated into 2 parallel groups: (1) personalized, evidencebased physical therapy treatment; and (2) trigger point dry needling in addition to personalized, evidence-based physical therapy treatment. Patients were assessed at baseline, posttreatment, and 3-month follow-up. The primary outcome measure was pain assessed by a visual analog scale at 3 months, and secondary variables were joint range-of-motion limitations, Constant-Murley score for pain and function, and number of active MTrPs. Clinical efficacy was assessed using intention-to-treat analysis. RESULTS: Of the 120 enrolled patients, 63 were randomly assigned to the control group and 57 to the intervention group. There were no significant differences in outcome between the 2 treatment groups. Both groups showed improvement over time. CONCLUSION: Dry needling did not offer benefits in addition to personalized, evidencebased physical therapy treatment for patients with nonspecific shoulder pain. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapy, level 1b. Registered February 11, 2009 at www.isrctn.com (ISRCTN30907460).

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