Intramuscular therapy (also known as dry needling) has been shown to give dramatic relief of musculoskeletal pain. The mechanisms of action remain unknown, and this study will examine for a neurophysiological effect.
Consenting adults will be taught how to contract their abdominal muscles, and to contract transversus abdominis in particular. They will then have real time ultrasound measurements of the resting and contracted thickness of their left transversus abdominis muscle. After this, they will receive actual or sham needling to their left multifidus muscle by another researchers blinded to the real time ultrasound measurements. After needling or sham intervention is complete, the original researchers will return to re-measure transversus abdominis. They will be blind to intervention allocation.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
60
Sterile monofilament needles
Applicator tubes from the sterile monofilament needles
University of Nevada Las Vegas - Department of Physical Therapy
Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Thickness of transversus abdominis at rest and during contraction
Real time ultrasound measurement
Time frame: 1 day
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