The Effects of Dry Needling on Patients with Knee Pain

Description

This study is testing the effectiveness of "dry needling" for pain management and on muscle strength and leg function for those with knee pain. Dry needling consists of small, monofilament needles that are administered directly into the tissue and manipulated to make the muscle relax for pain relief. This technique is used to treat dysfunctions in skeletal muscle and connective tissue to help diminish pain, reduce impairments of body structure and restore function.

Conditions

Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome, Anterior Knee Pain Syndrome

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Study Overview

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Study Details

Study overview

This study is testing the effectiveness of "dry needling" for pain management and on muscle strength and leg function for those with knee pain. Dry needling consists of small, monofilament needles that are administered directly into the tissue and manipulated to make the muscle relax for pain relief. This technique is used to treat dysfunctions in skeletal muscle and connective tissue to help diminish pain, reduce impairments of body structure and restore function.

The Effects of Dry Needling on Patients with Knee Pain

The Effects of Dry Needling on Patients with Knee Pain

Condition
Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
Intervention / Treatment

-

Contacts and Locations

Columbus

The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, United States, 43221

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

For general information about clinical research, read Learn About Studies.

Eligibility Criteria

  • * 18-40 years-of-age
  • * Referred for physical therapy
  • * Presence of anterior knee pain around the patella during ascending/descending stairs, squatting, and/or running for at least 3 months.
  • * Unable to provide consent
  • * Bilateral patellofemoral pain syndrome
  • * Received previous dry needling treatments
  • * Pregnancy
  • * History of pain less than 3 months
  • * Imaging demonstrating the presence of confounding internal abnormality (e.g. chondral defects, ligamentous injury, and/or meniscal pathology),
  • * Patellar instability
  • * Presence of a neurological condition that would affect movement
  • * Contraindications to dry needling techniques (e.g. a history of bleeding disorders, phobia of needles, an active cancer diagnosis, and presence of other systemic illness such as fever or signs of infection)
  • * Actively receiving treatment for knee pain outside of the current study protocol while enrolled in the study;
  • * received active and supervised PT treatment for knee pain within the last 4 weeks;
  • * history of knee surgery less than 6 months ago
  • * history of surgical correction of the patellofemoral complex (e.g. MPFL reconstruction, patellar realignment surgery, etc)

Ages Eligible for Study

18 Years to 40 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Collaborators and Investigators

Ohio State University,

Matthew S Briggs, DPT, PhD, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center

Study Record Dates

2026-12