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Not yet recruiting NCT06584500

Effect of Dry Needling on Gluteus Medius Contraction in Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome: a Pilot RCT Protocol

No phase Interventional Greater Trocantheric Pain Syndrome

For patients and families

In plain language

An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.

What is being studied
The protocol lists: Dry needling, Sham Dry Needling.
Who it may be relevant to
Registry conditions: Greater Trocantheric Pain Syndrome. Basic parameters: 20 years — 75 years · All.
What needs checking
Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
Where it takes place
Spain
Next step
Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →

Unsure about the terms? Read our patient guide →

Official title

Analysis of the Effect of Dry Needling on the Pelvitrochanteric Musculature on the Potential Contraction of the Gluteus Medius in Patients with Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome: Protocol for a Randomized Clinical Trial. Pilot Study

Overview

Grater trochanteric pain syndrome is a hip related pathology that causes lateral hip pain and lack of strength in abductor muscles such as the gluteus medius, which hinders functional activities and daily life, such as standing, walking, sleeping on the affected side... Lack of strength and eccentric control of the gluteus medius may be related to the apparition of myofascial trigger points that are susceptible to treatment with dry needling. In this study, two groups of patients with greater trochanteric pain syndrome will be treated with dry needling, some of them with real dry needling, and others with sham dry needling. Ultrasound will be used to assess whether real dry needling in the pelvitrochanteric musculature improves the potential contraction of the gluteus medius, in relation to a baseline measurement and to sham dry needling. This study is a randomised clinical trial protocol, pilot study, so there will be no previous references for the sample of both study groups. 3 dry needling interventions will be performed in 3 consecutive weeks, leaving 1 week between each intervention. Data will be collected for the variables to be investigated (potential contraction, pain, function, strength…) before the first intervention, after each intervention, 1 month after the last intervention and at 3 months.

Interventions

  • Other Dry needling
    Dry needling will be performed on the pelvitrochanteric musculature, targeting those muscles where the patient reports mechanical hyperalgesia points upon palpation that reproduce familiar and recognizable pain. No more than 3 different muscles will be treated, and no more than 2 needles will be used per muscle to reduce irritability. The Gluteus Medius muscle will be needled in all patients, and the Gluteus Minimus, Tensor Fasciae Latae (TFL), Piriformis, and obturator muscles will also be exam
  • Other Sham Dry Needling
    The intervention protocol for sham dry needlig will be just as to the real dry needling procedure, but instead of inserting the needle into the muscle, the needle is manipulated to touch the skin without penetrating it. This may involve the use of retractable needles or simply making contact with the skin

Primary outcome measures

  • Potential Contraction with M-Mode [Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 4 months]
Secondary outcome measures (4)
  • WOMAC hip scale [Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 4 months]
  • Hip Abduction Strength [Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 4 months]
  • Pain [Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 4 months]
  • Passive Hip Range of Motion [Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 4 months]

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion criteria

  • Lateral hip pain lasting more than 3 months.
  • Greater trochanteric pain syndrome compatible with changes on MRI.
  • Clinical examination correlation: one of the following tests must be positive: FADER test, FABER test, hip adduction (ADD) test in side-lying position (DL), isometric contraction test in the ADD position, or single-leg stance test for 30 seconds.
  • Pain/sensitization upon palpation of the trochanter.

Exclusion criteria

  • Radicular pain due to lumbar pathology.
  • Osteoarthritis.
  • Pelvic pathology that could refer pain to the hip.
  • Needle phobia.
  • Hip injection performed less than 6 months ago.
  • Dry needling performed less than 1 month ago.
  • Surgery or pathology of the lower limb that prevents single-leg support.
  • Systemic diseases that could interfere with the pathological process.

Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.

Healthy volunteers: No

Study design

Allocation
Randomized
Model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Quadruple blind
Primary purpose
Treatment

Study locations

Spain · 1 center
  • Universidad de Alcalá — Alcalá de Henares

Publications

  • Brennan KL, Allen BC, Maldonado YM. Dry Needling Versus Cortisone Injection in the Treatment of Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome: A Noninferiority Randomized Clinical Trial. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2017 Apr;47(4):232-239. doi: 10.2519/jospt.2017.6994. Epub 2017 Mar 3. PMID 28257614
  • Ceballos-Laita L, Jimenez-Del-Barrio S, Marin-Zurdo J, Moreno-Calvo A, Marin-Bone J, Albarova-Corral MI, Estebanez-de-Miguel E. Effectiveness of Dry Needling Therapy on Pain, Hip Muscle Strength, and Physical Function in Patients With Hip Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2021 May;102(5):959-966. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2021.01.077. Epub 2021 Feb 7. PMID 33567336
  • Fernandez-de-Las-Penas C, Nijs J. Trigger point dry needling for the treatment of myofascial pain syndrome: current perspectives within a pain neuroscience paradigm. J Pain Res. 2019 Jun 18;12:1899-1911. doi: 10.2147/JPR.S154728. eCollection 2019. PMID 31354339
  • French HP, Woodley SJ, Fearon A, O'Connor L, Grimaldi A. Physiotherapy management of greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS): an international survey of current physiotherapy practice. Physiotherapy. 2020 Dec;109:111-120. doi: 10.1016/j.physio.2019.05.002. Epub 2019 Jun 2. PMID 31493863
  • Dieterich AV, Pickard CM, Strauss GR, Deshon LE, Gibson W, McKay J. Muscle thickness measurements to estimate gluteus medius and minimus activity levels. Man Ther. 2014 Oct;19(5):453-60. doi: 10.1016/j.math.2014.04.014. Epub 2014 May 10. PMID 24880207
  • Schneider E, Moore ES, Stanborough R, Slaven E. Effects of Trigger Point Dry Needling on Strength Measurements and Activation Levels of the Gluteus Medius: A Quasi-Experimental Randomized Control Study. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2022 Dec 1;17(7):1404-1416. doi: 10.26603/001c.55536. eCollection 2022. PMID 36518833
  • Fearon AM, Scarvell JM, Neeman T, Cook JL, Cormick W, Smith PN. Greater trochanteric pain syndrome: defining the clinical syndrome. Br J Sports Med. 2013 Jul;47(10):649-53. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2012-091565. Epub 2012 Sep 14. PMID 22983121
  • Grimaldi A, Mellor R, Hodges P, Bennell K, Wajswelner H, Vicenzino B. Gluteal Tendinopathy: A Review of Mechanisms, Assessment and Management. Sports Med. 2015 Aug;45(8):1107-19. doi: 10.1007/s40279-015-0336-5. PMID 25969366

Identifiers

NCT: NCT06584500 · CEIM/2024/4/103

Primary sources (government registries)

View this study on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗