Dry needling in a manual therapy protocol and therapeutic exercises for patients with chronic shoulder pain of unspecified origin
Shoulder pain of unspecified origin
Participants are randomised to one of two treatment groups using Epidat 3.1 software. Intervention group: Participants attend six study visits over a period of six weeks. In the first session, participants undergo Deep Dry Needling of the hyperalgesic points of infraspinatus muscle, upper trapezius, middle deltoid and subscapularis. This involves each muscle being treated with a filiform needle that will be introduced through the skin in order to eliminate pain. The technique is applied for 15 seconds on each muscle. For the remaining sessions, participants undergo 75 minutes of manual therapy, which involves practicing joint mobilization techniques in the glenohumeral joint, mobilization of the scapula, compression techniques and stretching of muscles. Control group: Participants attend six study visits over a period of six weeks. In the first session, participants undergo Sham Dry Needling of the hyperalgesic points of infraspinatus muscle, upper trapezius, middle deltoid and subscapularis. his involves each muscle being treated with a placebo needle, i.e. the patient will feel pricking of the skin but the needle does not reach the muscle. For the remaining sessions, participants undergo 75 minutes of manual therapy, which involves practicing joint mobilization techniques in the glenohumeral joint, mobilization of the scapula, compression techniques and stretching of muscles. Participants in both groups are asked to perform domiciliary Therapeutic Exercises twice a week, on non-consecutive days. These exercises involve active movement exercises without pain and stretching of muscles
1. Aged 18 to 65 years 2. Chronic Shoulder Pain of Unspecified Origin (tendinitis, impingement syndrome, shoulder pain/painful shoulder) with a minimum of 3 months of pathology 3. Presence of active MTrPs or areas of hypersensitivity (upper trapezius, infraspinatus, middle deltoids and subscapularis) 4. Those who have Myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) that reproduce their pain in one or more muscles 5. Provision of informed consent
1. Participants who have undergone surgery on the shoulder, who suffered rotator cuff tear, adhesive capsulitis, calcific tendonitis, dislocation of the humeral head, shoulder instability, whiplash, cervical radiculopathy and previous interventions with corticosteroid injections 2. Associated pathologies, such as fear of needles, diabetes, osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia syndrome 3. Have received dry needling in the last six months 4. Receiving other physiotherapy treatment 5. Pregnancy