Comparison of the effect of two methods of dry needling application on spasticity, range of motion and upper limb function in patients with chronic stroke: a randomized clinical trial

Comparison and determination of the most effective method of dry needling application among two methods of fast in fast out and rotational needling on spasticity, range of motion and functional movement of upper limb of stroke patients.

A randomized double blinded clinical trial with the parallel group design of 20 patients.

Patients are selected from the volunteers referring to the rehabilitation clinics of Tehran University of Medical Sciences by registering personal information and evaluating the outcome variables. Blindness is performed in patients, examiners and performers of the intervention. Patients are not aware of the difference in treatment techniques and the examiner is not aware of the treatment methods of patients. The performer of the intervention has no information about the results of the evaluations.

People with the first time stroke more than six months and age range of 18 to 75 years old. The degree of spasticity of their wrist based on a modified modified scale is equal or greater than one, they do not take antispam and do not receive other treatments. exclusion criteria: Any dry needling contraindication, cognitive problems, diabetes or neurological pain, fixed muscle contraction in the wrist and unwillingness to participate in the project.

In one group the needles are used in fast in fast out cone shape technique during one minute in the wrist flexor muscles; in the second group, the needles are inserted to the target muscles and rotated to one side and will be remain for ten minutes and after 5 minutes, the torsion will be applied again. The number of treatment sessions will be three which are performed during a week.

Spasticity( Modified Modified Ashworth), Upper Limbe 's motor function(Fugl-Meyer), Wrist range of motion

Based on the number of patients in each group, the particular sort of treatment ( fast in fast out or rotational manipulation techniques) is written on a piece of paper. Each paper is placed in a sealed envelope. One envelope will be chosen randomly by the therapist at the first session of the patient treatment and the patient's treatment technique is selected based on that. If any of the patients is omitted from the study, one envelope related to the excluded patient treatment group will be replaced and they will be mixed again.

At first, necessary explanation about the study, the aims and the existence of two groups are given to the patients; Whereas no information about the difference methods of treatments between two groups will be given to them. There will be no connection between patients of each groups. This way patients are blind regarding treatments methods. In addition examination will be preformed by a physiotherapist who is not aware of the treatment group. So examiner is blind to the treatment method of each participant.

The raw data of research and its analysis will be available to the researcher if they request it.

After the publication of articles resulting from the research.

Researchers working in academic institution

The data are only available to other researchers to study and evaluate treatment outcomes.

Department of physiotherapy, School of Rehabilitation, Enghelab St; Professor Soofia Naghdi Email address: naghdi@sina.tums.ac.ir

by sending an official E-mail to the corresponding author: professor Soofia Naghdi (naghdi@sina.tums.ac.ir) and request the data. The researcher will be answered as soon as possible.