Martín-Pintado Zugasti A, Rodríguez-Fernández ÁL, García-Muro F, López-López A, Mayoral O, Mesa-Jiménez J, Fernández-Carnero J. Effects of spray and stretch on postneedling soreness and sensitivity after dry needling of a latent myofascial trigger point.
Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2014;
95:1925-1932.e1. [PMID:
24928191 DOI:
10.1016/j.apmr.2014.05.021]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2014] [Revised: 05/20/2014] [Accepted: 05/22/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
To investigate (1) the effect of spray and stretch versus control on reducing postneedling soreness of 1 latent myofascial trigger point (MTrP) and (2) whether higher levels of psychological distress are associated with increased postneedling pain intensity.
DESIGN
A 72-hour follow-up, single-blind randomized controlled trial.
SETTING
University community.
PARTICIPANTS
Healthy volunteers (N=70; 40 men, 30 women) aged 18 to 36 years (mean age, 21±4y) with latent MTrP in 1 upper trapezius muscle.
INTERVENTION
All subjects received a dry needling application over the upper trapezius muscle. Then, participants were randomly divided into 2 groups: an intervention group, which received spray and stretch over the needled trapezius muscle, and a control group, which did not receive any intervention.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Visual analog scale (at postneedling, posttreatment, and 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72h after needling), pressure pain threshold (at preneedling, postneedling, and 24 and 48h after needling). Psychological distress was evaluated by using the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised.
RESULTS
Repeated-measures analysis of variance demonstrated a significant interaction between group and time (F3,204.8=3.19; P<.05; ηp(2)=.04) for changes in postneedling soreness. Between-group differences were significant only immediately after intervention (P=.002), and there were no differences found between groups after 6 hours of the intervention (P>.05). Repeated measures of covariance showed that none of the psychological covariates affected these results. Somatization, anxiety, interpersonal sensitivity, and hostility were significantly correlated (P<.05) with postneedling pain intensity. Repeated-measures analysis of variance did not show a significant effect of spray and stretch on mechanical hyperalgesia (F2.6,175=1.9; P=.131; ηp(2)=.02).
CONCLUSIONS
The spray and stretch had a short-term (<6h) effect in reducing postneedling soreness of a latent MTrP. Pressure pain threshold did not significantly change after spray and stretch. Psychological factors are related to postneedling pain.
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