Trial reportBMC medicine2011
Treatment of myofascial trigger points in patients with chronic shoulder pain: a randomized, controlled trial.
Trial report in BMC medicine, 2011. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT02699411 (Dry Needling Effectiveness of Patients on Break Anterior Cruciate Ligament. Single-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial.), which is not on this map. Cited by 45 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Dry Needling Effectiveness of Patients on Break Anterior Cruciate Ligament. Single-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial.
Who cites it
45 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 156 citations in OpenAlex.
- Manual therapy and exercise for rotator cuff disease.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2016Pooled it
- Can Ashi points stimulation have specific effects on shoulder pain? A systematic review of randomized controlled trials.Chinese journal of integrative medicine · 2016Pooled it
- Guideline for diagnosis and treatment of subacromial pain syndrome: a multidisciplinary review by the Dutch Orthopaedic Association.Acta orthopaedica · 2014Guideline
- Intramuscular electrical stimulation added to home exercise for myofascial shoulder pain: a randomized controlled trial.Scientific reports · 2026Trial
- Rate and maintenance of improvement of myofascial pain with dry needling alone vs. dry needling with intramuscular electrical stimulation: a randomized controlled trial.The Journal of manual & manipulative therapy · 2021Trial
- Different Degree Centrality Changes in the Brain after Acupuncture on Contralateral or Ipsilateral Acupoint in Patients with Chronic Shoulder Pain: A Resting-State fMRI Study.Neural plasticity · 2020Trial
- Dry needling in a manual physiotherapy and therapeutic exercise protocol for patients with chronic mechanical shoulder pain of unspecific origin: a protocol for a randomized control trial.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2017Trial
- Effect of myofascial techniques for treatment of upper limb dysfunctions in breast cancer survivors: randomized controlled trial.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2017Trial
- [Manual trigger point therapy of shoulder pain : Randomized controlled study of effectiveness].Schmerz (Berlin, Germany) · 2016Trial
- Trial
- Trial
- Efficacy of Deep Dry Needling on Latent Myofascial Trigger Points in Older Adults With Nonspecific Shoulder Pain: A Randomized, Controlled Clinical Trial Pilot Study.Journal of geriatric physical therapy (2001)Trial
- A Novel Patient-Specific Landmark-Guided Approach for Intramuscular Botulinum Neurotoxin Injections Into the Rotator Cuff: A Cadaveric Study.Clinical anatomy (New York, N.Y.) · 2026Article
- Microdialysis Evaluation of Blood Flow, Lactate, and Glucose in Active Trigger Points of Tension-Type Headache Patients and Latent Trigger Points in Healthy Muscle.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation · 2026Observational
- Referred Pain Manifestation and Its Impact on Patients With Temporomandibular Disorder.Oral diseases · 2025Article
- Review
- Effects of Self-Assisted Manual Therapy Combined with a High-Intensity Walking Program on Musculoskeletal Pain, Functionality, and Posture in Older Adults: A Multicentre Randomized Controlled Trial.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Radial, Median and Ulnar Nerve Flossing as Essential Preparatory Treatment for Baseball Pitchers in the Prevention of Ulnar Collateral Ligament Injury: A Clinical Suggestion.International journal of sports physical therapy · 2025Article
- Manipulative Treatment of Myofascial Pain Syndrome: A Network Meta-Analysis Based on Randomized Controlled Trials.Journal of pain research · 2025Review
- A Prospective Nonrandomized Comparison of Wet Needling Versus Prolotherapy in Myofascial Pain.Cureus · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundShoulder pain is a common musculoskeletal problem that is often chronic or recurrent. Myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) cause shoulder pain and are prevalent in patients with shoulder pain. However, few studies have focused on MTrP therapy. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of multimodal treatment of MTrPs in patients with chronic shoulder pain.
methodsA single-assessor, blinded, randomized, controlled trial was conducted. The intervention group received comprehensive treatment once weekly consisting of manual compression of the MTrPs, manual stretching of the muscles and intermittent cold application with stretching. Patients were instructed to perform muscle-stretching and relaxation exercises at home and received ergonomic recommendations and advice to assume and maintain good posture. The control group remained on the waiting list for 3 months. The Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire score (primary outcome), Visual Analogue Scale for Pain (VAS-P), Global Perceived Effect (GPE) scale and the number of muscles with MTrPs were assessed at 6 and 12 weeks in the intervention group and compared with those of a control group.
resultsCompared with the control group, the intervention group showed significant improvement (P < 0.05) on the DASH after 12 weeks (mean difference, 7.7; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.2 to 14.2), on the VAS-P1 for current pain (mean difference, 13.8; 95% CI, 2.6 to 25.0), on the VAS-P2 for pain in the past 7 days (mean difference, 10.2; 95% CI, 0.7 to 19.7) and VAS-P3 most severe pain in the past 7 days (mean difference, 13.8; 95% CI, 0.8 to 28.4). After 12 weeks, 55% of the patients in the intervention group reported improvement (from slightly improved to completely recovered) versus 14% in the control group. The mean number of muscles with active MTrPs decreased in the intervention group compared with the control group (mean difference, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.2 to 4.2).
conclusionsThe results of this study show that 12-week comprehensive treatment of MTrPs in shoulder muscles reduces the number of muscles with active MTrPs and is effective in reducing symptoms and improving shoulder function in patients with chronic shoulder pain. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ISRCTN: ISRCTN75722066.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.