Trial reportMedicine2017
Efficacy of quadriceps vastus medialis dry needling in a rehabilitation protocol after surgical reconstruction of complete anterior cruciate ligament rupture.
Trial report in Medicine, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 21 papers, 4 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.
Comparative study of the efficacy of hyaluronic acid, dry needling and combined treatment in patellar osteoarthritis: non-controlled randomized clinical trial with blinded evaluator
Who cites it
21 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 36 citations in OpenAlex.
- Pooled it
- Dry Needling in Sports and Sport Recovery: A Systematic Review with an Evidence Gap Map.Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2025Pooled it
- Aspetar clinical practice guideline on rehabilitation after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.British journal of sports medicine · 2023Guideline
- ACL Reconstruction: Which Additional Physiotherapy Interventions Improve Early-Stage Rehabilitation? A Systematic Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Pooled it
- Effectiveness of Dry Needling and Ischemic Trigger Point Compression in the Gluteus Medius in Patients with Non-Specific Low Back Pain: A Randomized Short-Term Clinical Trial.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Trial
- Comparative Study of the Efficacy of Hyaluronic Acid, Dry Needling and Combined Treatment in Patellar Osteoarthritis-Single-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Trial
- Short-term effectiveness of high- and low-intensity percutaneous electrolysis in patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome: A pilot study.World journal of orthopedics · 2021Trial
- Effects of Trigger Point Dry Needling on Neuromuscular Performance and Pain of Individuals Affected by Patellofemoral Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of pain research · 2020Trial
- Validity, Reliability, and Responsiveness of a New Device for Measuring Pressure Pain Thresholds.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Article
- The consistency of reporting adverse events associated with dry needling: a narrative review.The Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association · 2026Article
- Immediate and Short-Term Effects of Nature-Based Immersive Virtual Reality During Dry Needling: A Single-Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Article
- ACL rehabilitation after reconstruction: Evidence-based consensus recommendations from the German Knee Society-Part IV.Journal of experimental orthopaedics · 2026Article
- Effectiveness of Transcutaneous and Percutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation as Adjunct Therapies in Patients After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Article
- Rehabilitation In Arthroscopic Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.Journal of orthopaedic case reports · 2025Article
- Effectiveness of Dry Needling and Ischaemic Trigger Point Compression of the Levator Scapulae in Patients with Chronic Neck Pain: A Short-Term Randomized Clinical Trial.Journal of clinical medicine · 2023Article
- Lack of standardization in dry needling dosage and adverse event documentation limits outcome and safety reports: a scoping review of randomized clinical trials.The Journal of manual & manipulative therapy · 2023Article
- Consensus Delphi study on guidelines for the assessment of anterior cruciate ligament injuries in children.World journal of orthopedics · 2022Review
- Traditional Chinese Medicine for Postoperative Care following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM · 2021Review
- Effects of Trigger Point Dry Needling for the Management of Knee Pain Syndromes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of clinical medicine · 2020Review
- Kinesiophobia and Pain Intensity Are Increased by a Greater Hallux Valgus Deformity Degree- Kinesiophobia and Pain Intensity in Hallux Valgus.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2020Article
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 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSeveral new rehabilitation modalities have been proposed after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. Among these, trigger point dry needling (TrP-DN) might be useful in the treatment of myofascial pain syndrome associated with ACL reconstruction to reduce pain intensity, increase knee flexion range and modify the mechanical properties of the quadriceps muscle during late-stage rehabilitation. To date, this is the first randomized clinical trial to support the use of TrP-DN in the early rehabilitation process after ACL reconstruction. The aim of this study was to determine the pain intensity, range of motion (ROM), stability, and functionality improvements by adding quadriceps vastus medialis TrP-DN to the rehabilitation protocol (Rh) provided to subacute ACL reconstructed patients.
methodsThis randomized, single-blinded, clinical trial (NCT02699411) included 44 subacute patients with surgical reconstruction of complete ACL rupture. The patients were randomized into 2 intervention groups: Rh (n = 22) or Rh + TrP-DN (n = 22). Pain intensity, ROM, stability, and functionality were measured at baseline (A0) and immediately (A1), 24 hours (A2), 1 week (A3), and 5 weeks (A4) after the first treatment.
resultsComparing statistically significant differences (P ≤ .001; Eta = 0.198-0.360) between both groups, pain intensity (at A1), ROM (at A1, A2, and A3), and functionality (at A2, A3, and A4) were increased. Nevertheless, the rest of measurements did not show significant differences (P > .05).
conclusionQuadriceps vastus medialis TrP-DN in conjunction with a rehabilitation protocol in subacute patients with surgical reconstruction of complete ACL rupture increases ROM (short-term) and functionality (short- to mid-term). Although there was an increase in pain intensity with the addition of TrP-DN, this was not detected beyond immediately after the first treatment. Furthermore, stability does not seem to be modified after TrP-DN.
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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.