Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34535409›Full record

Trial reportBrazilian journal of physical therapy

Effects of dry needling of the obliquus capitis inferior on sensorimotor control and cervical mobility in people with neck pain: A double-blind, randomized sham-controlled trial.

Carlos Murillo, Julia Treleaven, Barbara Cagnie, Javier Peral, Deborah Falla, Enrique Lluch

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Brazilian journal of physical therapy. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Carlos MurilloDepartment of Rehabilitation Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Pain in Motion International Research Group, Brussels, Belgium. Electronic address: Carlos.murilloezcurra@ugent.be.
Julia TreleavenDivision of Physiotherapy, SHRS, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
Barbara CagnieDepartment of Rehabilitation Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Javier PeralDepartment of Physical Therapy, University of Alcala, Madrid, Spain; Department of Physical Therapy, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.
Deborah FallaCenter of Precision Rehabilitation for Spinal Pain, School of Sport, exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom.
Enrique LluchPain in Motion International Research Group, Brussels, Belgium; Department of Physical Therapy, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundImpairments of sensorimotor control relating to head and eye movement control and postural stability are often present in people with neck pain. The upper cervical spine and particularly the obliquus capitis inferior (OCI) play an important proprioceptive role; and its impairment may alter cervical sensorimotor control. Dry needling (DN) is a valid technique to target the OCI.

objectivesTo investigate if a single DN session of the OCI muscle improves head and eye movement control-related outcomes, postural stability, and cervical mobility in people with neck pain.

methodsForty people with neck pain were randomly assigned to receive a single session of DN or sham needling of the OCI. Cervical joint position error (JPE), cervical movement sense, standing balance and oculomotor control were examined at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and at one-week follow-up. Active cervical rotation range of motion and the flexion rotation test were used to examine the global and upper cervical rotation mobility, respectively.

resultsLinear mixed-models revealed that the DN group showed a decrease of JPE immediately post-intervention compared to the sham group (mean difference [MD]= -0.93°; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -1.85, -0.02) which was maintained at one-week follow-up (MD= -1.64°; 95%CI: -2.85, -0.43). No effects on standing balance or cervical movement sense were observed in both groups. Upper cervical mobility showed an increase immediately after DN compared to the sham group (MD= 5.14°; 95%CI: 0.77, 9.75) which remained stable at one-week follow-up (MD= 6.98°; 95%CI: 1.31, 12.40). Both group showed an immediate increase in global cervical mobility (MD= -0.14°; 95%CI: -5.29, 4.89).

conclusionThe results from the current study suggest that a single session of DN of the OCI reduces JPE deficits and increases upper cervical mobility in patients with neck pain. Future trials should examine if the addition of this technique to sensorimotor control training add further benefits in the management of neck pain.

Indexed as

Dry NeedlingNeck PainCervical VertebraeHumansNeckRange of Motion, ArticularDry needlingFlexion-rotation testNeck painObliquus capitis inferiorSensorimotor function

Identifiers

PMID34535409
PMCPMC8721073

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.