Effect of dry needling with intramuscular electrical stimulation active trigger points in patients with impingement syndrome: an experimental study

Document Type : Case Report

Authors

1 Student Research Commiittee, MSc. Student in Physiotherapy, Dept. of Physiotherapy, School of Rehabilitation, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

2 Assistant Professor of Physiotherapy, Department of Physiotherapy, School of Rehabilitation, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

3 PhD. Candidate in Physiotherapy, Department of Physiotherapy, School of Rehabilitation, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Background and Aim: Shoulder impingement syndrome is one of the most frequent reasons of shoulder pain in primary health care. Myofascial trigger point can lead to shoulder pain. Patients with impingement syndrome tend to have more trigger points than health subjects both in affected and non-affected side. This study is aimed to investigate the short time effect of intramuscular electrical stimulation (IMES) through dry needling on active trigger points of upper trapezius and infraspinatus muscles in patients with impingement syndrome.
Materials and Methods: In the current experimental study five volunteers with impingement syndrome were treated with a single session of intramuscular electrical stimulation through dry needling on upper trapezius and infraspinatus active trigger points. A busrt current (2 Hz and 200 µs) was applied on the muscle while the electrical stimulation was increased to form a pain free contraction for the patient. Abduction range of motion (ROM) by goniometer and pain sensation by visual analog scale (VAS) were measured before and one week after treatment.
Results: VAS and ROM showed improvement in all five patients one week after intramuscular electrical stimulation through dry needling.
Conclusion: According to the resultsintramuscular electrical stimulation through dry needling might be effective on improving pain and range of motion in patients with impingement syndrome.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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The Scientific Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine
Volume 8, Issue 2
July 2019
Pages 48-55

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History

  • Receive Date: 07 April 2019
  • Revise Date: 20 May 2019
  • Accept Date: 01 June 2019
  • First Publish Date: 22 June 2019

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