NCT04535479Active, not recruiting
Dry Needling for Spasticity in Stroke
Neurophysiological Characterization of Dry Needling in People With Spasticity Due to Stroke
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Last updated 8 Jul 2026
Brief summary (registry, in English)
The study team is recruiting 20 adults with spasticity due to chronic stroke and 20 adults with no neurological injuries for a 2 day study. In people with chronic stroke, one of the most common and disabling problems is spasticity (increased muscle tone or muscle stiffness). The purpose of this research study is to examine effects of dry needling on the nervous system (pathways between the muscle, spinal cord, and brain) in people with spasticity due to chronic stroke. Dry needling is a procedure in which a thin, stainless steel needle is inserted into your skin to produce a muscle twitch response. It is intended to release a knot in your muscle and relieve pain. The total study duration is 2 days. The first visit will take about 3 hours, during which dry needling will take place, and the second visit will take about 1 hour. During both visits you will be asked to participate in examinations of reflexes (muscle responses to non-invasive nerve stimulation) and arm/leg function.
- Status (registry)
- Active, not recruiting
- Study type
- Interventional
- Enrollment
- 32 (actual)
- First submitted
- 27 Aug 2020
- Start date
- 8 Sept 2020
- Primary completion date
- 30 Jun 2027
- Lead sponsor
- Medical University of South Carolina
- Diseases
- Stroke
- NCT number
- NCT04535479
What you commit to
- Study type: Interventional
- Participants enrolled: 32
- From 8 Sept 2020 to the primary completion date, 30 Jun 2027
- 1 site in 1 country
- Visits and tests: ask the trial team, the registry does not list them
Built from the registry fields of ClinicalTrials.gov. It describes the study, not your situation.
Who cannot take part
Copied verbatim from ClinicalTrials.gov and grouped by topic. Only the trial team decides who can take part.
Other illness
- a cardiac condition ( history of myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, pacemaker use, coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation, congenital heart disease, uncontrolled hypertension)
- a medically unstable condition (including temporary infections and pregnancy)
- cognitive impairment sufficient to interfere with informed consent or successful completion of the protocol
- metal allergies
- lymphedema over a limb (due to risk of infection/cellulitis)
- abnormal bleeding tendencies
- vascular disease
- uncontrolled diabetes
- history of epilepsy (as DDN generates strong somatosensory sensation)
- anxiety disorders or in distress.
Age
- age \<18 years old
Other
- motoneuron injury (i.e. the neurons that give rise to the axons innervating the muscles) with inadequate response to stimulation
- needle phobias
- compromised immune system
Who the study is looking for
- For adults with no known neurological conditions:
- ≥18 years old
- no known neurological injuries.
- For individuals after stroke:
- neurologically stable for \>6 months (and \>1 yr post stroke)
- medical clearance to participate
- unilateral ankle and/or wrist spasticity, confirmed by Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) \> 1 and the presence of spastic hyperreflexia
Age in the registry: 18 years to - · Sex: All · Accepts healthy volunteers
Sites (1)
Sites in registry order. Pick your city on the disease page to sort them by distance.
| Site | City | Country | Site status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical University of South Carolina Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Charleston | United States | Unknown status |
This page is information, not medical advice. Discuss any trial with your doctor.