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How Dry Needling at the Neck Affects Shoulder Movement, Strength, Pain, and Shoulder Circulation
NCT06705634 · View on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
Study Summary
Segmental facilitation, originally proposed by Korr in the 1950s, suggests that certain spinal segments can become hyperexcitable, leading to chronic pain development. In a facilitated segment, neurons governing sensory, motor, and autonomic functions are in a state of heightened sensitivity, making them responsive to normally weak stimuli. Clinical signs include non-fatigable muscle weakness, brisk reflexes, muscle hypertonicity, tenderness upon palpation, and trophic changes like an orange-peel appearance in the affected segment's innervated areas. It's hypothesized that increased synaptic excitability in facilitated segments could cause vasoconstriction and reduced blood flow, contributing to trophic changes and muscle hypertonicity. Manual therapies like dry needling have been shown to alleviate muscle inhibition in the extremities. Previous studies have demonstrated that mobilization of the C5-6 joint can reduce non-fatigable weakness in shoulder external rotators primarily innervated by these segments. However, the neurophysiological effects of dry needling (DN) on muscle inhibition due to a facilitated segment remain unclear. While DN has been observed to increase local tissue blood flow, its potential to mitigate the clinical signs of segmental facilitation is uncertain. While DN has been observed to increase local tissue blood flow, its potential to mitigate the clinical signs of segmental facilitation is uncertain. Therefore, this project aims to investigate whether DN applied at a facilitated segment could normalize blood flow to its associated muscles. Specifically, this study will explore whether DN at the C5-6 level improves blood flow in the infraspinatus muscle, enhances shoulder range of motion, and influences muscle strength over time. The secondary purpose is to determine whether C5-6 DN will reduce the number of tender points in the muscles supplied by C5-6.
Conditions Studied
Interventions
- OTHER Dry Needling
Study Locations (1)
Texas
- Texas Woman's University T. Boone Pickens Institute of Health Sciences — Dallas
Trial Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Enrollment Target | 30 participants |
| Start Date | 2024-12-01 |
| Est. Completion | 2026-05-01 |
| Phase | NA |
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Full Details on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗What the Registry Record Tells You About NCT06705634
The ClinicalTrials.gov registry entry for NCT06705634 describes a study currently listed as active not recruiting. It is categorized as NA, which is the standard way researchers label where a study sits along the investigational pathway from early safety work through later efficacy and post-marketing evaluation. The registered enrollment target is 30 participants, a figure that helps gauge the scale of data the investigators plan to collect. The listed sponsor is Texas Woman's University, which has 47 total studies on file at ClinicalTrials.gov, and sponsors are the parties responsible for study design, oversight, and regulatory filings.
The record links to 5 conditions, with Neck Pain appearing as the primary indexed condition, and to 1 intervention — of which Dry Needling is the first listed. Interventions can include drugs, devices, procedures, behavioral programs, or observational arms, and each is tracked as a separate registry field so that downstream queries can filter accurately. When a trial lists multiple interventions, it usually reflects a multi-arm design or a comparison protocol rather than a single treatment being tested in isolation. The brief summary published in the registry is the clearest source of protocol intent and should be read before drawing conclusions from any sidebar tags.
Geographic footprint matters for practical reasons: NCT06705634 reports 1 study location spanning 1 distinct geographic area — top geographies include Texas. A larger site network tends to correlate with broader recruitment capacity, but it does not imply anything about study quality, and site-level enrollment status can diverge from the overall registry status shown above. Every data point on this page comes from the public ClinicalTrials.gov dataset and is reproduced here for reference only; it is not a medical recommendation, an endorsement of the sponsor, or an invitation to enroll. Verify current status, eligibility criteria, and contact details directly at ClinicalTrials.gov, and discuss any participation decision with your own healthcare provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is clinical trial NCT06705634 about?
NCT06705634 is a clinical study titled "How Dry Needling at the Neck Affects Shoulder Movement, Strength, Pain, and Shoulder Circulation". Segmental facilitation, originally proposed by Korr in the 1950s, suggests that certain spinal segments can become hyperexcitable, leading to chronic pain development. In a facilitated segment, neurons governing sensory, motor, and autonomic functions are in a state of heightened sensitivity, making...
What is the current status of trial NCT06705634?
This trial is currently active not recruiting. It is a NA study. The enrollment target is 30 participants. The study started on 2024-12-01. Estimated completion is 2026-05-01.
What conditions does trial NCT06705634 study?
This clinical trial studies the following conditions: Neck Pain, Shoulder Pain, Dry Needling, Neck Pain Musculoskeletal, Dry Needling Technique. These conditions were identified from the trial registry and reflect the primary focus areas of the research.
What interventions are being tested in trial NCT06705634?
The interventions under investigation include: Dry Needling (OTHER). Each intervention is being evaluated for safety and efficacy as part of this clinical study.
Who is sponsoring clinical trial NCT06705634?
This trial is sponsored by Texas Woman's University, which has 47 total clinical trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. The sponsor is responsible for the study's design, funding, and regulatory compliance.
Where is trial NCT06705634 being conducted?
This trial has 1 study location across Texas. Contact the study sites directly through ClinicalTrials.gov for enrollment availability.
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