Dry Needling for Shoulder Adhesive Capsulitis

Stopped early · Not applicable · Has a placebo group

Conditions studied: Shoulder Adhesive Capsulitis, Shoulder Pain, Frozen Shoulder

In brief

This study evaluates the addition of dry needling to exercise as part of physical therapy for the treatment of shoulder adhesive capsulitis. There will be two groups. One will receive actual dry needling to the clinically determined shoulder / parascapular trigger points. The other group will receive a sham needle treatment to the clinically determined areas.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT03861923

Run by

Duke University

People needed

10

Starts

2020-10-13

Expected to finish

2024-01-18

Last updated by the study team

2026-03-05

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 65. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Primary complaint of shoulder pain and stiffness
• Gradual onset of symptoms
• Glenohumeral passive range of motion limited in multiple directions
• Glenohumeral passive range of motion decreases as the humerus is abducted from 45 degrees to 90 degrees
• Age 18 to 65 years
• Reports pain with normal activity greater than or equal to 2/10 on the numeric pain rating scale
• Read and speak English

You may not qualify if…

• Signs or symptoms of cervical radiculopathy, radiculitis, or referral from the cervical spine
• Clinical evidence as determined in the examination of an alternative shoulder diagnosis
• Normal passive shoulder range of motion
• Known radiographic evidence of glenohumeral osteoarthritis
• Known neurologic disease
• Received dry needling or acupuncture within the past 6 months
• Fear of needling
• Currently being treated with anticoagulant medication
• Shoulder pain and disability index (SPADI) score less than 10% or greater than 90%

Where it is running

• Duke Sports Science Institute — Durham, North Carolina, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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