A single group, pretest-posttest clinical trial for the effects of dry needling on wrist flexors spasticity after stroke.

BACKGROUND: Spasticity is a common complication after stroke. Dry needling (DN) is suggested as a novel method for treatment of muscle spasticity.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of DN on wrist flexors spasticity poststroke.

METHODS: A single group, pretest-posttest clinical trial was used. Twenty nine patients with stroke (16 male; mean age 54.3 years) were tested at baseline (T0), immediately after DN (T1), and one hour after DN (T2). DN was applied for flexor carpi radialis (FCR) and flexor carpi ulnaris on the affected arm for single session, one minute per muscle. The Modified Modified Ashworth Scale (MMAS), passive resistance force, wrist active and passive range of motion, Box and Block Test, and FCR H-reflex were outcome measures.

RESULTS: Significant reductions in MMAS scores were seen both immediately after DN and at 1-hour follow-up (median 2 at T0 to 1 at T1 and T2). There were significant improvements in other measures between the baseline values at T0 and those recorded immediately after the DN at T1 or one hour later at T2.

CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that DN reduced wrist flexors spasticity and alpha motor neuron excitability in patients with stroke, and improvements persisted for one hour after DN.