Dry Needling and Quad Strength After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

NCT07657195 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: STUDY00003889
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 40
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 3

Brief Summary

Dry needling is a skilled intervention provided by trained physical therapists to treat pain, myofascial dysfunction, and a variety of other diagnosis. While there is research demonstrating the benefits of dry needling in reduction of pain and improvement in strength, research in regards the pediatric population is very limited. A recent retrospective chart review regarding dry needling trends and outcomes in the pediatric orthopedic population showed the pediatric population is tolerating this treatment and seeing benefits. Physical therapists are already pushing the boundaries and finding additional benefits in the use of dry needling with current patients. A diagnosis frequently seen in sports medicine is surgical reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Over the last couple of years, therapists have seen an increase in the use of quadriceps tendon autograft for reconstruction following ACL tears due to lower incidence rate of retears. Patients have been struggling to regain strength of the quadriceps to meet desired outcomes. The quadricep muscles are one of the major stabilizers of the knee and with a reduction in strength places the patient at a significant increase of retear. Subjects will be categorized into an experimental group (dry needling intervention + physical therapy) or the control group (physical therapy only) with a N of 20 in each group. The goal for this research is to determine if dry needling use in the subacute phase of post-operative ACLR following quadriceps autograft can assist with increasing quad strength and improve post-surgical outcomes.

Conditions

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Rehabilitation; Dry Needling; Strength

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in Quadriceps Muscle Strength

  Muscle strength measurement will be taken with use of the handheld dynamometer and use of stabilizing gait belt. A max force production will be created over three seconds. Three trials will be recorded, and average will be used as the final number. For the intervention group, measurements will be taken immediately prior to dry needling and immediately following dry needling for both sessions of intervention (week 6 and week 7). Additional post intervention measurements will be taken 2 weeks following dry needling intervention (week 9). For the Control Group, measurements will be taken during week 6, week 7, and week 9. Measurements will be taken at the start of the physical therapy visit.

  Muscle strength measurements taken at post-operative week 6, 7, and 9.

Study Arms (2)

Dry Needling Group

EXPERIMENTAL

For the Intervention Group, dry needling will be completed to the quadriceps muscle. Strength measurements will be taken using a handheld dynamometer in post-operative weeks 6, 7, and 9.

Procedure: Dry Needling

Control Group (No dry needling)

NO INTERVENTION

Participants will not receive dry needling intervention. Strength measurements will be taken using a handheld dynamometer in post-operative weeks 6, 7, and 9.

Interventions

Dry Needling PROCEDURE

Dry needling is defined as a skilled intervention that utilizes a thin filiform needle to stimulate underlying myofascial trigger points, muscular, and connective tissue in managing pain and movement dysfunction. For the Intervention Group, dry needling will be completed to the quadriceps as stated below. Two sessions of dry needling will be done once per week starting in week 6 and finishing by end of week 7. The patient will be laying in supine. Needles will be placed in the quadriceps muscle. Placement will be at identified trigger points or in mid muscle belly if no trigger point is identified. Electrical stimulation will be applied and increased to an intensity of the patient's tolerance with a visual contraction noted. Electrical stimulation will remain on for 5 minutes.

Dry Needling Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 10 Years - 20 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Status post subacute quadriceps autograft 6 weeks or less
• Ages 10-20 years
• English and/or Spanish speaking

You may not qualify if:

• History of surgery on the knee or hip on the testing lower extremity.
• Any surgical intervention to other ligamentous or meniscus structures during time of ACLR
• Any post-surgical complications such as infection
• Current pregnancy

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Children's Mercy Hospital Kansas City: lead

Study Sites (3)

Children's Mercy Sports Medicine Center- Village West

Kansas City, Kansas, 66111, United States

Location

Children's Mercy - Blue Valley

Overland Park, Kansas, 66223, United States

Location

Children's Mercy Hospital- Kansas City

Kansas City, Missouri, 64108, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Dry Needling

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Complementary Therapies; Therapeutics; Physical Therapy Modalities

Study Officials

• Mellony J Mann, DPT

  Children's Mercy Hospital Kansas City

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Mellony J Mann, DPT

CONTACT

913- 717-4750; mjmann@cmh.edu

Shannon R Margherio, PT

CONTACT

816-816-6927; srmargherio@cmh.edu

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NON RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Physical Therapist

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 15, 2026
• First Posted: June 18, 2026
• Study Start (Estimated): August 14, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): June 30, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): June 30, 2027
• Last Updated: July 22, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-07

Locations

US (3)