Virtual Reality in Invasive Techniques in Physiotherapy

NCT ID: NCT06448104

Last Updated: 2025-05-04

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 40 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2024-09-03
• Study Completion Date: 2025-02-06

Brief Summary

Dry needling is a common physical therapy technique that uses solid acupuncture needles that are repeatedly inserted and removed into the human body. These techniques, despite their benefits, can cause pain. The objective of this study is to analyze the use of virtual reality as a distractor in invasive techniques in physiotherapy. The hypothesis is that the use of immersive virtual reality, evoking relaxation situations, will reduce the sensation of pain during and/or after the technique. To do this, healthy participants will be recruited and the participants will be divided into two groups (experimental and control). Participants in the experimental group will undergo the dry needling technique on latent myofascial trigger points along with the use of immersive virtual reality. The same technique will be performed on participants in the control group but without the use of virtual reality. Pain during and after puncture and strength after puncture will be evaluated.

Conditions

Pain

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: DOUBLE

Study Groups

Dry needling and immersive virtual reality

Participants assigned to "Dry needling and immersive virtual reality" group will carry out a first session in which the dry needling technique will be performed together with immersive virtual reality and the results will be recorded. Likewise, after two weeks, these participants will repeat the dry needling session (with virtual reality) and evaluation, adding a previous exercise session.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Dry needling and immersive virtual reality

Intervention Type: OTHER

The study consists of two sessions, separated by a period of two weeks. In the first session, a dry needling procedure based on the Hong technique is performed on the main latent myofascial trigger point of the medial gastrocnemius, vastus medialis quadriceps or biceps femoris muscles.

The procedure will be carried out simultaneously with the use of immersive virtual reality distraction software, applied through MetaQuest 2 virtual reality glasses. This procedure consists of immersive visualization (video and sound images that represent scenes related to relaxation).

In the second session, the same procedure will be repeated, with the addition that the participants will perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions (12RM intensity) of the plantar flexion exercises prior to performing the dry needling technique. of ankle, knee extension or knee flexion (depending on the muscle evaluated) with the aim of stimulating the area to be evaluated, simulating post-exercise fatigue.

Standard dry needling

Participants assigned to "Standard dry needling" group will undergo a first session in which the dry needling technique will be performed and the results will be recorded. After two weeks, these participants will repeat the dry needling and evaluation session, in this case adding a previous exercise session.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Dry needling

Intervention Type: OTHER

The study consists of two sessions, separated by a period of two weeks. In the first session, a dry needling procedure based on the Hong technique is performed on the main latent myofascial trigger point of the medial gastrocnemius, vastus medialis quadriceps or biceps femoris muscles.

In the second session, the same procedure will be repeated, with the addition that the participants will perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions (12RM intensity) of the plantar flexion exercises prior to performing the dry needling technique. of ankle, knee extension or knee flexion (depending on the muscle evaluated) with the aim of stimulating the area to be evaluated, simulating post-exercise fatigue.

Interventions

Dry needling and immersive virtual reality

The study consists of two sessions, separated by a period of two weeks. In the first session, a dry needling procedure based on the Hong technique is performed on the main latent myofascial trigger point of the medial gastrocnemius, vastus medialis quadriceps or biceps femoris muscles.

The procedure will be carried out simultaneously with the use of immersive virtual reality distraction software, applied through MetaQuest 2 virtual reality glasses. This procedure consists of immersive visualization (video and sound images that represent scenes related to relaxation).

In the second session, the same procedure will be repeated, with the addition that the participants will perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions (12RM intensity) of the plantar flexion exercises prior to performing the dry needling technique. of ankle, knee extension or knee flexion (depending on the muscle evaluated) with the aim of stimulating the area to be evaluated, simulating post-exercise fatigue.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Dry needling

The study consists of two sessions, separated by a period of two weeks. In the first session, a dry needling procedure based on the Hong technique is performed on the main latent myofascial trigger point of the medial gastrocnemius, vastus medialis quadriceps or biceps femoris muscles.

In the second session, the same procedure will be repeated, with the addition that the participants will perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions (12RM intensity) of the plantar flexion exercises prior to performing the dry needling technique. of ankle, knee extension or knee flexion (depending on the muscle evaluated) with the aim of stimulating the area to be evaluated, simulating post-exercise fatigue.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Have at least one identifiable latent myofascial trigger point in the muscles studied

Exclusion Criteria

• Suffer any musculoskeletal or neural alteration that could alter the results obtained
• Suffer from belonephobia or extreme and uncontrollable fear of sharp objects

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 45 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

University of Valencia

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Rodrigo Martín-San-Agustin

Assistant Professor of Physiotherapy

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Rodrigo Martín-San Agustín, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Valencia

Locations

Faculty of Physiotherapy, University of Valencia

Valencia, Valencia, Spain

Countries

Spain

Other Identifiers

3250436

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id