Can dry needling rewire the Brain's response to knee pain?
NCT ID NCT05976269
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study looks at how chronic bilateral knee pain changes the brain's ability to recognize left from right, and whether dry needling can improve movement and muscle function. Sixty adults aged 18 to 40 with patellofemoral pain will be split into groups based on their fear of movement, plus a healthy control group. Participants will undergo tests before and after a single dry needling session to measure brain response, movement patterns, and muscle health.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- dry needling
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this study could help explain how the brain processes knee pain and whether dry needling can improve movement and muscle function.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage study with only 60 participants and no follow-up. Results may not apply to everyone with knee pain, and dry needling may not produce lasting benefits.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
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Locations
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The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Jameson Crane Sports Medicine Institute
Columbus, Ohio, 43202, United States
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