Can dry needling loosen a stiff ankle?

NCT ID NCT07474948

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing This study
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study looks at how a single session of dry needling the soleus muscle affects ankle movement and muscle function in people with limited ankle flexibility. Researchers will measure ankle bending, force, muscle activity, and tissue stiffness in 40 participants. The goal is to understand if dry needling can provide immediate improvements in ankle mobility.

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 could show that dry needling is a useful short-term technique to improve ankle mobility and muscle function.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early observational study with only 40 participants. It only looks at immediate effects, so long-term benefits are unknown.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 40 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Feb 2026

Expected to finish

Jun 2028

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 to 40 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Individuals must present with decreased dorsiflexion measurement during screening of 35° or less unilaterally or bilaterally based on the weight bearing lunge test Exclusion Criteria: * Current and/or historical lower extremity injury or surgery within the last six months * Musculoskeletal or neurological disorders that could impact balance or normal lower extremity function * Extreme phobia of needles * On blood thinners * Chance of pregnancy * Known problems with immune system, * Presence of diseases or infections that can be spread through bodily fluids

Get updates

Get notified about this study

Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Ankle stiffness are added.

Our safety recommendation!

By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • University of Dayton

    Dayton, Ohio, 45440, United States