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Dry needling may unlock stiff muscles after stroke

NCT ID NCT04535479

Symptom relief Sponsor: Medical University of South Carolina Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

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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 Results may not be published yet.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This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.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 Jul 08, 2026 · Last updated Jul 09, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study explores whether dry needling — a technique where thin needles are inserted into tight muscles to trigger a twitch — can reduce spasticity (stiffness) in people who have had a stroke. Researchers will measure changes in nerve pathways and movement over two visits. The goal is to see if this simple procedure can improve arm and leg function.

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 it works, dry needling could become a simple, drug-free way to ease muscle stiffness and improve arm or leg movement after a stroke.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early-stage study with only 32 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. Dry needling may cause temporary soreness or bruising.

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

32 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Sep 2020

Expected to finish

Jun 2027

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 years and older

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: For adults with no known neurological conditions: * ≥18 years old * no known neurological injuries. For individuals after stroke: * neurologically stable for \>6 months (and \>1 yr post stroke) * medical clearance to participate * unilateral ankle and/or wrist spasticity, confirmed by Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) \> 1 and the presence of spastic hyperreflexia Exclusion Criteria: * motoneuron injury (i.e. the neurons that give rise to the axons innervating the muscles) with inadequate response to stimulation * a cardiac condition ( history of myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, pacemaker use, coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation, congenital heart disease, uncontrolled hypertension) * a medically unstable condition (including temporary infections and pregnancy) * age \<18 years old * cognitive impairment sufficient to interfere with informed consent or successful completion of the protocol * metal allergies * needle phobias * lymphedema over a limb (due to risk of infection/cellulitis) * abnormal bleeding tendencies * compromised immune system * vascular disease * uncontrolled diabetes * history of epilepsy (as DDN generates strong somatosensory sensation) * anxiety disorders or in distress.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Muscle Spasticity Neurologic Manifestations stroke disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

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

Muscle spasticity Stroke

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Medical University of South Carolina

    Charleston, South Carolina, 29405, United States

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