Can a single needle session boost sprint speed and ease calf pain?
NCT ID NCT07525921
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study looks at whether one session of dry needling can quickly reduce calf muscle pain and improve sprint speed and jumping ability in amateur football players aged 18 to 25. Sixty participants will receive either real or sham needling, and their pain, speed, and performance will be measured right before and after. The goal is to see if this simple procedure offers immediate benefits for muscle 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, this could point toward a quick, non-drug treatment for muscle pain and performance issues in athletes.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage trial with only 60 participants, testing a single session. Results may not apply to other groups or long-term use, and minor soreness is possible.
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
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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
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About 60 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Aug 2025
- Expected to finish
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Jun 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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
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18 to 25 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide 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: * Amateur football players aged 18-25 years. Participation in club-level football for at least one year. Presence of active myofascial trigger point in gastrocnemius or soleus confirmed by palpation. Willingness to participate and provide informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: * History of calf muscle tear, fracture, or lower limb surgery. Current use of muscle relaxants or anti-inflammatory medication. Known bleeding disorders or anticoagulant therapy. Local infection, skin lesion, or contraindication to dry needling. Neurological or vascular disorders affecting lower limb function.
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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.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Foundation University College of Physical Therapy
RECRUITINGIslamabad, Punjab Province, 46000, Pakistan
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