Electric needle therapy shows promise for foot pain
NCT ID NCT05370092
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tested whether a procedure called percutaneous needle electrolysis can help people with posterior tibial tendinopathy, a common cause of foot pain. 46 adults with pain for at least 3 months were split into two groups to compare the treatment against a control. Researchers measured pain levels and foot function before and after treatment to see if the electrolysis made a difference.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- percutaneous needle electrolysis
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a non-surgical option to reduce pain and improve foot function for people with posterior tibial tendon problems.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, completed trial with only 46 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The treatment is not widely used and its 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
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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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46 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Mar 2022
- Finished
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Jun 2025
- 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 years and older
- 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.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Subjects over 18 years of age * Mild inflammation, swelling and/or tenderness posterior to the medial malleolus * Pain posterior and/or superior to the medial malleolus, aggravated by activity * Pain present for at least 3 months * One or more signs of flexible flatfoot deformity, including excessive valgus deformity of the hindfoot during weight bearing and/or excessive foot abduction (many toes sign). * Pain when performing the Hell Rise Test or performed incorrectly. * Signs of tenosynovitis on ultrasound examination. As the inclusion criteria are based on side-to-side comparison all participants had to have unilateral involvement. Exclusion Criteria: * Previous surgery on the affected foot, leg or knee. * Disabling osteoarthritis of the knee on the affected side. * Fixed hindfoot deformities. * Recurrent ankle sprains on the affected side. * Ligament tears or bony abnormalities of the affected foot. * A physical or medical condition that contraindicates the testing protocol. * Pregnancy. * FCD or FLH tendinopathy.
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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
Locations
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Universidad Rey Juan Carlos
Madrid, Madrid, 28933, Spain
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.