Table 2.
Comparison intra- and inter-group [results expressed as mean (SD) except VAS expressed as median (IQR)] at baseline (A0), at 30 days (A1) and at 45 days (A2)
| Deep dry needling (DDN) | Control group (CG) | DDN vs CG | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessments | Baseline (A0) | Post-intervention (A1) | Follow-up (A2) | P value (A0–A1) | P value (A0–A2) | Basal (A0) | Post-intervention (A1) | Follow-up (A2) | P value (A0–A1) | P value (A0–A2) | P value (A0–A0) | P value (A1–A1) | P value (A2–A2) |
| Pain | |||||||||||||
| Median (IQR) | 5.8 (1) | 0 (0.3) | 0 (0.3) | < 0.001** | < 0.001** | 5 (3) | 3 (3.2) | 3 (2.2) | < 0.001** | < 0.001** | 0.784* | < 0.001* | < 0.001* |
| PPT (Kg/cm2) | 1.9 (0.7) | 4.4 (1.3) | 4.3 (1.5) | < 0.001 | < 0.001 | 1.9 (0.7) | 2.9 (1.3) | 2.8 (1.4) | < 0.001 | 0.001 | 0.889 | < 0.001 | < 0.001 |
| AROM (deg) | |||||||||||||
| Flexion–extension | 104.4 (15) | 116.9 (17.4) | 119.6 (13.9) | 0.003 | 0.001 | 95.9 (24) | 102.7 (24.2) | 100.7 (22.7) | 0.120 | 0.261 | 0.134 | 0.031 | 0.002 |
| Inclination | 73.6 (21.1) | 88.1 (15) | 86.9 (15.6) | 0.006 | 0.006 | 65.9 (21.3) | 67.9 (17.6) | 67.1 (18.4) | 0.507 | 0.733 | 0.233 | < 0.001 | < 0.001 |
| Rotation | 110.8 (23.8) | 134.5 (5.7) | 133.6 (5.6) | < 0.001 | < 0.001 | 113.2 (26) | 121.4 (5.7) | 121.6 (5.3) | 0.034 | 0.057 | 0.751 | 0.029 | 0.037 |
| Strength (N) | |||||||||||||
| Flexion | 61.7 (22.9) | 86.3 (28.4) | 87.6 (29.8) | < 0.001 | < 0.001 | 62.3 (20.6) | 69.8 (21.3) | 65.8 (24.6) | 0.048 | 0.339 | 0.923 | 0.036 | 0.011 |
| Extension | 80.2 (25.8) | 103.1 (33.9) | 106.3 (31.1) | 0.001 | < 0.001 | 77.4 (28.4) | 80.3 (26.4) | 80.6 (22) | 0.356 | 0.441 | 0.735 | 0.017 | 0.003 |
| Right inclination | 75.5 (25) | 90.5 (26.7) | 93 (26.8) | 0.004 | 0.005 | 63.4 (15.8) | 72.5 (26.7) | 67.6 (24.6) | 0.114 | 0.368 | 0.060 | 0.031 | 0.003 |
| Left inclination | 72 (28) | 88.5 (26.8) | 89.1 (28.6) | < 0.001 | 0.002 | 65.1 (17) | 70.5 (24.2) | 71.3 (21.3) | 0.253 | 0.112 | 0.038 | 0.024 | 0.024 |
| Right rotation | 67.1 (20.1) | 85.2 (24.4) | 86.5 (26.1) | < 0.001 | < 0.001 | 55.7 (13.6) | 63.9 (18.3) | 61.7 (17.8) | 0.030 | 0.093 | 0.032 | 0.002 | 0.001 |
| Left rotation | 61.7 (20.1) | 83.8 (25.3) | 84.5 (25.3) | < 0.001 | < 0.001 | 57.7 (12.8) | 64.5 (18.4) | 63.6 (18.7) | 0.003 | 0.057 | 0.439 | 0.006 | 0.003 |
All outcomes used Student's t-test, except pain outcome. *Mann–Whitney U-test or **Wilcoxon test.
AROM: active range of motion; PPT: pressure pain threshold; VAS: visual analogue scale. Significant values bolded.