Table 2.
Pressure pain thresholds (PPTs), normalized electromyographic (EMG) amplitude of the lumbosacral multifidus muscle during contralateral arm lift, and Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) scores before, immediately after, and one week after a single session of dry needling intervention
| Variables | All (n = 41) | Needle Manipulation (n = 21) | No Needle Manipulation (n = 20) | p value (interaction) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PPT (kPa) | 0.023* | |||
| Pre needling | 383.4 ± 185.5 | 377.3 ± 170.0 | 389.9 ± 204.9 | |
| Immediately post | 432.3 ± 186.7 | 460.2 ± 199.6 | 403.1 ± 172.3 | |
| 1-week follow-up | 415.0 ± 177.2 | 455.7 ± 176.9 | 372.3 ± 171.4 | |
| EMG amplitude (%MVIC) | 0.772 | |||
| Pre needling | 53.7 ± 30.7 | 55.8 ± 29.0 | 51.4 ± 33.0 | |
| Immediately post | 69.3 ± 82.1 | 72.3 ± 79.6 | 66.1 ± 86.6 | |
| 1-week follow-up | 55.7 ± 35.1 | 53.2 ± 23.9 | 58.4 ± 44.4 | |
| NPRS (current) | 0.238 | |||
| Pre needling | 3.7 ± 2.0 | 3.5 ± 1.7 | 3.9 ± 2.2 | |
| Immediately post | 2.0 ± 1.7 | 2.5 ± 1.7 | 1.5 ± 1.7 | |
| 1-week follow-up | 2.4 ± 2.1 | 2.4 ± 2.0 | 2.5 ± 2.1 |
MVIC: maximal voluntary isometric contraction. *p < 0.05.