LifestyleExercise

Electrical dry needling combined with therapeutic exercise is not yet proven to be more effective than therapeutic exercise alone in patients with chronic nonspecific neck pain, as the trial is ongoing and results are pending.

This protocol describes a randomized controlled trial comparing electrical dry needling (EDN) combined with therapeutic exercise versus therapeutic exercise alone in 70 participants with chronic nonspecific neck pain. The trial is ongoing, with recruitment partially completed (35 of 70 as of January 2026), and results are expected to be published in late 2026. No efficacy results are available yet.

Last updated: Aug 25, 2026•1 RCTs•📖 Read as article →

Evidence Score

Evidence Score42/100
Human RCT★★☆☆☆
Meta-analysis☆☆☆☆☆
Mechanism★★★★★
Safety★★★★☆
Confidencelow

Study Evidence

Study 1. Electrical Dry Needling and Therapeutic Exercise Versus Therapeutic Exercise in Patients With Chronic Nonspecific Neck Pain: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

observational

Lara-Palomo IC, Bautista-Rodríguez A, Muñoz-Manzaneda JM, Álvarez-López E, Barragán-Olea E, Castro-Sánchez AM · JMIR research protocols (2026)

Participants: N/A
Duration: 6 weeks intervention, with 2-month follow-up
Intervention: Electrical dry needling (EDN) combined with therapeutic exercise, administered once per week for 6 weeks (6 sessions total).
Outcome: Cervical disability, pain intensity, sleep quality, health-related quality of life, kinesiophobia, pain catastrophizing, cervical range of motion, pressure pain threshold, and cervical muscle endurance.
Effect Size: N/A
Population: Patients with chronic nonspecific neck pain (CNSNP), recruited from outpatient physical therapy department of University of Almería.

Result:

PubMed: 42623514DOI: 10.2196/91491

Mechanism Graph

EDN is applied to myofascial trigger points to modulate pain and improve function.
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Therapeutic exercise is provided as a cornerstone intervention for CNSNP.
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Combining EDN with exercise may enhance pain modulation and functional outcomes.
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The trial will compare the combined intervention to exercise alone to determine if EDN adds benefit.

Limitations

  • ⚠The trial is ongoing, so no results are available to support efficacy claims.
  • ⚠The study is examiner-blinded but not participant-blinded, which may introduce bias.
  • ⚠Recruitment is behind schedule (35 of 70 participants as of January 2026), which may affect timeline and power.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the primary outcome of this trial?▼

The primary outcome is cervical disability, measured at baseline, postintervention, and 2-month follow-up.

How many participants are included in this trial?▼

The trial plans to include 70 participants, with 35 in each group.

What is the intervention frequency?▼

Both groups receive one session per week for 6 weeks, totaling 6 sessions.

When are results expected?▼

Data collection is expected to be completed by March 2026, with results anticipated to be published in late 2026.

Products

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References

  1. 1.Lara-Palomo IC, Bautista-Rodríguez A, Muñoz-Manzaneda JM, Álvarez-López E, Barragán-Olea E, Castro-Sánchez AM. "Electrical Dry Needling and Therapeutic Exercise Versus Therapeutic Exercise in Patients With Chronic Nonspecific Neck Pain: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.." JMIR research protocols, 2026. PMID: 42623514 DOI: 10.2196/91491
Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Evidence scores reflect the quality and quantity of available research, not clinical recommendations. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplement or intervention.