Riassunto dello studio

A total of 42 patients with hemiplegic shoulder pain were randomized to receive conventional rehabilitation with either dry needling (n=21) or conventional rehabilitation alone (n=21). Outcomes of interest included pain on a Visual Analog Scale (VAS), range of motion (ROM) in flexion, abduction, internal and external rotation, Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (QuickDASH) scores, Fugl-Meyer Motor Assessment - upper extremity (FMU-ES), and the incidence of adverse events. Overall, the results in dictated that pain, QuickDASH, and FMU-ES scores were all significantly better in the rehabilitation + dry needling group at 3 weeks. The change in baseline scores at 3 weeks was also significantly better in the rehabilitation + dry needling group. When comparing both groups, it was observed that the group receiving conventional treatment + dry needling experienced benefits post-treatment. Nonetheless, by the third month, these benefits were maintained exclusively in the flexion and abduction movements. These results indicate, that adding dry needling to conventional hemiplegic shoulder pain treatment only showed some difference in subacute ROM measurements, however, without clinical significance.